Spun-laced non-woven fabrics market has entered a new normal

Wet wipes innovation focuses on sustainability

The largest end use of spun-laced non-woven fabrics is wet wipes, which accounted for 64.7%(in tons) of all spun-laced non-woven consumption in 2021. By 2026, spun-laced non-woven will still be the main raw material for wet wipes, and the share of wet wipes in the consumption of spun-laced non-woven will grow to 65.6%. While the European Union's plastic restriction is a catalyst, the reduction of plastic in non-woven fabric has become a global driving force, especially spun-laced non-woven.

As a global market leader in spun-laced non-woven and other wiping substrates, Suominen offers its customers products made from renewable, recyclable, compostable and plasti-free raw materials to help them achieve their environmental goals. These new products include Biolace Pure, a 100% plant-based product with superior cleaning capabilities, and Biolace Bamboo, a bamboo-based substrate. Both products have clear advantages in terms of reducing their CO2 footprint and reducing their environmental impact.

Sandler uses renewable and recycled raw materials, which come from renewable sources such as viscose, cotton or PLA, the lactic acid-based polymer used in spun-laced non-woven. Spun-lace technology offers the possibility to adjust the raw material composition of non-woven meanwhile maintaining the function and quality of the established product.

Andritz is advancing the development of innovative technologies such as spun-lace and wet methods to produce sustainable wet wipes. All of these processes use the spun-lace method, which is the most effective solution for bonding large amounts of fibers without using any hot melt or chemical adhesives.

Mogul, which offers a diverse range of spun-lace series products, has been making non-woven fabrics from bamboo fiber, a cellulosic material regenerated from the bamboo plant. In addition, the company can manufacture materials using 100% bio-based polyester or hybrid products that are specifically designed to biodegrade in the environments where the vast majority of plastics usually end up: landfills and oceans.

Bio-based sustainable spun-lace materials are becoming increasingly important due to the latest European regulations issued by the European Union.

In addition to its standard spun-lace products, Mogul currently offers parallel and cross-laid spun-lace products as well as the unique bico-pet product, sold under the Madaline brand. Having such a diverse product range frees the company from over-reliance on wet wipes applications. Mogul's Metatex High Performance Spun-lace series offers a range of premium fabrics that meet the market's demand for lightweight materials for warm clothing such as firefighting gear and rubber reinforced materials.

Sandler's spun-lace business also focuses on diversifying markets beyond wet wipes and hygiene products, which has made it successful in the face of intense global competition.

In such a dynamic and versatile market for non-woven fabrics, where growth is driven by product differentiation and new developments. The combination of spun-laced non-woven fabrics with other materials creates new material properties and opens up new areas of application. The increasing importance of sustainability has also led to a high level of innovation as manufacturers look for new raw materials or combinations to offer more environmentally friendly products.