Wiping materials and disposable sanitary products are important application areas of non-woven materials, and the consumption of non-woven fabrics in this field accounts for about 30% of China’s total non-woven fabric production. In recent years, the continuous innovation of raw materials, processes, and finishing technologies in the non-woven fabric industry has endowed disposable hygiene products with new functions, improved consumer experience, and is meeting personalized consumer needs in multiple scenarios.
Market demand steadily increases
The overseas market for disposable hygiene products such as diapers and sanitary napkins remains active. In 2024, the export value of disposable hygiene products in China reached 3.6 billion US dollars, a year-on-year increase of 8.2%. “Li Guimei, President of the China Industrial Textile Industry Association (referred to as the” Middle Industry Association “), introduced that in 2024, China’s non-woven fabric production was about 8.382 million tons, a year-on-year increase of 2.9%. For the first time since 2021, both operating income and profit growth have been restored, and the operating income and total profit of enterprises above designated size in the industry increased by 3.2% and 11.9% respectively year-on-year. Among them, the contribution of wiping materials and disposable sanitary products to China’s non-woven fabric industry is indispensable. In 2024, the export market for wiping and wet wipes products in China continued to be strong, with an export value of 930 million US dollars, a year-on-year increase of 23.3% compared to 2023; The export volume was 661000 tons, a year-on-year increase of over 40%.
“With the change of China’s population structure and the reshaping of the consumption pattern, the market share of female hygiene products and adult incontinence products has steadily increased, the market share of nonwoven wiping materials has rapidly expanded, and the market share of baby diapers (pieces) has declined year by year.” Li Guimei analyzed the profound changes in product structure and market in detail to the reporter of China Textile News.
The market penetration rate of baby diapers in China is currently close to 85%. In recent years, the number of newborns has been decreasing year by year, and the growth rate of market demand has slowed down. The rebound in the birth rate in 2024 will inject vitality into China’s baby diaper market in the short term.
Although the market penetration rate of women’s hygiene products in China has reached saturation, technological innovation and environmental protection are becoming important driving forces for industry development. The upgrading of female consumer demand, continuous product segmentation, and the increasing proportion of natural fibers and biodegradable materials will continue to promote the development of China’s women’s hygiene products towards quality and green.
The market penetration rate of adult incontinence products in China lags significantly behind developed countries and regions such as the United States, Europe, and Japan. The main consumers are still concentrated in patients with moderate to severe incontinence, while the group with mild incontinence is generally less willing to use due to traditional beliefs. With the continuous increase in the proportion of people aged 60 and above, the expansion of the disabled elderly population, and the gradual release of policy dividends related to the development of the elderly care product market, adult incontinence products in China have entered a stage of rapid development.
The non-woven wiping material market in China remains active in terms of quality improvement, product innovation, and application expansion. In addition to traditional wiping products, specialized sub tracks for special use scenarios such as toilet wipes, down jacket cleaning wipes, and eyewear anti fog wipes are constantly emerging, and products are also trending towards functional and diversified development.
Li Lingshen, Vice President of the China National Textile and Apparel Council, stated that the silver hair economy has given birth to a trillion dollar nursing market, the “Z generation” is reshaping a new paradigm of quality consumption, multilateral and bilateral economic and trade agreements have opened up the international market, and AI is driving the efficiency improvement of flexible production lines. Meanwhile, in the process of industry development, China has formed a complete industrial chain and technological innovation capability with comparative advantages, which has a positive and far-reaching impact on the global development of disposable sanitary products.
Technological innovation expands applications
New technologies such as biodegradable materials, functional finishing, and intelligent processing are accelerating their application, improving the quality and comfort of disposable sanitary products, and promoting the industry’s transformation towards green and intelligent industries. From maternal and child care to elderly incontinence, medical care, and other fields, the demand for portable travel gear and customized products is increasing, and scenario based solutions are continuously innovating. From technological breakthroughs to application expansion, Li Guimei elaborated on the production process and technological innovation of non-woven sanitary materials in China in recent years.
In response to the problems of weak cleaning ability, poor application standardization, and low level of intelligent production, the key technology for the industrialization of high-definition clean and washable wiping products has solved the above problems. The industry has developed a three component wet water jet nonwoven molding technology with different fineness and a skin friendly antibacterial base liquid, constructed a wet barrier structure that balances wet strength and washability, and solved the problem of ensuring human safety and natural long-term anti-corrosion coexistence; We have designed a double-layer stacking method with a 2.5-centimeter folding structure and overcome the challenges of intelligent sealing and integrated packaging technology, solving the industry problems of easy breakage and difficult storage in its application; We have developed layered liquid addition technology and precise control system for liquid content, as well as inverted pyramid tension regulation technology and collaborative optimization system, achieving intelligent high-speed production.
Taking the production technology of disposable underwear packaging as an example, this project has developed zero tension conveying technology for elastomers, one-time forming and composite technology and devices for elastomers and liners, which have solved the problems of easy curling after material composite; Pioneered ultrasonic welding technology and device, solving the problem of difficult balance between welding strength and softness of disposable underwear under 3mm-5mm lap edges; We have developed integrated molding and packaging technology and equipment based on pants and outer packaging, reducing manual intervention in the production process and forming an efficient and clean complete set of processing technology. This project has formed multiple independent intellectual property rights, filling the industry gap.
