When lyocell fiber supply and demand have maintained a nearly 40% high growth rate in the past two years, the industry's focus has shifted from 'whether to do it' to 'whether it can be scaled up'. Signals from the 2026 Bio-based Chemical Fiber and Raw Material Industry Chain Collaborative Innovation and Development Exchange Meeting indicate that China's bio-based fibers are at a critical juncture from technological breakthroughs to industrialization, but raw material independence and standard gaps remain two hurdles that must be crossed.
Data Behind the Industrial Shift
Jin Gaoling, vice president of the China Chemical Fiber Association, reviewed the achievements during the 14th Five-Year Plan period: bio-based fibers achieved leapfrog growth, but for the 15th Five-Year Plan, the large-scale domestic production of key monomers becomes the primary task. High-purity lactic acid, lactide, and furandicarboxylic acid are still heavily dependent on imports, directly constraining the autonomy of the industrial chain. Meanwhile, the lyocell fiber industry continues to improve, with supply and demand growing at nearly 40% annually, reflecting strong market demand for green fibers.
Another notable dataset comes from technical textiles: in 2025, China's nonwovens output exceeded 9 million tons for the first time, with disposable hygiene products being the largest application market and wipes market expanding rapidly. This implies huge potential for bio-based degradable raw materials in nonwovens, but also raises higher requirements for material performance and cost.
Parallel Routes: Technology and Raw Material Diversification
Academician Cheng Bowen analyzed frontier technologies such as cellulose swelling and dissolution, and Lyocell spinning, proposing a full-chain research system of 'mechanism tracing—technology breakthrough—application and standards'. Researcher Wang Huaping from Donghua University predicted that bio-based chemical fibers and degradable fiber materials will maintain high growth in the coming years, with green fibers significantly increasing their share in the overall structure. Both experts point to the same trend: bio-based fibers are moving from lab to production line, but require integrated process and equipment design to truly achieve the leap from 'technically feasible' to 'market feasible'.
Raw material diversification is another parallel route. Utilizing straw, corncob, fungus grass, and bamboo will build a sustainable supply system, reducing dependence on petroleum-based raw materials. Xinxiang Chemical Fiber's ionic liquid method has achieved non-derivatized green dissolution of cellulose, with the 'Shousaier' thousand-ton line running stably; Yisheng New Materials optimizes PLA fiber strength through copolymerization, blending, and process control, covering 3D printing and eco-fibers. These cases show that bio-based fiber technology routes are rapidly maturing.
Standards: Key to Market Access
The remarks of Zhang Qian, director of the Planning Division of the Industry Department of the China National Textile and Apparel Council, deserve deep thought: green development in the textile industry is not only an environmental issue but a survival issue for market access. International green trade rules are becoming stricter, and enterprises need to accelerate the construction of a full-chain green manufacturing system covering green energy, green fibers, and green chemicals, turning low-carbon capability into core competitiveness in the international market. This means that standards such as carbon footprint accounting, bio-based content determination, and degradable fiber evaluation will become 'green passports' for products entering international markets.
The association's 'Youpin Xianxuan' project has already established evaluation technical specifications, building a full-chain traceability system and carbon footprint disclosure mechanism to ensure quality closure and sustainable value from fiber to garment. However, the standard system is still in its early construction stage, which is both a challenge and a first-mover advantage—countries or enterprises that establish standards first will dominate the global green supply chain.
From Environmental Attributes to Functional Value
Bio-based materials are upgrading from a single environmental attribute to an integration of appearance, performance, and sustainability. Sun Mingliang, founder of the COOL-FRESH® brand, emphasized that fabric R&D needs collaborative innovation around consumer scenario emotions and composite functional needs. Jiangsu Sanlian New Material's bio-based polyester filament product matrix covers multi-dimensional functions such as coolness, achieving value upgrade from 'green raw materials' to 'functional fibers'. Associate Professor Cui Meng from Beijing Institute of Fashion Technology demonstrated the application prospects of PLA-based nanofibers in wearable self-powered sensors, smart wound dressings, and other medical fields, opening high value-added tracks for bio-based fibers.
These cases illustrate that the value of bio-based fibers is no longer limited to 'environmental protection' but extends to functional and high-end applications. For buyers and factories, this means bio-based fibers are no longer 'concept products' but material choices that can practically enhance product competitiveness.