AKRON – The global market for nonwoven filter media was worth $6.1 billion in 2024 and will increase to $10.1 billion in 2029 at constant pricing, representing annual growth of 10.7%.

By tonnage, consumption of 826,500 metric tons of nonwovens in 2024 will increase to 1.1 million tons in 2029, representing growth of 5.9%, according to a new Smithers report, The Future of Nonwovens for Filtration to 2029.

This illustrates how nonwovens are constantly being engineered to achieve comparable filtration performance at lower basis weights.

Nonwovens for filtration are dominated by three major processes – wetlaid, spunlaid and needlepunched drylaid and unlike the broader nonwovens market, wetlaid is the leading nonwoven process, accounting for 47.4% of consumption in 2024. Wetlaid nonwovens, however, will exhibit slower growth between 2024-29.

Spunlaid accounts for the second largest share at 29.6% of the contemporary market following the huge surge in demand for face masks during Covid-19 in 2020–21 which spurred widespread investment in meltblown lines.

Post-Covid, face masks still enjoy some increased consumption but there is overcapacity, which is reducing prices and encouraging the use of meltblown nonwovens in other filtration applications.

North America is the largest consumer of nonwovens for filtration, although demand in Asia is rapidly expanding. In 2024, North America accounted for 42.8% of consumption by weight, followed by Asia (28.2%) and Europe (22.7%). Asia will continue to grow between 2024-2029, with its market share reaching 33.6% in 2029.

The Future of Nonwovens for Filtration to 2029 segments the market by raw material type, nonwoven process, end-use application and geographic region. This is supported by analysis of major future trends, including new performance requirements, geopolitical developments, regulatory changes and the demand for greater sustainability in nonwovens.