In response to the current lack of differentiation and functionalization in hot air products, the industry has invented low curl ES fiber hot air forming technology, hot air rapid cooling processing technology, designed a composite hot air nonwoven material fineness gradient structure, and developed a series of products such as soft, smooth, and refreshing hot air nonwoven materials, “wrinkled skin” structures, eccentric hollow fiber hot air guide layer materials, and degradable hot air nonwoven materials. The invention proposes a new method for achieving ultra smooth, corrosion-resistant, and wear-resistant surface of the carding machine, reducing fiber damage, constructing an ultra smooth surface structure of the carding machine, designing and developing a new type of hot air non-woven surface layer needle cloth, and realizing efficient and low damage carding of low curl and eccentric hollow fibers; We have broken through the intelligent temperature control technology of hot air bonding equipment, solved the problems of poor uniformity, difficulty in rapid cooling, and high energy consumption of wide and high-speed hot air bonding, and achieved high-speed and low consumption production of “wrinkled skin” structure hot air non-woven materials.
Green leads sustainable development
Our 0.5D fiber ‘Tangsi’ series products are lighter than clouds and softer than cotton, providing ultimate delicate care for disposable maternal and child hygiene products. ”When it comes to the role of cellulose fibers in the sustainable development of industrial textiles, Liu Hui, the head of the Product Research and Development Department of Tangshan Sanyou Group Xingda Chemical Fiber Co., Ltd., said.
It is reported that the impact of microplastics on human health is receiving increasing attention, and the use of regenerated cellulose fibers instead of chemical short fibers to produce wipes, sanitary napkins, diapers, and disposable sanitary products has become a development trend. The recycled fiber series products developed by Tangshan Sanyou Group, using bamboo fiber and Lyocell as raw materials, have ultra short and washable characteristics. The disposable sanitary series products produced, such as antibacterial and flame-retardant, are lightweight, tough, practical, green and safe. According to LCA (Life Cycle Assessment) native low-carbon certification, the carbon dioxide emissions of 1 kilogram of Tangsi EcoTang fiber are 2.83 kilograms, and Tangsi environmentally friendly colored fiber are 3.1 kilograms, both far below the global average carbon emissions of 8.36 kilograms.
Green production processes and technological innovations in this field have also made significant progress.
Li Guimei introduced that around the core issue of controllable adjustment of the flow guiding performance of non-woven sanitary materials, the “Key Technologies and Industrialization of Directional Flow Guiding Water jet Non woven Sanitary Materials” project has formed a series of industrialized new technologies with independent intellectual property rights in structural design and forming, efficient production equipment, and new product development. The project has overcome the structural design and forming technology of pure physical directional flow guiding nonwoven materials, achieving controllable co directional flow guiding in both horizontal and vertical directions of nonwoven materials; Invented a multi-layer fiber web efficient laying and water-saving water jet device, achieving efficient composite and water-saving production of directional flow guided water jet nonwoven materials; Innovatively design a series of diversion hygiene products and achieve industrialization; We have invented a high conductivity dry wet separation wiping cloth. After pressing, the dry wiping cloth is connected to a pure water tank and instantly absorbs water to expand into a wet wiping cloth, solving the problem of bacteria growth without adding antibacterial agents to wet wipes from the source.
As of March 2025, a total of 60 certification units from 35 enterprises have passed the “Biodegradable” certification of the Non woven Green Development Professional Committee of the China Industrial Textile Industry Association (hereinafter referred to as the “Non woven Green Alliance”), and 9 certification units from 8 units have passed the “Disposable” certification of the Non woven Green Alliance. When it comes to exploring green and sustainable development in the industry, Li Guimei said that in recent years, the China Association for Industry and Commerce has continuously released the “China Non woven Wiping Industry Sustainable Development Report”, promoting advanced experience and typical practices, and making green development commitments; Publish the “China Non woven Wiping Industry Sustainable Development Action Plan” and the comprehensive interpretation of the national standard for “Soft Wipes” and industry standardization initiatives, fulfilling social responsibility.
In addition, the Middle Class Association has also completed the sub project “Low Carbon Development Technology Roadmap for the Nonwoven Industry” in the “Dual Carbon Development Strategy and Technology Roadmap for the Textile Industry” of the Chinese Academy of Engineering’s strategic research and consulting project, promoting industry pollution reduction and carbon reduction; Research and establish a “dual carbon” standard system that is in line with industry characteristics, release the “Technical Specification for Green Design Product Evaluation of Water jet Nonwoven Fabric” standard, cultivate “green factories”, promote “green product” design, promote green enterprises, green parks, green supply chains, and conduct research and pilot demonstrations on energy management systems. Through these efforts, promote the green and sustainable development of the industry.
Dongguan Liansheng Non woven Technology Co., Ltd. was established in May 2020. It is a large-scale non-woven fabric production enterprise integrating research and development, production, and sales. It can produce various colors of PP spunbond non-woven fabrics with a width of less than 3.2 meters from 9 grams to 300 grams.
Post time: May-02-2025