Lyocell fiber supply and demand have maintained a nearly 40% annual growth rate over the past two years, and nonwoven fabric output surpassed 9 million tons for the first time in 2025. These two data points were repeatedly cited at the 2026 Bio-based Chemical Fiber and Raw Material Industry Chain Collaborative Innovation Exchange, jointly pointing to a conclusion: bio-based fibers are entering a critical window for large-scale deployment from the concept validation phase. The meeting, held in Changshu, Jiangsu, released multiple signals on technology breakthroughs, standard development, and market applications.
Background
The industrial context reviewed at the meeting shows that during the 14th Five-Year Plan period, bio-based fibers achieved leapfrog growth. However, for the 15th Five-Year Plan, the key bottleneck has shifted from laboratory R&D to engineering and industrialization. Jin Gaoling, vice president of the China Chemical Fiber Association, explicitly proposed advancing the domestic large-scale production of high-purity lactic acid, lactide, and furandicarboxylic acid, while accelerating breakthroughs in large-capacity continuous polymerization and melt direct spinning. This implies that core raw materials and equipment previously dependent on imports will become the main battlefield for industrial competition in the next phase.
Raw material diversification is another strategic focus. The utilization of non-grain biomass resources such as straw, corncob, Juncao, and bamboo was repeatedly emphasized as key to building a sustainable supply system. For buyers, this is not just an environmental narrative but a matter of supply chain security—when oil-based raw material prices fluctuate sharply, renewable bio-based raw materials can offer more stable cost expectations. Academician Cheng Bowen of the Chinese Academy of Engineering supplemented the technical side with high-value application paths for Lyocell fibers, including medical and hygiene materials, indicating that bio-based materials will break through traditional textile boundaries.
Industrial Impact
The data reveals real changes in market structure. Zhang Qian, director of the Planning and Research Division of the Industry Department of the China National Textile and Apparel Council, emphasized that green development has evolved from an environmental issue to a survival issue for market access. International green trade rules are tightening, and the lack of standards for carbon footprint accounting and bio-based content measurement could directly weaken the export competitiveness of Chinese textiles. The meeting conveyed that the industry is accelerating the formulation of relevant standards and building a full-chain traceability system—which means for foreign trade enterprises, future orders may no longer depend solely on price but also on carbon data.
Technology route differentiation is also accelerating. Wang Huaping, a researcher at Donghua University, predicted that bio-based and biodegradable fibers will maintain high growth in the coming years, but only if they complete the leap from "technical feasibility" to "market viability." Corporate practices are validating this path: Xinxiang Chemical Fiber's "Shousail" thousand-ton production line is running stably, using ionic liquid technology for green cellulose dissolution; Jiangsu Sanlian New Materials has launched bio-based polyester filaments with multiple functions such as cooling, directly converting "green raw materials" into premium "functional fibers." These cases demonstrate that the competitiveness of bio-based fibers no longer relies solely on the "eco-friendly" label but on comprehensive performance and cost.
Another signal worth noting comes from the technical textiles sector. In 2025, nonwoven output surpassed 9 million tons for the first time, with disposable hygiene products and wiping materials as main growth points, making biodegradable raw materials a hot topic. This opens new application channels for bio-based fibers—as traditional apparel fabric markets saturate, high-value-added fields such as medical, hygiene, and filtration are becoming incremental spaces for bio-based materials. For upstream fiber enterprises, this means product structures need to shift from "bulk commodity" to "scenario-customized."