Chemical fiber industry worldwide- statistics & facts

Chemical or man-made fibers refer to those produced by humans by a series of chemical processes, as opposed to natural fibers like cotton or wool, which are derived from plants or animals. Chemical fibers account for roughly 75 percent of the total fiber production worldwide and include synthetic fibers such as polyesters or polyamides and man-made cellulosic fibers like viscose or rayon.

Chemical fibers production

During the last two decades, the global production of chemical fibers has increased continuously. In 2020, it surpassed 80.5 million metric tons, an almost three-fold increase in comparison to the production registered 20 years earlier. Regionally, production is mainly concentrated in Asia. China alone was responsible for almost three-quarters of global chemical fiber production in 2020. India followed by a wide margin, with a production share of seven percent. Meanwhile, the United States and Europe each produced only three percent of the global chemical fiber output that year.

Synthetic fibers

Synthetic fibers are derived from synthetic polymers and are usually based on petrochemicals, although the use of bio-based polymers is on the rise. They account for over 60 percent of the global fiber production and have dominated the market since the mid-1990s, when they surpassed cotton production. Polyester is by far the most used synthetic fiber worldwide. In 2020, polyester production stood at roughly 57 million metric tons. Other commonly used synthetic fibers include polyamide, polypropylene fiber, acrylic fiber, and elastane. The synthetic fibers market value was estimated at some 62.7 billion U.S. dollars in 2021, and was forecast to reach roughly 100 billion dollars by 2028.

Man-made cellulosic fibers

Man-made cellulosic fibers account for roughly six percent of global fiber production. They are manufactured from cellulose, which is usually derived from farmed trees, although in some cases other sources of cellulose are used. Frequently used cellulose-based fibers include viscose, acetate lyocell, modal, and cupro. Of these, viscose is by far the most used, with a market share of roughly 80 percent. In 2020, around 6.5 million metric tons of man-made cellulosic fibers were manufactured worldwide, with a production value estimated at 11 billion euros. It is forecast that the production value of man-made cellulosic fibers will reach roughly 16 billion euros by 2030.
This text provides general information. Statista assumes no liability for the information given being complete or correct. Due to varying update cycles, statistics can display more up-to-date data than referenced in the text.
Published by Statista Research Department, Apr 14, 2023

Key insights

Global chemical fiber production
88.2m mt
Leading producer of chemical fibers
China
Fiber with the largest market share
Polyester
Get more insights

Editor’s Picks Current statistics on this topic

Production of polyester fibers worldwide from 1975 to 2021 (in million metric tons)

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Polyester fiber production globally 1975-2021

Production of polyamide fibers worldwide from 1975 to 2021 (in million metric tons)

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Polyamide fibers production globally 1975-2021

Production of acrylic fibers worldwide from 2017 to 2021 (in million metric tons)

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Acrylic fiber production worldwide 2017-2021

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