What is PLA non-woven fabric
PLA non-woven fabric is a non-woven fabric made from polylactic acid (PLA) as raw material. Polylactic acid is a bio based biodegradable polymer material, mainly derived from renewable biomass resources such as corn, sugarcane, cassava, etc. Through fermentation, polymerization and other processes, the sugars in these plants are converted into lactic acid, which is further polymerized to form polylactic acid. This natural source of raw materials endows PLA non-woven fabric with unique environmental attributes.
From a chemical structure perspective, polylactic acid belongs to the class of aliphatic polyester compounds, with a molecular formula of (C3H4O2) n. It has good biodegradability, biocompatibility, and processability, which makes PLA non-woven fabrics made from it widely used in many fields. Under normal composting conditions, microorganisms can decompose polylactic acid into carbon dioxide and water, which return to nature and do not remain in the environment for a long time like traditional plastics, causing white pollution.
Unique advantages of big broadcasting
（1） Excellent environmental performance
One of the biggest highlights of PLA non-woven fabric is its excellent environmental performance. In this era where environmental protection concepts are deeply rooted in people’s hearts, the problem of white pollution caused by traditional plastics is becoming increasingly serious, and PLA non-woven fabric is like a clear stream, providing an effective solution to solve this problem. It is made of biodegradable polylactic acid, which can be decomposed by microorganisms in natural environments such as soil and seawater. The final products are only carbon dioxide and water, leaving no difficult to degrade residue, greatly reducing environmental pollution.
Taking common plastic bags as an example, ordinary plastic bags may take hundreds or even thousands of years to fully degrade in natural environments, while shopping bags made of PLA non-woven fabric can decompose in just a few months under composting conditions. According to relevant research, using PLA non-woven fabric instead of traditional plastics can reduce a large amount of plastic waste landfill every year, effectively alleviate the pressure of waste disposal, and contribute to the sustainable development of the earth.
（2） Excellent mechanical performance
Don’t think that PLA non-woven fabric will be compromised in performance due to environmental protection, in fact, it has excellent mechanical properties. Its tensile strength and tear resistance are excellent, which can meet the usage needs in different scenarios. In the field of packaging, whether it is lightweight food packaging or slightly heavier electronic product packaging, PLA non-woven fabric can provide reliable protection.
During transportation, packaging may be subjected to external forces such as compression and collision. PLA non-woven fabric, with its excellent tear resistance and strength, can effectively resist these external forces and prevent product damage. Just like some precision electronic products, packaged with PLA non-woven fabric, they can still be safely transported over long distances, ensuring that the products are delivered to consumers in good condition.
（3） Production and cost advantages
The production process of PLA non-woven fabric is relatively simple, which gives it a significant cost advantage in large-scale production. The entire process from obtaining raw materials to forming the final product is more efficient compared to some traditional textile materials.
The main raw material for producing PLA non-woven fabric, polylactic acid, is widely sourced and renewable, which not only ensures a stable supply of raw materials but also reduces dependence on non renewable resources such as petroleum. The lower production cost makes PLA non-woven fabric more price competitive in the market, which is conducive to its large-scale promotion and application in various fields. More and more companies are choosing to use PLA non-woven fabric, precisely because of its dual advantages in production and cost.
（4） Various post-processing possibilities
PLA non-woven fabric also has various post-processing possibilities, which adds more flexibility and added value to its application. It can perform various post-processing operations such as printing, hot stamping, and lamination. Through printing, exquisite patterns, logos, or text can be printed on PLA non-woven fabric, which can enhance the visual appeal and brand image of products, whether used for product packaging or promotional materials.
Printing bright patterns and detailed product information on food packaging can attract consumers’ attention; Printing the company logo on eco-friendly shopping bags becomes a mobile advertisement. Hot stamping treatment can give PLA non-woven fabric a high-end and luxurious texture, making it more suitable for packaging high-end products. Composite technology can combine PLA non-woven fabric with other materials to create composite materials with more special properties, meeting the diverse needs of product performance in different scenarios.
Widely applicable fields
（1） Medical and Health
PLA non-woven fabric plays an indispensable role in the medical and health fields. It has good biocompatibility, which means that it will not cause adverse reactions when in contact with human tissues and is harmless to the human body. Therefore, it is widely used in the production of surgical kits. The surgical bag needs to be in direct contact with the surgical incision, and the safety and stability of PLA non-woven fabric can provide reliable guarantees for surgery.
