The Future of Hygiene Components to 2030

• Global consumption of materials for nonwoven hygiene components is projected to reach 6.6 million tonnes in 2025, valued at $11.8 billion
• Consumption of materials is forecast to reach $16.0 billion in 2030, with a projected growth rate of 6.4% in value terms.

The global hygiene components market is the single largest market for nonwovens and is a large market for film and tissue as well. By 2030, the largest developments in hygiene components are going to be increased penetration of the very large, underutilized markets in China and India, and high growth in the adult incontinence market globally. While sustainability and plastics-free movements are beginning to affect some hygiene components and products, the quantitative effects are still small; they will present a minor, but growing effect on the consumption of raw materials through to 2030.

Definition

The definition of a hygiene component in this report is a pre-formed nonwoven, film, or tissue-based product or composite used in baby diapers or nappies, feminine hygiene pads, or adult incontinence products.  These can include superabsorbent polymers, elastic strands, and adhesives as materials.  Hygiene components in this report do not include in-line blends of loose or unbonded wood pulp with or without superabsorbent polymers.

Key questions

• Which sectors will see the most growth in the hygiene components market? 
• How are demographic changes, such as declining birth rates and ageing populations, impacting demand for hygiene products? 
• How is the trend towards ‘pulpless’ or reduced pulp diaper cores impacting the market?
• What are the biggest challenges facing the market for hygiene components?

This report is essential to:

• Raw material suppliers and pulp producers
• Machinery and equipment suppliers 
• Hygiene product manufacturers 

About the author

Phillip Mango has spent almost 40 years in the nonwovens industry. He has held various positions and areas of expertise within the industry, from applications management for the global leader in nonwoven binders to technology director for the world’s largest airlaid producer, to founder, owner and head of operations for his own nonwovens company. He entered the consulting field in 2003 and has authored more than 35 reports for Smithers.

Executive summary
Introduction and methodology

• Objectives
• Scope
• Methodology
• Definitions

Industry overview

• Overview
• Introduction
• Global trends
  • Covid 2020–21
  • Russian invasion of Ukraine
  • Hamas attacks Israel 
  • Houthis attack Red Sea shipping, 2023–24
  • US initiates global “trade war” with tariff policy, 2025
  • Israel attacks Iran, 2025
  • US attacks Iran, 2025
• Supply chain for diapers and training pants
• Supply chain for feminine hygiene products
  • Supply chain for feminine hygiene pads
    • Maxipads
    • Ultrathin pads
    • Pantiliners
• Supply chain for feminine hygiene tampons
• Supply chain for adult incontinence products
• Profit pool discussion
• Key trends driving each of the hygiene end use markets
  • Key drivers and trends for diapers and training pants
  • Key drivers and trends for feminine hygiene products
  • Key drivers and trends for adult incontinence products

Hygiene components markets by material type

• Overview
• Introduction
• Polymers
  • Polypropylene polymer
  • Polyethylene polymer
  • Other polymers
• Fibres
  • Polypropylene fibre
  • Polyester fibre
  • Rayon/lyocell
  • Bicomponent fibre
  • Wood pulp
  • Other fibre

Hygiene components market by component type

• Overview
• Introduction
• Topsheet
• Backsheet
• Film
• Acquisition/distribution layer (adl) and secondary topsheet (sts)
• Absorbent core
• Core wrap
• Leg gathers
• Waistbands
• Stretch ears
• All others
• Hygiene components summary
  • Basic introductory hygiene products
  • Sophisticated, high-performance, aesthetically superior hygiene products

Hygiene components market by end use

• Overview
• Introduction
• Global hygiene components market segmented by end use
  • Diapers/nappies and training pants
    • Diapers/nappies
    • Training pants
    • Diaper and training pants market
      • Assessment
  • Feminine hygiene products
    • Feminine hygiene pads
    • Feminine hygiene tampons
    • Feminine hygiene products market
      • Assessment 
  • Adult incontinence products
    • Pads
    • Briefs
    • Underwear
    • Underpads
    • Adult incontinence products market
      • Assessment
  • Specialty hygiene products
    • Assessment 
  • Other hygiene products
    • Assessment

Hygiene components markets by region

• Overview
• Introduction
• Western European market overview
  • Analysis
  • Hygiene component consumption in Western Europe
  • Germany
  • France
  • United Kingdom
  • Italy
  • Spain
  • Benelux
  • Scandinavia
  • Rest of Western Europe
• Eastern European market overview
  • Analysis
  • Hygiene component consumption in Eastern Europe
  • Turkey
  • Russia
  • Poland
  • Rest of Eastern Europe
• North American overview
  • Analysis
  • Hygiene component consumption in North America
• South American market overview
  • Analysis
  • Hygiene component consumption is South America
• Asian market overview
  • Analysis
  • Hygiene component consumption in Asia
  • China
  • India
  • Japan
  • Rest of Asia
• Rest of the world (ROW) market overview
  • Analysis
  • Hygiene component consumption is Rest of the World

Company profiles

• Introduction
• Magnera
• Kimberly-Clark
• TWE
• Shalag (Texsus)
• Fitesa
• EAM/Domtar (Paper Excellence)

