Global Silicone Textile Softener Market Research Report: Forecast (2022-27)

Market Definition:

Silicone textile softener is a finishing agent used for improving the physical characteristics like durability, flexibility, softness, etc., of cotton, wool, silk, polyester, nylon, and other fabrics, through fibre strengthening and reduction in abrasion. Silicone textile softener are a finishing agent as they are water insoluble and have to be applied after emulsification and dissolution in organic solvents.

Market Insights:

The Global Silicone Textile Softener Market is projected to grow at a considerable CAGR during the forecast period, i.e., 2022-27. The textile sector worldwide has been evolving continuously in major countries like China, India, the US, and European Union, mainly due to rapid advancements in technologies and industrialization, enabling modern installation for efficient fabric production. As a result, it is one of the key factors driving the demand for silicone textile softeners. 

The ability of silicone textile softeners to provide softness & smoothness, abrasion resistance, elasticity, wrinkle resistance, etc., to the fabric has positively impacted the growth of the silicone textile softener market during 2017-20. Besides, various plans of the leading companies to introduce new fabric production plants in developing countries, such as Guatemala, Algeria, etc., have positively influenced the demand for silicone textile softeners in recent years and are projected to contribute to the overall market growth during 2022-27.

Impact of Covid-19 on the Global Silicone Textile Softener Market

In 2020, the textile industry has been among the worst-hit sectors due to the Covid-19 pandemic. With governments’-mandated factory closures worldwide, the market witnessed adverse disruptions since it did not fall under "vital" goods & services.

Moreover, the lockdown imposition resulted in a temporary shutdown of manufacturing units, reduced import & export orders, and non-availability of skilled workers, along with production delays. Besides, the stringent movement restrictions also negatively impacted the market due to low consumer demand through offline platforms.

India, China, Bangladesh, & Vietnam are the major countries where the market suffered significant supply chain disruptions & suspended manufacturing activities. As a result, it led to the cancellation of contracts and trouble obtaining raw materials from China, i.e., the source of silicone textile softeners.

Market Segmentation

Based on the Fabric Type:

• Cotton
• Wool
• Silk
• Polyester
• Nylon
• Other Synthetic Fiber

Of all Fabric Types, Cotton encapsulated a significant share of the Global Silicone Textile Softener Market during 2017-21. Uses of cotton are maximized compared to other fabrics in the textile industry. Almost half of all textiles comprise cotton due to its burgeoning demand from consumers and properties like versatility, hypoallergenic, low maintenance, comfort, and eco-friendliness that have captured wide acceptance globally.

Levi Strauss, H&M, Nike, Gap, etc., are some global players contributing to the expanding market of cotton fabric-based products. To maintain the quality & soft finish in cotton and its blended fabrics, companies have adopted silicone textile softeners owing to their performance properties, such as stretch recovery, crease, etc. As a result, the increased adoption of cotton fabrics in the textile industry has directly impacted the global silicone textile softener market during the historical period. For Instance:

• In 2018, Italy imported the largest cotton fabric in Europe for the textile industry. Similarly, Portugal’s cotton imports have surged at an average rate of 2% per year, which indicates the significant utilization of cotton fabrics in the textile industry across Italy and, in turn, contributes to the growing market share of silicone textile softeners.

Based on Type:

• Inactive Silicone Textile Softeners
• Active Silicone Textile Softeners
• Modified Silicone Textile Softeners

Modified Silicone Textile Softeners are projected to grab the largest market share during 2022-27. The textile finishing industry is rapidly expanding with the introduction of new technologies & fibers to provide a higher level of comfort & ecological green products to consumers. Modified Silicone Textile Softeners are the most widely used fabric softeners within the textile industry since they suffice the requirements of high-grade finishing of fabrics & enhance their hydrophilic, oil, antistatic properties. Textile companies have been producing recycled Silicone Textile Softeners by transforming their operations from a linear to a circular economy through the adoption of cross-industry collaborations. For instance:

• In 2020, CHT Group introduced TUBINGAL RISE, the first textile softener based on recycled silicones made from 60% recycled & reprocessed silicone waste and renewable bio-based emulsifiers. This hydrophilic recycled Silicone Textile Softener fulfills the extensive requirements for textile standards like the bluesign®, ZDHC, GOTS, & Standard 100 by OEKO-TEX. Moreover, this softener has been specifically designed to produce Global Recycled Standard (GRS) certified textile products.

