Expect to See More Nonwovens at Techtextil

Our trend spotter Bill Smith shares his observations from other industry events as we look ahead to Techtextil North America in 2008. Value-added nonwovens and green technologies are among the areas to watch for.

Nonwovens have emerged as a legitimate and growing area in the technical textiles industry. Though much of the volume is oriented to consumer products, such as diapers, wipes and hygiene products, the evolving technologies are finding an increasing role in many technical markets, even creating new products and markets.

While attending a large nonwovens show in the U.S., I noted that almost half of the show’s exhibitors and attendees were from offshore – those suppliers who want to see the technology to take back to their areas, and those who are offshore and want to participate in the U.S. and North American markets. China, Taiwan and other areas had high-profile presence. This reflects a growing trend in large-scale trade shows. All to say, it is evident that even the nonwovens industry is slipping to offshore producers, especially in the high-volume commodity areas.

But there was an abundance of ideas from suppliers and producers on how to create “value added” properties and products – those that may be more durable and/or have properties that make them more efficient and cost-effective. While the initial cost may be greater than current nonwoven products, the final cost over the life of the product or process in which they are used may be less, or features may be added that consumers, hopefully, will be willing to pay more to have. This is a major trend in all kinds of technical textile areas, whether woven, knit, nonwoven or combinations of technologies. The big question remains: will the consumer pay for the value-based products?

Likewise, “green” is getting more attention. Some products, for instance, are made with less, but more effective materials, resulting in less of a disposal problem. Others are being made of more renewable resources – greater use of natural fibers in fabrics, composites and the like. Some are more fully dissolvable in liquids, making them friendlier to put in sewers or septic systems. Again, though, one has to wonder if greater “green” properties, but with a slightly higher price, is a saleable concept. Sustainability is of greater interest in the U.S., while greater eco-friendliness is more of a focus in Europe. It is important to realize it is not just the actual end product, but up and down the material supply chain, what it costs in resources to produce and what it costs to dispose of it are all questions that go beyond the initial price of the product.

Getting involved globally? Virtually everyone I interviewed at this show had some type of offshore setup or alliance, or so it seemed. A few, very few, mainly a couple of converters, said they saw no need to get involved with off-shore procurement or production. At least a couple said they no longer make anything, they outsource everything – offshore.

All in all, the nonwovens industry continues to grow and offers significant potential for technical applications. One display featured safety clothing for chemical and fire garments made of a new nonwoven combination with good strength, tactile feel and appearance; in fact, it was hard to distinguish from woven fabric. Look for more of that, because as processes and properties continue to improve, we’ll see more penetration into traditional textile areas. Yet many nonwovens, particularly in filtration, create new products and markets made possible due not just to cost, but because of unique features.

The industry is changing, the suppliers and producers are changing, production points are changing, and the markets are changing – regardless of fabric type. And nonwovens have certainly matured into viable and important products on their own with a bright future. Expect to see a greater nonwoven presence at Techtextil North America in 2008.