FIGURES

• Market share of materials used in hygiene components 2025 (% of tonnes)
• Market share of materials used in hygiene components 2030 (% of tonnes)
• Profit pool participants in the hygiene market, 2022
• Supply chain for baby diapers
• Supply chain for maxipads
• Supply chains for ultrathin pads
• Supply chain for pantiliners
• Supply chain for feminine hygiene tampons
• Supply chain for adult incontinence underpad
• Market share of materials used in hygiene components, 2025 and 2030 (% of tonnes)
• Hygiene market share by component type, 2025 and 2030 (% of tonnes)
• Global hygiene components market by end use, 2025 and 2030 (units)
• Global hygiene components market by end use, 2025 and 2030 ($ million)
• Common diaper chassis designs
• “Generic” diaper cross section
• Generic examples of ultrathin and maxi pads
• Generic feminine hygiene pantiliner
• Hygiene components market share by region, 2025 (sales value, $)
• Hygiene components market share by region, 2030 (sales value, $)

TABLES

• Overview of key companies in the hygiene components market, 2025
• Transition table: trends affecting the hygiene market in 2025 and 2030
• Profit pool participation for the hygiene market, 2022
• Global consumption of materials for hygiene components, 2020–30 ($ millions, ‘000 tonnes)
• Global consumption of polypropylene polymer for hygiene components, 2020–30 ($ million, ‘000 tonnes)
• Global consumption of polyethylene polymer for hygiene components, 2020–30 ($ million, ‘000 tonnes)
• Global consumption of other polymer for hygiene components, 2020–30 ($ million, ‘000 tonnes)
• Global consumption of polypropylene fibre for hygiene components, 2020–30 ($ million, ‘000 tonnes)
• Global consumption of polyester fibre for hygiene components, 2020–30 ($ million, ‘000 tonnes)
• Global consumption of rayon/lyocell for hygiene components, 2020–30 ($ million, ‘000 tonnes)
• Global consumption of bicomponent fibre for hygiene components, 2020–30 ($ million, ‘000 tonnes)
• Global consumption of wood pulp for hygiene components, 2020–30 ($ million, ‘000 tonnes)
• Global consumption of hygiene components by component, 2020–30 ($ million, ‘000 tonnes)
• Global consumption of topsheet for hygiene, 2020–30 ($ million, ‘000 tonnes)
• Global consumption of backsheet for hygiene, 2020–30 ($ million, ‘000 tonnes)
• Global consumption of film for hygiene, 2020–30 ($ million, ‘000 tonnes)
• Global consumption of ADL/STS for hygiene, 2020–30 ($ million, ‘000 tonnes)
• Global consumption of absorbent core for hygiene, 2020–30 ($ million, ‘000 tonnes)
• Global consumption of core wrap for hygiene, 2020–30 ($ million, ‘000 tonnes)
• Global consumption of leg gathers for hygiene, 2020–30 ($ million, ‘000 tonnes)
• Global consumption of waistbands for hygiene, 2020–30 ($ million, ‘000 tonnes)
• Global consumption of stretch ears for hygiene, 2020–30 ($ million, ‘000 tonnes)
• Global consumption of all other components for hygiene, 2020–30 ($ million, ‘000 tonnes)
• Global consumption of global hygiene end-use products, 2020–30 ($ million, million units)
• Global consumption of diapers/nappies and training pants, 2020–30 ($ million, million units)
• Global consumption of feminine hygiene products, 2020–30 ($ million, million units)
• Global consumption of adult incontinence products, 2020–30 ($ million, million units)
• Global consumption of specialty hygiene products, 2020–30 ($ million, million units)
• Global consumption of other hygiene products, 2020–30 ($ million, million units)
• Global hygiene components market by geographic region, 2020–30 (‘000 tonnes, $ million, million m2)
• Western European hygiene components market, 2020–30 (‘000 tonnes, $ million, million m2)
• Western European hygiene components market by country/region, 2020–30 (‘000 tonnes, $ million, million m2)
• German hygiene components market, 2020–30 (‘000 tonnes, $ million, million m2)
• French hygiene components market, 2020–30 (‘000 tonnes, $ million, million m2)
• British hygiene components market, 2020–30 (‘000 tonnes, $ million, million m2)
• Italian hygiene components market, 2020–30 (‘000 tonnes, $ million, million m2)
• Spanish hygiene components market, 2020–30 (‘000 tonnes, $ million, million m2)
• Benelux hygiene components market, 2020–30 (‘000 tonnes, $ million, million m2)
• Scandinavian hygiene components market, 2020–30 (‘000 tonnes, $ million, million m2)
• Rest of Western European hygiene components market, 2020–30 (‘000 tonnes, $ million, million m2)
• Eastern European hygiene components market, 2020–30 (‘000 tonnes, $ million, million m2)
• Eastern European hygiene components market by country/region, 2020–30 (‘000 tonnes, $ million, million m2)
• Turkish hygiene components market, 2020–30 (‘000 tonnes, $ million, million m2)
• Russian hygiene components market, 2020–30 (‘000 tonnes, $ million, million m2)
• Polish hygiene components market, 2020–30 (‘000 tonnes, $ million, million m2)
• Rest of European hygiene components market, 2020–30 (‘000 tonnes, $ million, million m2)
• North American hygiene components market, 2020–30 (‘000 tonnes, $ million, million m2)
• South American hygiene components market, 2020–30 (‘000 tonnes, $ million, million m2)
• Asian hygiene components market, 2020–30 (‘000 tonnes, $ million, million m2)
• Asian hygiene components market by country/region, 2020–30 (‘000 tonnes, $ million, million m2)
• Chinese hygiene components market, 2020–30 (‘000 tonnes, $ million, million m2)
• Indian hygiene components market, 2020–30 (‘000 tonnes, $ million, million m2)
• Japanese hygiene components market, 2020–30 (‘000 tonnes, $ million, million m2)
• Rest of Asia hygiene components market, 2020–30 (‘000 tonnes, $ million, million m2)
• Rest of the world hygiene components market, 2020–30 (‘000 tonnes, $ million, million m2)