The Future of Meltblown Nonwovens Markets to 2028

• The global consumption of meltblown nonwovens in 2023 is 253,500 tonnes or 4.0 billion square metres (m2), valued at $1 billion
• Growth rates for 2018–23 were 5.6% (tonnes), 5.3% (m2) and 6.3% ($). As the Covid-driven surge dissipates growth rates will return to slightly above historic averages.  

The dramatic recent fluctuations in meltblown nonwoven sales appears to have ended in 2023. Following a Covid-driven increase of over 70% in volume consumed between 2019 and 2020, there was a corresponding correction for 2021 and 2022, where volume consumed decreased by almost 30%. Volume consumption in 2023 remains around 20% higher than that in 2019. For the entire period of 2018–28, the compound annual growth rate for meltblown volume is forecast at 5.3%. This is only slightly higher than the growth rate projected prior to Covid.  

Our exclusive content

• Meltblown nonwovens were a critical component in the fight to control Covid-19. Notably face masks, especially the desperately needed N95 type face masks, and other personal protective equipment, garments and covers, all make use of meltblown nonwovens
• In 2019 most meltblown nonwovens were produced in Asia and they represented less than 1% of Asian nonwoven production. In 2020, global consumption rose to 367,800 tonnes, an increase of 77.4%. Meltblown for face masks increased by over 800% in tonnes.  

What will you discover?

• This report documents the growth of meltblown nonwovens from 2018 through 2028 and includes a detailed quantitative breakdown of meltblown nonwoven consumption by raw material use, end-use application and geographic region
• Analysis of future developments and key drivers, such as demand for medical face masks and other medical meltblown end uses
• Overview and profiles of the major producers of meltblown nonwovens.   

The Smithers methodology

This report is based on extensive primary and secondary research. Primary research consisted of targeted interviews with material suppliers, converters and experts drawn from key markets. This was supported by secondary research in the form of extensive literature analysis of published data, official government statistics, domestic and international trade organisation data, company websites, industry reports, trade press articles, presentations, and attendance at trade events.  

Who should buy this report?

• Raw materials suppliers
• Nonwoven equipment suppliers
• Wipe and facemask manufacturers
• Users of meltblown nonwovens

About the author

Phil 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 & methodology

• Objectives
• Scope
• Methodology
• Definitions

Market overview

• Introduction
• Supply chain dynamics
• Drivers and trends
  • Legacy of Covid-19
  • Market ‘correction’/long term demand
  • Plastics waste reduction/ sustainability
  • Government encouraged ‘onshoring’
• Regulations/standards
  • EN 14683/ASTM F2100–19 Face mask material standards
  • EN 149 (FFP1, FFP2, FFP3) Face mask performance standards
  • EURO 6, China 6, EPA Emissions standards (fuel filtration)
  • ISO 14644–1 (Clean room standards)
  • Directive (EU) 2019/904 Reduction of Single Use Plastics

Technology forecasts

• Introduction
• Technology forecasts by end-use market
  • Hygiene
  • Medical
    • Face masks
    • Other medical
  • Wipes
  • Other disposables
    • Sorbents
    • Other disposables
• Filtration
  • Liquid filtration
  • Air & gas filtration
• Other durables
  • Insulation – thermal
  • Insulation – acoustical
  • Other durables

Meltblown nonwoven market by process

• Introduction
• Meltblown process variants
  • Fine (micro) fibre
  • Standard (all other noncomposite meltblown nonwovens)
• Meltblown composites (not included as meltblown in this report)
  • SMS
  • Coform
  • Other

Meltblown nonwoven market by material type

• Introduction
• Raw material shares for meltblown nonwovens
  • Polypropylene polymer
  • Polyester polymer (PET, PBT)
  • Polycarbonate
  • Polyamide
  • Thermoplastic polyurethane
  • Polystyrene
  • Others

Meltblown nonwoven market by end use

• Introduction
• End-use markets for meltblown nonwovens
  • Disposable end uses for meltblown nonwovens
    • Hygiene end uses for meltblown nonwovens
    • Medical end uses for meltblown nonwovens » Medical face mask end uses for meltblown nonwovens » Other medical end uses for meltblown nonwovens 
    • Wipes end uses for meltblown nonwovens
    • Other disposable end uses for meltblown nonwovens » Sorbent end uses for meltblown nonwovens » All other disposable end uses for meltblown nonwovens
  • Durable end uses for meltblown nonwovens
    • Filtration end uses for meltblown nonwovens » Liquid filtration end uses for meltblown nonwovens » Air & gas filtration end uses for meltblown nonwovens
    • Other durable end uses for meltblown nonwovens » Thermal insulation end uses for meltblown nonwovens » Acoustical insulation end uses for meltblown nonwovens » All other durable end uses for meltblown nonwovens

