Market Overview

The global waterproof breathable textiles market is expected to record a CAGR of around 6% during the forecast period, owing to the upsurge in preference toward high-performance and comfortable fabrics, growing fitness awareness, and increasing the use of recycled PET bottles to manufacture waterproof breathable fabrics.

  • The increasing involvement in outdoor activities and the changing fashion trends are expected to hinder the growth of the market studied.
  • Advancement in plasma and silicon-based technology is likely to act as an opportunity in the forecast period.



Key Market Trends

Membrane Segment Witnessing High Growth Rate

  • By textile type, the membrane segment is expected to dominate the global market, and witness the highest CAGR during the forecast period because of its excellent mechanical properties and water resistance.
  • Membranes are extremely thin films made from polymers, and engineered in such a way that they are highly resistant to water penetration, yet allow the passage of water vapor. A membrane is only about 10mm thick and is laminated to a conventional fabric to provide the essential mechanical strength. They are of two types:
  • Microporous membranes - Microporous membranes are thin films of expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) polymer that contains about 1.4 billion tiny holes per sq.cm. The hydrophobic nature of the polymer and small pore size requires high pressures to cause water penetration.
  • Hydrophilic membranes - These are very thin films of chemically modified polyester or polyurethane containing no holes, which are sometimes referred to as non-poromeric. Water vapor from perspiration is able to diffuse through the membrane in relatively large quantities.
  • Europe is one of the major markets for membrane-based waterproof textiles, owing to large numbers of climbers and walkers, many of whom require performance garments to protect them from extreme elements.
  • With the growing demand, the membrane waterproof breathable textiles are projected to dominate the market over the forecast period.



Asia-Pacific Region to Register the Highest Growth Rate

  • In Asia-Pacific, China is the largest economy in terms of GDP. The growth in the country remains high, but is gradually diminishing, as the population is aging and the economy is rebalancing from investment to consumption, manufacturing to services, and external to internal demand.
  • China is the world’s leading textile exporter, accounting for 40% of the global textile and clothing exports. The textile and clothing industry is the largest manufacturing industry in China, with approximately 24,000 enterprises. China is the largest clothing producer in the world, and has the biggest production capacity for textile products consisting of cotton, manmade fibers, and silk.
  • The waterproof breathable textiles market in China is expected to witness rapid growth on account of increasing demand from the footwear and garment industry.
  • The market in China is primarily driven by growing consumer demand for fitness-related sports products due to increasing health awareness. This has resulted in increasing sportswear manufacturing activities in China.
  • The aforementioned points suggest that the waterproof breathable textiles market is expected to experience huge market demand in the forecast period.



Competitive Landscape

The global waterproof breathable textiles market is partially consolidated. The major companies include W. L. Gore & Associates, Inc., General Electric (eVent FABRICS), Sympatex Technologies GmbH (SympaTex), and Mitsui & Co. Ltd (pertex), Clariant, among others.

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