- Nonwovens for wipes are a $26.0 billion market in 2026, reaching $35.7 billion by 2031 (6.5% CAGR)
- Volumes rise from 2.0 to 2.6 million tonnes over the same period (5.1% CAGR)
- Baby wipes take 46.2% of total volume but just 28.4% of value
Nonwoven wipes fall into two major types: consumer and industrial. Consumer wipes include baby wipes, personal care wipes and household or homecare wipes; industrial wipes comprise general purpose, specialty, food service and healthcare wipes.
After two decades of rising growth rates, the nonwoven wipes market is beginning to slow, especially in consumption by tonnes. This appears to be due to a combination of market maturity and current geopolitical and global economic pressures. Despite these significant headwinds, the nonwoven wipes market is still projected to grow faster than GDP, at 6.5% (value) and 5.1% (tonnes) a year over 2026–31.
Based on extensive primary and secondary research, this major new report covers all nonwoven wipes by type, process, end use and geography, with market sizes and forecasts to 2031. It examines the whole value chain for nonwoven wipes, including technology developments and the competitive landscape, making it the ultimate strategic planning tool for the wipes market.
Key Questions
- How will the implementation of plastic-free legislation affect the wipes industry?
- How are wipes producers responding to flushability guidelines?
- How does the sustained nonwovens growth in Asia affect the wipes market?
- How will plastic-free mandates affect baby wipes, the largest-volume wipes segment?
About the author
Phillip Mango brings over 45 years of nonwovens industry experience across technical, operations, and marketing roles throughout the supply chain. He founded and ran his own multimillion-dollar nonwovens production company, and has spent the last 22 years supporting major companies in market and product development alongside his work at Smithers (17 years). Phillip is a key member of the Smithers team, delivering quantitative market data, forecasts, off-the-shelf market studies and strategic consultancy across the value chain.
Executive summary
Introduction and methodology
Macroeconomic landscape
Competitive landscape
Market drivers and trends
Technology developments
Market by process
Spunlace
Airlaid
Needlepunch
Coform
Spunlaid
Wetlaid
Carded
Other
Market by material
Polymer
Polypropylene
Other Polymers
Binders
Ion triggered
Cellulosic
Others
Fibre
Polypropylene
Polyester
Biocomponent
Rayon/lyocell
Staple
Shortcut (<12 MM)
Woodpulp
Fluff pulp
NBSK/SBSK
Hardwood/others
Others
Market by end use
Consumer
Baby
Personal care
Adult moist tissue
Toddler toilet care wipes
Feminine hygiene wipes
Cosmetic/facials
Adult incontinence/bath
Others
Home care
Cleaning/disinfecting wipes
Wet floor wipes
Electrostatic wipes
Furniture/glass
Automotive
Mops/others
Industrial
Foodservice wipes
General purpose wipes
Specialty wipes
Healthcare wipes
Market by geography
North America
USA
Canada
Mexico
South America
Brazil
Other South America
Western Europe
Germany
France
UK
Italy
Spain
Benelux
Scandinavia
Other Western Europe
Eastern Europe
Turkey
Poland
Russia
Other Eastern Europe
Asia
China
India
Japan
Other Asia
Rest of World (ROW)
TABLES
Purchasing Power Parity (2026-31), dollars per capitaPopulation Growth (2021–31)
Global: Nonwoven Wipes Consumption by Production Process, 2021–31 ($ million, ’000 tonnes)
Global: Nonwoven Wipes Consumption by Material, 2021–31 ($ million, ’000 tonnes)
Global: Nonwoven Wipes Consumption by End-use, 2021–31 ($ million, ’000 tonnes, million m2)
FIGURES
Real GDP Growth Annual By Key Regions (% change)
Nonwoven Wipes Market Share By Volume, 2026 (%) (Baby wipes, Personal care wipes, Home care wipes, Industrial wipes)
Global Nonwoven Wipes Consumption ($ million, ‘000 tonnes)Global Nonwoven Wipes Consumption By Production Process ($ million, ‘000 tonnes) (Spunlace, Airlaid, Wetlaid, Carded, Needlepunch, Spunlaid, Coform, Other)Spunlace Nonwoven Wipes Consumption By Process ($ million, ‘000 tonnes) (Carded/carded, Carded/pulp/carded, Spunbond/pulp, Hydroentangled wetlaid, Carded/wetlaid pulp, Hydroentangled airlaid, Others)
Airlaid Nonwoven Wipes Consumption By Process ($ million, ‘000 tonnes) (Latex bonded, Latex bonded – ion triggered, Latex bonded – other binder, Thermal bonded, Multibonded)Wetlaid Nonwoven Wipes Consumption By Process ($ million, ‘000 tonnes) (DRC, Standard)
Global Nonwoven Wipes Consumption By Material ($ million, ‘000 tonnes) (Polymers, Fibres) Polymers Nonwoven Wipes Consumption By Type ($ million, ‘000 tonnes) (Polypropylene, Other polymers, Binders, Binders – ion triggered, Binders – cellulosic, Binders – others) Fibres Nonwoven Wipes Consumption By Type ($ million, ‘000 tonnes) (Polypropylene, Polyester, Bicomponent, Rayon/lyocell, Rayon/lyocell – staple, Rayon/lyocell – shortcut <12 mm, Woodpulp, Woodpulp – fluff pulp, Woodpulp – NBSK/SBSK, Woodpulp – hardwood/others, Others) Global Nonwoven Wipes Consumption By End-use ($ million, ‘000 tonnes, million m²) (Consumer, Industrial) Consumer Nonwoven Wipes Consumption By End-use ($ million, ‘000 tonnes, million m²)
(Baby care, Personal care, Home care) Personal Care Nonwoven Wipes Consumption By End-use ($ million, ‘000 tonnes, million m²) (Adult moist tissues, Toddler toilet care wipes, Feminine hygiene wipes, Cosmetic/facials, Adult incontinence/bath, Others)
Home Care Nonwoven Wipes Consumption By End-use ($ million, ‘000 tonnes, million m²)(Cleaning/disinfecting wipes, Wet floor wipes, Electrostatic wipes, Furniture/glass, Automotive, Mops/other)Industrial Nonwoven Wipes Consumption By End-use ($ million, ‘000 tonnes, million m²)(Foodservice wipes, General purpose wipes, Specialty wipes, Healthcare wipes) Global Nonwoven Wipes Consumption By Geography ($ million, ‘000 tonnes) (North America, South & Central America, Europe, Asia, Rest of World)
North America Nonwoven Wipes Consumption By Country ($ million, ‘000 tonnes) (USA, Mexico, Canada)South & Central America Nonwoven Wipes Consumption By Country ($ million, ‘000 tonnes)(Brazil, Other South & Central America)
Europe Nonwoven Wipes Consumption By Region ($ million, ‘000 tonnes)
(Western Europe, Eastern Europe)Western Europe Nonwoven Wipes Consumption By Country ($ million, ‘000 tonnes)(Germany, France, UK, Italy, Spain, Benelux, Scandinavia, Other Western Europe)Eastern Europe Nonwoven Wipes Consumption By Country ($ million, ‘000 tonnes)(Turkey, Poland, Russia, Other Eastern Europe)Asia Nonwoven Wipes Consumption By Country ($ million, ‘000 tonnes)(China, India, Japan, Other Asia)