Meltblown nonwoven market by region

• Introduction
• North America
  • Analysis
  • North American market
• South America
  • Analysis
  • South American market
• Europe
  • Analysis
  • European market
• Asia
  • Analysis
  • Asian market
• Rest of the World (ROW)
  • Analysis
  • Rest of the World (ROW) markets

Company profiles

• Introduction
• Equipment suppliers
  • Reifenhauser
  • Oerlikon Nonwovens
  • Ramini
• Meltblown producers
  • Berry Global
  • Fiberweb
  • Fitesa
  • Freudenberg
  • Mogul
  • Don & Low
  • Mativ
  • Kimberly-Clark
  • Alkegen
  • Johns Manville
  • PF Nonwovens   

Tables

• Key drivers and trends for meltblown nonwovens, through 2023 and 2028
• Technology status for meltblown in hygiene end uses in 2023
• Technology forecast for meltblown in hygiene end uses by 2028
• Technology transition table for meltblown in hygiene end uses
• Technology status for meltblown in medical face mask end uses in 2023 and 2028
• Technology transition table for meltblown in medical face mask end uses
• Technology status for meltblown in other medical end uses in 2023 and 2028
• Technology transition table for meltblown in other medical end uses
• Technology status for meltblown in wipes end use in 2023 and 2028
• Technology transition table for meltblown in wipes end use
• Technology status for meltblown in sorbents in 2023 and 2028
• Technology transition table for meltblown in sorbents
• Technology status for meltblown in all other disposable end uses in 2023 and 2028
• Technology transition table for meltblown in all other disposable end uses
• Technology status for meltblown in liquid filtration end uses in 2023 and 2028
• Technology transition table for meltblown in liquid filtration end uses
• Technology status for meltblown in air & gas filtration end uses in 2023 and 2028
• Technology transition table for meltblown in air & gas filtration end uses
• Technology status for meltblown in thermal insulation end uses in 2023 and 2028
• Technology transition table for meltblown in thermal insulation
• Technology status for meltblown in acoustical insulation end uses in 2023
• Technology forecast for meltblown in acoustical insulation end uses through 2028
• Technology transition table for meltblown in acoustical insulation end uses through 2028
• Technology status for meltblown in all other durable end uses in 2023
• Technology forecast for meltblown in all other durable end uses through 2028
• Technology transition table for meltblown in all other durable end uses
• Global meltblown consumption by process variant, 2018–28 (‘000 tonnes)
• Global meltblown consumption by process variant, 2018–28 (million m2)
• Global meltblown consumption by process variant, 2018–28 ($ million)
• Global meltblown composites consumption by process variant, 2018–28 (‘000 tonnes)
• Global meltblown composites consumption by process variant, 2018–28 (million m2)
• Global meltblown composites consumption by process variant, 2018–28 ($ million)
• Global consumption of raw materials for meltblown nonwovens, 2018–28 (‘000 tonnes)
• Global value of raw materials for meltblown nonwovens, 2018–28 ($ million)
• Polypropylene for meltblown nonwovens, by volume and value (‘000 tonnes and $ million)
• Polyester for meltblown nonwovens, by volume and value (‘000 tonnes and $ million)
• Polycarbonate for meltblown nonwovens, by volume and value (‘000 tonnes and $ million)
• Polyamide for meltblown nonwovens, by volume and value (‘000 tonnes and $ million)
• Polyurethane fibre for meltblown nonwovens, by value and volume ($ million and ‘000 tonnes)
• Polystyrene for meltblown nonwovens, by volume and value (‘000 tonnes and $ million)
• Other polymers for meltblown nonwovens, by volume and value (‘000 tonnes and $ million)
• Global nonwovens consumption by web forming process, 2018–28 (‘000 tonnes, million m2, $ million)
• Global spunlaid consumption, 2018–28 (‘000 tonnes)
• Global consumption of meltblown nonwovens by end use, 2018–28 (‘000 tonnes)
• Global consumption of meltblown nonwovens by end use, 2018–28 (million m2)
• Global consumption of meltblown nonwovens by end use, 2018–28 ($ million)
• Global consumption of meltblown nonwovens in disposable end uses, 2018–28
• Global consumption of meltblown nonwovens in hygiene end uses, 2018–28
• Global consumption of meltblown nonwovens in medical end uses, 2018–28
• Global consumption of meltblown nonwovens in medical face mask end uses, 2018–28