In terms of protection, protective clothing and masks made of PLA non-woven fabric play an important role. Protective clothing can effectively block the penetration of pathogens, blood and other pollutants, protecting medical staff from infection. Masks can filter out tiny particles and bacteria in the air, providing strong protection for people’s health both in daily protection and during epidemics. Some PLA non-woven masks with added antibacterial agents can achieve an antibacterial rate of over 99%, greatly enhancing the protective effect.
（2） Packaging industry
PLA non-woven fabric is also widely used in the packaging industry. In terms of food packaging, it can extend the shelf life of food due to its good breathability and antibacterial properties, while its environmental attributes also give consumers more peace of mind. Using PLA non-woven fabric, such as fruit preservation bags and bread packaging bags, can not only maintain the freshness of food, but also comply with environmental protection concepts.
Shopping bags are also one of the important application areas of PLA non-woven fabric. The problem of white pollution caused by traditional plastic bags is serious, while PLA non-woven shopping bags are biodegradable and can effectively solve this problem. These shopping bags have high strength, good durability, and can be reused multiple times, reducing resource waste. In some large supermarkets and shopping malls, the use of PLA non-woven shopping bags has been promoted and welcomed by consumers.
For electronic product packaging, PLA non-woven fabric also performs well. It has a soft texture and will not scratch the surface of electronic products. At the same time, it has good cushioning performance, which can effectively protect electronic products from collision and vibration damage during transportation and storage. Some high-end electronic products often use PLA non-woven fabric as an inner lining in their packaging boxes, which not only protects the products but also enhances their overall quality.
（3） Home life
In daily life, PLA non-woven fabric has also brought us many conveniences. Furniture at home is prone to dust accumulation. Using a dust cover made of PLA non-woven fabric not only effectively prevents dust, but also has good flexibility. It can be cut and used according to the shape of the furniture, making it convenient and practical.
Wiping cloth is also one of the common applications of PLA non-woven fabric. It is soft and skin friendly, does not shed debris, and is used to wipe furniture, appliances, and other items. It can clean thoroughly without causing damage to the surface of the item. Some kitchen wiping cloths also have good oil and water absorption properties, which can easily deal with oil and water stains in the kitchen.
（4） In the field of agriculture
In the field of agriculture, PLA non-woven fabric has contributed to sustainable development. It can be used as a planting substrate to provide a good growth environment for plants. PLA non-woven fabric has certain breathability and water retention, which can promote the growth of plant roots and improve crop yield and quality.
In terms of seedling cultivation, PLA non-woven fabric seedling bags can provide stable growth space for seedlings, and during transplantation, seedlings do not need to be taken out of the bag, they can be directly buried in the soil because PLA non-woven fabric is biodegradable and will not pollute the soil, reducing damage to the root system of seedlings during transplantation and improving the survival rate of seedlings. In the seedling cultivation process of some vegetables and flowers, PLA non-woven fabric seedling bags are increasingly being used, achieving good results.
Market Status and Trends
（1） Market size growth
In recent years, the market size of PLA non-woven fabric has shown a significant growth trend. According to market research institutions, the global PLA non-woven fabric market size was approximately 249 million US dollars in 2019, and by 2023, this number has grown to 333 million US dollars, with a compound annual growth rate of 7.5%. It is expected that this growth trend will continue in the coming years, and by 2025, the global PLA non-woven fabric market size is expected to reach 385 million US dollars.
There are multiple reasons behind the growth of market size. With the continuous improvement of environmental awareness worldwide, consumers’ demand for environmentally friendly products is increasingly strong. PLA non-woven fabric, as a biodegradable and environmentally friendly material, perfectly meets this market demand. More and more consumers are willing to choose products made of PLA non-woven fabric, which provides strong impetus for the expansion of the PLA non-woven fabric market.
Governments around the world have introduced a series of environmental policies and regulations to restrict the use of traditional plastics and encourage the use of environmentally friendly materials. The European Union has implemented strict restrictions on disposable plastic products, and China has also vigorously promoted the “plastic restriction order” and introduced multiple policies to encourage the research and application of environmentally friendly materials. The introduction of these policies has opened up a vast market development space for PLA non-woven fabric as a high-quality alternative to traditional plastics.
With the continuous advancement of technology, the performance of PLA non-woven fabric has been significantly improved, and its application fields are constantly expanding. In the medical field, surgical bags, protective clothing and other products made of PLA non-woven fabric have been widely used due to their good biocompatibility and antibacterial properties. In the field of packaging, shopping bags, food packaging and other products made of PLA non-woven fabric are not only environmentally friendly, but also have good mechanical and barrier properties, gradually becoming the new favorite of the market. The continuous expansion of these application fields has further promoted the growth of the PLA non-woven fabric market.
