Technical Textiles Show Resilience: Nonwovens and Exports Drive Growth

Amid global low growth and sticky inflation, China's technical textiles industry has shown notable resilience. In the first five months of 2026, value-added industrial output of above-scale enterprises maintained medium growth, with nonwoven output surging 9.5% year-on-year—the strongest engine on the production side. This growth rate accelerated by 5.6 percentage points from the same period in 2025, indicating faster capacity release driven by sustained demand from downstream sectors such as hygiene, filtration, and packaging.

Production and Profitability: A Mixed Picture According to the National Bureau of Statistics, revenue of above-scale enterprises in the technical textiles sector grew 1.7% year-on-year, reversing a previous decline. However, total profit still fell 3%, and the operating profit margin edged down to 3.6%. By sub-sector, nonwovens performed best, with revenue and profit up 2.5% and 9.9% respectively, and the profit margin improving to 2.7%. The cord fabric and textile tape sub-sector faced a 4.1% revenue decline but saw a slight margin uptick to 3.7%, suggesting cost control or product mix adjustments stabilized profitability. Tarpaulin and canvas achieved 8.5% revenue growth but profits dropped 5.7%, indicating margin pressure from raw materials or competition. Construction and protective textiles saw the largest profit decline of 11.5%, yet their 5% operating margin remained the highest among sub-sectors, underscoring the profit potential of high-value products.

Exports: Nonwovens and Wipes Lead the Charge Customs data shows total technical textile exports reached US$18.81 billion from January to May, up 5.3%. Nonwoven exports hit US$1.93 billion, up 10.7%, with volume reaching 770,000 tons, up 13.4%, confirming strong international demand for Chinese nonwoven capacity. Absorbent textiles (diapers, sanitary pads) exported US$1.76 billion, up 10.7%, while wet wipes surged 14.7% to US$490 million. Industrial glass fiber products grew 12.2% to US$1.02 billion, reflecting robust demand in composites. The top three export destinations—the US, Vietnam, and Japan—grew 3.5%, 8.3%, and 0.9% respectively. Exports to Belt and Road countries accounted for 60% of total, showing effective market diversification.

Raw Material Price Volatility Transmits Downstream In June 2026, international oil prices plunged following eased tensions in the Middle East, dragging down polyester, nylon filament, and polypropylene prices. Viscose staple fiber rose on cost support. The fading geopolitical premium is shifting the chemical fiber market's trading logic back to supply-demand fundamentals. For technical textile companies, lower raw material costs may relieve profit pressure, but they must guard against inventory devaluation risks. Sub-sectors like tarpaulin and textile tape, which are sensitive to raw material prices, face a complex balance between short-term cost improvements and long-term order pricing.

Practical Recommendations ### For Buyers - Leverage the supply window created by nonwoven capacity expansion to lock in medium- to long-term orders at favorable prices. - For high-growth export categories like wipes and absorbent textiles, proactively assess overseas regulatory changes to avoid delivery delays. ### For Foreign Trade Enterprises - Intensify business development in Belt and Road markets, which grew 5.5% and now represent 60% of total exports, crucial for reducing reliance on the US market. - Prioritize marketing resources for industrial glass fiber products and wet wipes, the fastest-growing export segments, while tracking raw material price fluctuations to optimize quotation strategies.