• Global consumption of meltblown nonwovens in other medical end uses, 2018–28
• Global consumption of meltblown nonwovens in wipes end uses, 2018–28
• Global consumption of meltblown nonwovens in other disposable end uses, 2018–28
• Global consumption of meltblown nonwovens in sorbent end uses, 2018–28
• Global consumption of meltblown nonwovens in all other disposable end uses, 2018–28
• Global consumption of meltblown nonwovens in durable end uses, 2018–28
• Global consumption of meltblown nonwovens in filtration end uses, 2018–28
• Global consumption of meltblown nonwovens in liquid filter end uses, 2018–28
• Global consumption of meltblown nonwovens in air & gas filter end uses, 2018–28
• Global consumption of meltblown nonwovens in other durable end uses, 2018–28
• Global consumption of meltblown nonwovens in thermal insulation end uses, 2018–28
• Global consumption of meltblown nonwovens in acoustical insulation end uses, 2018–28
• Global consumption of meltblown nonwovens in all other durable end uses, 2018–28
• Meltblown nonwovens consumption by region, 2018–28 (‘000 tonnes)
• Meltblown nonwovens consumption by region, 2018–28 (million m2)
• Meltblown nonwovens consumption by region, 2018–28 ($ million)
• North American consumption of meltblown nonwovens, 2018–28 (‘000 tonnes)
• North American consumption of meltblown nonwovens, 2018–28 (million m2)
• North American consumption of meltblown nonwovens, 2018–28 ($ million)
• North American consumption of meltblown nonwovens by end use, 2018–28 (‘000 tonnes)
• North American consumption of meltblown nonwovens by end use, 2018–28 (million m2)
• North American consumption of meltblown nonwovens by end use, 2018–28 ($ million)
• South American consumption of meltblown nonwovens, 2018–28 (‘000 tonnes)
• South American consumption of meltblown nonwovens, 2018–28 (million m2)
• South American consumption of meltblown nonwovens, 2018–28 ($ million)
• South American consumption of meltblown nonwovens by end use, 2018–28 (‘000 tonnes)
• South American consumption of meltblown nonwovens by end use, 2018–28 (million m2)
• South American consumption of meltblown nonwovens by end use, 2018–28 ($ million)
• European consumption of meltblown nonwovens, 2018–28 (‘000 tonnes)
• European consumption of meltblown nonwovens, 2018–28 (million m2)
• European consumption of meltblown nonwovens, 2018–28 ($ million)
• European consumption of meltblown nonwovens by end use, 2018–28 (‘000 tonnes)
• European consumption of meltblown nonwovens by end use, 2018–28 (million m2)
• European consumption of meltblown nonwovens by end use, 2018–28 ($ million)
• Asian consumption of meltblown nonwovens, 2018–28 (‘000 tonnes)
• Asian consumption of meltblown nonwovens, 2018–28 (million m2)
• Asian consumption of meltblown nonwovens, 2018–28 ($ million)
• Asian consumption of meltblown nonwovens by end use, 2018–28 (‘000 tonnes)
• Asian consumption of meltblown nonwovens by end use, 2018–28 (million m2)
• Asian consumption of meltblown nonwovens by end use, 2018–28 ($ million)
• ROW consumption of meltblown nonwovens, 2018–28 (‘000 tonnes)
• ROW consumption of meltblown nonwovens, 2018–28 (million m2)
• ROW consumption of meltblown nonwovens, 2016–21 ($ million)
• ROW consumption of meltblown nonwovens by end use, 2018–28 (‘000 tonnes)
• ROW consumption of meltblown nonwovens by end use, 2018–28 (million square metres)
• ROW consumption of meltblown nonwovens by end use, 2018–28 ($ million)
• Major meltblown equipment suppliers, 2023
• Top meltblown suppliers in 2023   

Figures

• Meltblown nonwovens market share by raw material, 2023 (tonnes)
• Meltblown nonwovens market share by raw material, 2028 (tonnes)
• Meltblown nonwovens consumption by end use, 2023 (tonnes)
• Meltblown nonwovens consumption by end use, 2028 (tonnes)
• Meltblown nonwovens consumption by region, 2023 (tonnes)
• Meltblown nonwovens consumption by region, 2028 (tonnes)
• General supply chain for meltblown nonwovens
• Typical meltblown line
• Raw materials used in the production of meltblown nonwovens, 2023 (tonnes)
• Raw materials used in the production of meltblown nonwovens, 2028 (tonnes)
• Meltblown nonwovens consumption by end use, 2023 (tonnes)
• Meltblown nonwovens consumption by end use, 2028 (tonnes)
• Meltblown nonwovens consumption by region, 2023 (tonnes)
• Meltblown nonwovens consumption by region, 2028 (tonnes)