（2） Regional distribution characteristics
From a regional distribution perspective, North America and Europe are currently the main markets for PLA non-woven fabrics worldwide. In North America, especially in the United States, PLA non-woven fabrics are widely used in the medical and healthcare fields. The United States has a developed medical system and a huge demand for disposable medical supplies. PLA non-woven fabric has become an ideal material for medical supplies due to its biocompatibility and biodegradability, which has enabled the United States to occupy an important share in the global PLA non-woven fabric market.
In Europe, strict environmental regulations and high environmental awareness among consumers have promoted the widespread application of PLA non-woven fabric in packaging and disposable products. European countries attach great importance to plastic pollution and have formulated strict environmental regulations to restrict the use of traditional plastics. Consumers are also more inclined to choose environmentally friendly products, which has led to a continuous increase in demand for PLA non-woven fabrics in the European market. In Germany, many supermarkets have started promoting the use of shopping bags made of PLA non-woven fabric to reduce plastic pollution.
The Asian region, especially China and India, is becoming an emerging growth point in the global PLA non-woven fabric market due to its large consumer base and rapidly developing market. In China, with the continuous promotion of environmental policies and the gradual improvement of consumer environmental awareness, the PLA non-woven fabric market is developing rapidly. The country has introduced a series of policies to support the development of the environmental protection industry, creating a favorable policy environment for the PLA non-woven fabric industry. The recognition of environmentally friendly products by consumers is constantly increasing, and the demand for PLA non-woven fabric products is also growing. As a populous country, India’s market demand for PLA non-woven fabrics is gradually expanding with the development of the economy and the improvement of environmental awareness.
（3） Future Development Trends
In the future, PLA non-woven fabric will show an exciting development trend in terms of technological innovation and application expansion. In terms of technology, R&D personnel will continuously strive to improve the performance of PLA non-woven fabrics and reduce production costs. By improving production processes, such as using more advanced melt extrusion or solution methods, production efficiency can be increased, energy consumption can be reduced, and product costs can be further lowered. At the same time, new additives or modification technologies are being developed to enhance the strength, toughness, heat resistance, and other properties of PLA non-woven fabrics, enabling them to better meet the needs of different application scenarios.
In terms of expanding application areas, PLA non-woven fabric is expected to be applied in more fields. With the increasing attention to environmental protection and sustainable development, the demand for environmentally friendly materials in the construction industry is also gradually increasing. PLA non-woven fabric has excellent thermal insulation, sound insulation, and waterproof properties, and is expected to be widely used as building insulation materials, sound insulation materials, and waterproof materials in the future. In the field of automotive interior, environmental PLA non woven fabric also has great potential for application. It can be used to make car seat covers, carpets, roof linings, etc. It is not only environmentally friendly, but also reduces car weight and energy consumption.
With the advancement of technology and the development of the market, the market prospect of PLA non-woven fabric is very broad. It will replace traditional materials in more fields and make greater contributions to global environmental protection and sustainable development.
Selection and usage tips
（1） Key points for purchasing
When choosing PLA non-woven fabric, there are several key points to pay attention to to to ensure that you can choose high-quality products that meet your needs and avoid pitfalls.
Clear weight requirement: Weight refers to the weight of non-woven fabric per square meter, usually expressed in grams per square meter (g/m ²). It directly affects the thickness, strength, and durability of non-woven fabrics. Generally speaking, the higher the weight, the thicker and stronger the non-woven fabric, making it suitable for scenarios that require high strength and durability, such as industrial packaging, agricultural protection, etc. For the packaging materials used in the production of heavy machinery, it is necessary to choose PLA non-woven fabric with a higher weight to ensure effective protection of the equipment during transportation. If it is used for packaging lightweight items in daily life, such as food packaging, disposable hygiene products, etc., lower weight non-woven fabrics can meet the demand and reduce costs. For example, for the inner packaging of some snacks, 20-50g/m ² PLA non-woven fabric can be used.
Pay attention to the width dimension: Width refers to the width of non-woven fabric, with a wide range of common widths ranging from tens of centimeters to several meters. When making a purchase, the appropriate width should be determined based on the actual usage scenario and the specifications of the processing equipment. If non-woven fabric needs to be cut and processed, choosing the appropriate width can reduce cutting losses and improve material utilization. For example, a certain enterprise needs to produce a large number of shopping bags with dimensions of 50cm × 30cm. If PLA non-woven fabric with a width of 100cm is chosen, it can reduce waste and improve production efficiency during cutting. For some large-scale packaging projects, it may be necessary to choose non-woven fabrics with wider widths to meet the requirements of packaging size.