Regional Landscape

Based on Regions, the Global Silicone Textile Softener Market expands across:

• North America
• South America
• Europe
• Asia-Pacific
• Middle East & Africa

Geographically, among all regions, Asia-Pacific, a dominant textile manufacturer worldwide, acquired a substantial share in the Silicone Textile Softeners Market during 2017-21. The regional market growth was observed, mainly due to the burgeoning textile manufacturing capacity across Asia-Pacific. Exports of clothing have been a major contributor to the increasing number of manufacturing units in countries like India, China, Vietnam, and Indonesia.

Furthermore, Asia-Pacific has remained a hub of outsourced manufacturing for multinational companies, such as Nike, Adidas, Old Navy, etc. The new-age fashion trends have made a significant impact on the region's textile industry, which, in turn, has boosted the Silicone Textile Softeners Market. Additionally, Teenage fashion and clothing trends & choices are likely to be a consequential factor impacting the market expansion in the coming years.

• According to the Ministry of Textiles’ Cotton Textiles Export Promotion Council of India, cotton fabric has been a widely used fabric in the textile industry for manufacturing clothes across Asia-Pacific, simply due to the wide acceptance of cotton in the regional clothing preferences. It has further boosted the demand for silicone textile softeners owing to their properties, such as high water absorbency, strength, durability, softness, and biodegradability. Cotton fabrics are treated by using silicone textile softeners to impart crease-resistant finishing.

Across Asia-Pacific, India was a prime contributor to the market growth in 2020. The textile industry of India has been significantly booming due to massive investments in the previous years to increase the production capacity for satiating the domestic consumption and the export demand worldwide. The increasing market growth of silicone textile softeners in India attributes principally to their integration in the textile industry to improve tear strength & shade enhancements of fabrics. For Instance:

• In 2021, Indo Count Industries Ltd. (ICIL) invested approximately USD 27 Million in the expansion of its production capacity to fulfill the burgeoning consumer demand.
• The same year, Welspun India collaborated with DuPont Biomaterials for expanding & strengthening their presence in the global market and exporting textile products as per requirements.

Key Trend in the Global Silicone Textile Softener Market

• Mass Production in the Textile Industry Owing to Fast Fashion

The production pattern in the textile industry has changed over the past few years since companies have started manufacturing a high volume of clothing due to the adoption of fast fashion, i.e., the bulk production of clothes for a short period of usage. This trend has hit the clothing sector, mainly due to changes in consumer buying behavior, coupled with the surging disposable income of customers. The youth population is attracted to unique, trendy, & affordable clothes, which is another crucial factor attributed to the soaring fast fashion pattern across the textile industry.

Market Dynamics:

Key Driver: Surging Production of Cotton Fabric-based Clothing

Cotton plays a vital role in the textile industry for manufacturing clothes. About 75% of clothing contains some proportion of cotton owing to its high availability and being the preferred choice of consumers.

Silicone textile softeners help maintain creases in cotton clothes. Hence, with the surging production of cotton-based fabrics, silicone textile softeners have also witnessed significant growth in their demand in recent years.

• According to the Ministry of Textiles, the Government of India, the country generated revenues to the tune of USD 10 Billion in 2021 by exporting cotton fabric-based clothes & handloom products.
• Moreover, according to the US Department of Agriculture, the country produced approximately 20 million bales of cotton, wherein nearly 78% was used in the textile industry for the production of clothes based on cotton in 2019.

Hence, the availability of cotton and its maximized use across the textile industry while manufacturing clothes indicates a significant expansion of the silicone textile softener market in the years to come.

Recent Developments by the Leading Market Players

• In 2021, Nextil Group, a textile company in Spain, announced its plan to launch a new fabric production plant in Guatemala in 2023. This plant would cover an area of 25,000 square meters.
• In 2018, a Turkish-Algerian joint venture introduced a textile production facility in the northwestern Algerian province of Relizane. The facility was named TAYAL SPA and costs around USD 1.5 billion.