European Man-made Fibres Association has released a new report which details the latest developments in the man-made fibres industry. The 54th edition of the Information on Man-made Fibres report collates data on production, consumption and trade around the world to provide a comprehensive summary of the industry throughout 2018. With a broad focus on the production of acrylic, cellulosic, polyamide, polyester, polypropylene, wool and cotton, the fibre report breaks down stand-out performers from over the past 12 months by assessing consumption and world trade.
According to the report’s findings, demand for man-made fibres has grown by seven per cent this year to represent 79 per cent of all textile fibres produced worldwide. “This CIRFS report shows continued and solid growth of the world’s man-made fibres industry, while cotton and wool shares stagnate,” said CIRFS Director-General Frédéric van Houte. “It confirms the strength of global production of man-made fibres, and their dominant share in world demand for fibres.”
Europe continues to lead as the world’s largest exporter of cellulosic fibres and producer of ultra-high strength fibres. Used across a multitude of sectors; from fashion and sportswear to home textiles, these fibre types are finding use across previously unexplored markets due to their versatile attributes.
Further appeal for man-made fibres is said to come from the sustainability of production as, “Using clean energy sources, many raw materials are based on renewable or recycled resources,” Van Houte noted. Man-made fibres are commonly used for environmental protection applications and projects, such as for filtration, erosion prevention and protection of crops from climatic conditions.
“In this vast global industry, every producer and user of man-made fibres, as well as governments, financial and economic actors, investors, academia and consultants can benefit from the best possible information about industry trends and market size. This CIRFS publication is an important resource for all concerned, and CIRFS is pleased to make it available,” Van Houte added.
