The global natural fiber composites market was valued at USD 4.46 billion in 2016. It is expected to grow at a CAGR of 11.8% from 2016 to 2024. The spiraling growth of the automotive industry for lightweight products and the growing awareness of green products is one of them. Key trends reinforce the market growth. However, the moisture sensitivity of these materials is bound to hamper this growth.
Tesla Racing
Natural fibers are bio-based materials made from wood, bamboo, cotton, flax, kenaf and hemp. All these materials are less harmful to the environment and easily available. The raw materials used to make natural fiber composites are environmentally friendly and have the potential to replace synthetic fibers in the coming years. Rising awareness of green products, increasing disposable income of consumers, growing demand for eco-friendly products and strong demand for recyclable products are likely to play a vital role in the growth of this market.
Properties of Natural Fiber Composites (NFC)
25 to 30 percent stronger than the same weight of glass fiber. Composites made from natural fibers help to reduce the weight of the component, thus reducing the total energy consumption. In addition, the NFC molding process consumes less energy than glass fiber molding and can reduce production costs by up to 10 percent. However, their moisture sensitivity and weak binding to the polymer matrix are expected to hamper their growth prospects.
Because they absorb moisture and cause the fibers to swell, their use in the automotive industry is currently limited to the interior of automobiles.
The main raw materials for NFC are wood, bamboo, cotton, flax, kenaf and hemp. Wood has been dominating the market, accounting for 59.3% of the total revenue in 2015. The benefits of bamboo fiber, including high strength and sturdiness, are expected to drive its utilization in the coming years.
Linen was one of the most widely used materials in 2015, with a 13 percent market share. Compared to carbon fiber, flax is CO2 neutral, vibration damping and renewable. The advantages of linen include high tensile strength, UV-blocking properties, vibration absorption and high water retention, making it one of the most widely used raw materials in industry.
Cotton belongs to the category of seed fibers, which are commonly used in textiles around the world. Cotton is weaker than other natural fibers due to its moisture-absorbing properties. It can absorb up to 20% of its dry weight in moisture. This market segment is expected to grow with the expansion of the textile and sporting goods industry.
The use of kenaf has grown in various industries such as construction, petroleum and chemical absorbents, food packaging and automotive. This material is highly sustainable and can be fully recycled. The surge in demand for biodegradable products is likely to play an important role in stimulating the growth of this market.
Hemp-based composites can replace glass fibers in many applications, and they are biodegradable. The surge in demand for environmentally friendly and renewable materials in the automotive and construction industries is bound to trigger growth in this sector.
Natural Fiber Composite (NFC) Technical Insights
In terms of technology, the natural fiber composites market is segmented into injection molding, compression molding, and pultrusion molding. Injection molding requires low molecular weight polymers to maintain low viscosity. This process is primarily used for high-volume part production. The growing demand for high-volume production in the end-use industry is expected to contribute to the growth of this segment.
Injection molding accounted for 10% of the revenue share in 2015. This is a high-volume, high-pressure, closed-loop molding technology used to develop composite products. The process is followed by two steps: preheating and pressurization.
Compression molding is a high-pressure, high-volume molding technology used primarily to produce high-strength and complex objects for the automotive, transportation, appliance and other high-volume sectors of the industry.
Pultrusion molding is widely used in the production of a variety of products for the rail transportation, aerospace, ship and marine, sporting goods, wind turbine blades, storage and corrosive liquid transportation industries. The demand for low-weight, maintenance-free, corrosion-resistant and non-conductive products is expected to support the growth of this segment.
NFC is mainly used in the automotive and construction industries to manufacture door panels, seat backs, instrument panels, truck linings, headliners, covers, railings, windows and frames.
Electronics and sporting goods are promising market segments. Many products, such as handbags, laptop bags, tennis rackets, bicycles, car frames and skis are also made of natural fiber composites.
Natural Fiber Composite (NFC) Market Analysis
The surge in demand for linen-based NFCs, their growing popularity and the surge in demand for consumer products are expected to drive the North American market significantly. In the region's automotive industry, the NAFILEAN process has led to the sustainable design of center consoles, instrument panels and door panels.
European automakers have conducted extensive research to develop natural polymer matrices for front and rear door liners, luggage compartment liners, and wraparound shelves. in 2015, Europe accounted for 15.4% of the market share.
Germany is the largest producer of automobiles and a major importer of cannabis in Europe. The growing demand for biodegradable and lightweight products in the automotive industry to improve fuel efficiency is expected to drive growth in the country.
In Asia Pacific, the sporting goods, electronics, and automotive industries are expected to maintain healthy growth in the coming years due to increasing disposable income and rising living standards. China dominates the Asia Pacific market and this trend is likely to continue in the coming years.
