Cellulose Fiber Market - Weaving A Growth Story

Natural fibers have been one of the most essential needs of mankind to survive and thrive since time immemorial and it will continue to do so. Modern times has brought several changes in the way we use natural fibers and has increased our potential to use it effectively while we go on about our day-to-day lives. Cellulose fiber forms a major part in this natural fiber market and has proved important to increase the demand in the market manifolds.

Natural fibers are widely used in textile industries since ages. Wool, hemp, and flax derived from vegetable & plants are the oldest fibers used in textile. Initially, these fibers were discovered in South East Asia and Egypt. With improved communication and transportation, skills related to textile manufacturing spread across the globe and were adapted according to the capabilities and needs of the various nations. During the industrial revolution, the machines used for processing natural fibers were encouraged, resulting in the upsurge in fiber production. After the surge provided by the industrial production, there was no stopping the growth train of the cellulose fiber market and, now the global cellulose fiber market size is expected to reach USD 48.37 billion by 2025, at a CAGR of 9.1% according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. 

Demystifying Cellulose?

Cellulose is a polymeric sugar polysaccharide made up of repeating 1,4-8-an hydro glucose units connected to each other by 8-ether linkages. Strong intermolecular forces between chains, coupled with the high linearity of the cellulose molecule, account for the crystalline nature of cellulosic fibers. Cellulose is an important structural component of the primary cell wall of green plants, many forms of algae and the oomycetes.

Cellulose is the most abundant organic polymer on Earth.The cellulose content of cotton fiber is 90%, that of wood is 40–50%, and that of dried hemp is approximately 57%.

Natural Cellulose Fibers And Its Types

Plant and animal based fibers are the major sources for driving natural cellulose fibers. The plants or vegetable derived cellulose fibers are cotton, hemp, flax, and jute, while the animal-derived fibers include mohair, wool, and silk. These fibers are further divided into man-made or synthetic fibers. Synthetic fibers are petroleum-based and have various disadvantages.

Plant based Cellulose Fibers

Plant fibers, as the name implies, are derived from plants. The principal chemical component in plants is cellulose, and therefore they are also referred to as cellulosic fibers.

The fibers are usually bound by a natural phenolic polymer, lignin, which also is frequently present in the cell wall of the fiber; thus plant based fibers are also often referred to as lignocellulosic fibers, except for cotton, which does not contain lignin. Cellulose is a fibrous material of plant Origin and the basis of all natural and man-made cellulosic fibers. 

Most common plant-based fibers are flax, cotton, hemp, and viscose. Fibers for instance banana, cotton, flax, ramie and hemp are extracted directly from the plant, whereas fibers such as bamboo and viscose are regenerated. They are broken down from the plant-derived cellulose and fiber is produced from them. They are often referred to as ‘semi-synthetic’ fibers.

Synthetic Cellulose Fibers

The first man-made fibers which were developed and produced used polymers of natural origin, more precisely of cellulose which is a raw material available in large quantities in the vegetable world. One of the most common synthetic cellulose fibers is Rayon.

Plant-based cellulose fibers are eco-friendly and are also used to produce man-made cellulose fibers. These man-made cellulose fibers are processed into pulp and then extruded in the same ways as other synthetic fibers. Originally, these fibers were produced to minimize the use of expensive natural fibers such as cotton and jute. However, today, majority of manufactured cellulose fibers are engineered specifically to have properties that natural fibers don’t possess. Most sought after properties of the synthetic fibers are that, they are highly absorbable, washable, soft and smooth, comfortable and have good drape.

Market And Regional Insights

Asia Pacific is the largest market for cellulose fibers closely followed by Europe. Fibers manufactured, consumed, and exported by countries present in the Asia Pacific have been established in the upper-quality segment of the world of textile fibers. China, India, Japan, South Korea, Pakistan, Taiwan, and Indonesia are the major market in the region. These countries are involved in manufacturing and trade of fibers, which are used across various end-use industries. Vietnam and Bangladesh are the potential future market for the product. Population growth and rise in the per-capita income in the Asian markets are the major factors for the growth in the region. Textile & industrial sector was the largest segment for the cellulose fibers globally. Textile is the largest sector to hold the usage of cellulose fiber and it can be seen from the below pie chart.

Asia Pacific Cellulose fiber market revenue, by application, 2015 (USD Million)

Overall industry is fragmented and competitive in nature with large as well as small players in the market. Major participants include Lenzing AG, Sateri, Kelheim Fibres GmbH, Grasim Industries Limited, Fulida Group Holdings Co., onLtd, China Bambro Textile (Group) Co. Ltd, CFF GmbH & Co. KG, CreaFill Fibers Corporation, International Paper, and GrupoSniace.

The natural origin cellulose fibers have outstanding properties for instance, moisture management and absorbency. The production process for these man-made fibers provides them purity and, uniform quality. In addition, they are cost-effective, have low density, eco-friendly, and biodegradable. Demand in the textile industry and rising prosperity will drive the growth of the cellulose fiber industry.

  In-depth report on global cellulose fiber market by Grand View Research:

http://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/cellulose-fibers-market