TEXTILE AUXILIARIES MARKET ANALYSIS

Market Challenges And Opportunities

Market Dynamics:

• Textile industry is witnessing a rapid growth, owing to novel fabric finishes such as mosquito repellent, antistatic, antibacterial, and fire retardant materials. For instance, according to European Apparel and Textile Confederation report of 2017, the textile and clothing industry in EU 28 increased to US$ 206.9 billion in 2017 from US$ 200.4 billion in 2016. To get a finished material, various chemical auxiliaries are used in textile processing. According to a thesis ‘Towards Sustainable Use of Chemicals in the Textile Industry’ of Chalmers University of Technology, 2015, around 1.5 to 6.9 kg of chemicals are used for the production of 1 kg of garment.
• Use of natural and environmentally safer textile auxiliaries is expected to drive the market growth, owing to stringent governmental regulations applied on use of toxic chemicals in textiles. For instance, according to the Official Journal of European Union, February 2016, textiles containing nonylphenol ethoxylate (NPE), a surfactant, ≥0.01% will be banned from sale within EU from February 3, 2021, as NPE is toxic to environment.
• Moreover, to reduce the adverse effects of textile manufacturing process on environment and the toxic waste generated thereof, the Sustainable Clothing Action Plan 2020 (SCAP) was launched in 2013 by the government of U.K. along with Waste and Resources Action Program (WRAP). Their target is to reduce 15% carbon footprint; 15% water footprint; 15% waste to landfill; and 3.5% reduction in waste arising over the whole textile product life-cycle by 2020.
• Therefore, developing a production process that utilizes lower energy and water, prevents use of toxic chemicals, and reduces waste generation is of utmost importance for textile manufacturing. Increasing awareness regarding environmental conservation is expected to drive demand for greener textile auxiliaries such as enzymes or natural colorants, which will offer eco-friendly textile processing methods in the global textile auxiliaries market.