Confirm material composition: Although it is PLA non-woven fabric, some products may add other ingredients to improve performance or reduce costs. When making a purchase, carefully review the product description to confirm the content of PLA and whether other additives have been added. High purity PLA non-woven fabric performs better in terms of environmental performance and biodegradability, and is more in line with the requirements of sustainable development. If other non degradable ingredients are added, it may affect its degradation effect in the natural environment and reduce its environmental value. Some unscrupulous merchants may add excessive fillers to PLA non-woven fabrics, passing off inferior products as good, so it is important to choose reputable suppliers and products with quality certification.
Examining the production process: The production process has a significant impact on the performance of PLA non-woven fabric. Common production processes include spunbond, meltblown, hydrojet, etc. The PLA non-woven fabric produced by spunbond method has high strength and is suitable for packaging and industrial fields that require a certain level of strength; The non-woven fabric produced by melt blown method has finer fibers and better filtration performance, and is commonly used in the production of filter products such as masks; The non-woven fabric produced by the water jet method has good softness and comfortable hand feel, suitable for use in hygiene products and wiping cloths that come into contact with the skin. When making a purchase, it is important to choose PLA non-woven fabric that uses the appropriate production process based on the intended use of the product. If it is used to make baby wipes, PLA non-woven fabric produced by water jet method should be selected to ensure its softness and skin friendliness, and not to irritate the delicate skin of babies.
（2） Precautions for use
The correct use and storage methods can extend the service life of PLA non-woven fabric and fully leverage its performance advantages.
Storage environment requirements: PLA non-woven fabric should be stored in a dry, well ventilated environment to avoid moisture and rain. A humid environment may cause PLA non-woven fabric to mold and deteriorate, affecting its performance and appearance. If exposed to high humidity for a long time, the strength of non-woven fabric may decrease, and even decay may occur. The storage temperature should not be too high, and it is generally recommended to store at room temperature. High temperature may accelerate the degradation of PLA and shorten the service life of the product. During high temperatures in summer, it is important to pay attention to ventilation and cooling in the warehouse to avoid prolonged exposure of non-woven fabrics to high temperatures.
Usage limitations: Although PLA non-woven fabric has good performance, it still needs to be noted when used in some special scenarios. Its heat resistance is relatively limited and it is not suitable for long-term use in high temperature environments. In environments with temperatures exceeding 60 ℃, PLA non-woven fabrics may undergo deformation, softening, and other phenomena, affecting their normal use. Therefore, when using PLA non-woven fabric to package hot food or items, it is important to ensure that the temperature is within its tolerance range. In strong acidic and alkaline environments, PLA non-woven fabrics may also be corroded, leading to a decrease in performance. So, it is necessary to avoid using it in situations where it comes into contact with strong acidic and alkaline substances.
Avoid excessive stretching: Although PLA non-woven fabric has a certain strength, excessive stretching should be avoided during use. Excessive stretching may cause fiber breakage, reducing the strength and durability of non-woven fabrics. When using PLA non-woven fabric to make bags, be careful not to pack heavy items to prevent the bag from being excessively stretched and broken during use. When handling items, they should also be handled with care to avoid unnecessary pulling on the non-woven fabric.
Summary and Prospect
PLA non-woven fabric, with its excellent environmental performance, outstanding mechanical properties, production and cost advantages, and diverse post-processing possibilities, has demonstrated tremendous application value in many fields such as medical and health, packaging, home life, agriculture, etc. From the current market situation, its market size continues to grow, with a wide geographical distribution and unique characteristics. It has broad development prospects in terms of technological innovation and application expansion in the future.
In today’s increasingly environmentally conscious world, PLA non-woven fabric, as a sustainable material, is bound to play a more important role in the global environmental protection industry. It provides an effective solution to the problem of plastic pollution and helps promote the development of various industries towards a green and sustainable direction.
I hope everyone can pay more attention to PLA non-woven fabric as an environmentally friendly material, actively choose to use PLA non-woven fabric products in daily life and production, and contribute to protecting the earth’s environment together. I believe that with the continuous advancement of technology and the continuous maturity of the market, PLA non-woven fabric will usher in a more brilliant tomorrow, creating a greener and better future for us.
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: Aug-13-2025