The global geotextiles market stood at USD 6.10 billion in 2017 driven by its requirement in modern pavement design and maintenance technique. Geotextiles are permeable textiles made from synthetic materials and are generally used with different geotechnical engineering related material.

Use of geotextile has become more popular in civil engineering earthworks to construct firm bases and proper reinforcement of soil. Construction of firm base plays an important role in the construction of temporary as well permanent highways and roads.

Lesser transportation costs coupled with better longevity is the key factor driving the demand for geotextiles across the globe. They are easy to install and are less costly to transport which helps in the reducing the time and overall labor cost. Furthermore, geotextiles are compact in nature owing to various layers of fibers hence it also reduces the amount of fill material, such as gravel.

The Geotextiles market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 10.3% to reach US$ 22.9 Bn in 2030.

In general, geotextiles are manufactured from synthetic polymers, such as polyester, polyethylene, polyamide, and polypropylene or natural materials. Natural fibers used in the production of geotextile include jute nets, paper strips, wool mulch or wood shavings.

Jute is a versatile biodegradable natural fiber that has the ability to serve as a nutrient for vegetation. However, with the help of different treatments and blending, the life span of jute can be extended up to 20 years. Therefore, it is now possible to manufacture jute having specific porosity, tenacity, and permeability, transmissibility according to need and location. This is further anticipated to boost the demand for natural geotextiles over the foreseeable future.

Increasing attractiveness of geotextiles as a cost-saving substitute for traditional construction raw materials such as sand and stone is providing the global geotextiles market enormous growth potential. Furthermore, the increasing shortage of these minerals in the coming decades coupled with increasing transportation cost due to long distances between gravel pit and construction site is likely to provide an impetus to the global geotextiles market size.

In terms of product type, non-woven category generated maximum market revenue worth 60.4% within the global geotextiles market share in 2017 and is anticipated to show a similar trend over the forecast period. Non-woven fabrics are the one that is directionally or randomly oriented fibers that are bonded either by cohesion and/or friction and/or adhesion and forms a web or sheet-like structure.                                     

The non-woven category is the fastest growing product category with a projected volume CAGR of 10.8% over the forecast period between 2018 and 2025, majorly driven by its usage in areas of application where pooling water is a major concern. Furthermore, builders, engineers, and infrastructure planners are adopting non-woven geotextile as a strong material for the foundation of roads, highways, and railways. Hence, these factors are anticipated to augment the growth of the global geotextiles market growth over the forecast period.

Application wise, road construction segment accounted for a major market revenue at 46.2% of the global geotextiles market share in 2017. It is also likely to be the fastest growing application within the global geotextiles market, followed closely by drainage and erosion control. Most of the roads undergo failure because of the contamination of the aggregate base layer with the subgrade base soil layer. In this case, pavements with geotextiles reduce the contamination and act a separator.

Asia Pacific was the largest consumer of geotextiles in 2017 and this trend is anticipated to continue over the forecast period. The regional market is being driven by the high volume consumption in China and India. The geotextile market in India is specifically expected to grow substantially over the next few years on account of the heavy investments in the infrastructure by the government as well as private players.

Key players present in the global geotextiles market includes SKAPS Industries, TYPAR (Polymer Group, Inc.), Fibertex Nonwovens A/S, Low & Bona, Koninklijke Ten Cate bv, Maccaferri, GSE Environmental, NAUE GmbH & Co. KG, Propex Operating Company, LLC.

Geotextiles Market Scop

Key segments of the global geotextiles market

Type Overview

• Non-Woven
• Woven
• Knitted

Application Overview

• Road Construction
• Erosion Control
• Drainage
• Others (GCL, Composites among others)

Region Overview

• North America
  • U.S.
  • Canada
• Europe
  • Germany
• Asia Pacific
  • China
  • India
• Rest of the World