Within the pet care market, KNH has been using market insight and technological experties to help customers better define product positioning and make more efficient market entry decisions. The company spoke with Nonwovens Industry on how new application areas are driving growth and change in this market.

KNH: What new demands or consumer trends have emerged in the pet care market over the past year? How have these developments impacted KNH’s approach to product development?

NWI: Over the past year, the pet care market has continued to grow rapidly, attracting companies from various industries and intensifying overall competition. We have seen particularly strong interest in products such as pet wipes and training pads, reflecting the increasing focus of brands on expanding their pet care product lines.

At the same time, many new entrants are still developing their understanding of real usage scenarios and consumer expectations. In response, KNH provides not only expertise in materials and manufacturing, but also practical insights from a pet owner’s perspective, helping customers better define product positioning and make more efficient market entry decisions.

From a product development standpoint, the most notable shift has been the rising expectations for safety and quality. As pets are increasingly regarded as family members, brands are placing greater emphasis on skin-friendly materials, ingredient safety and overall product reliability. This has led to a fundamental shift in development logic, where product standards are increasingly aligned with those of human hygiene products.

As a result, product development today requires not only technical capability, but also a deeper understanding of user behavior and application scenarios. KNH continues to strengthen its capabilities in customized development and technical integration to support this transition.

NWI: In the field of pet hygiene products, have there been any new application directions or functional demands for nonwoven technologies?

KNH: In terms of nonwoven technologies, we are seeing a clear shift from basic functionality toward more application-driven development in pet hygiene products. Rather than focusing solely on cleaning performance, product design is increasingly centered around specific use cases and targeted care needs.

Pet wipes are a representative example of this transition. Instead of serving as general-purpose cleaning products, they are now being developed for more specific applications. For instance, we have seen growing demand for solutions addressing common but often overlooked conditions, such as chin acne in cats. To support preventive care, KNH has developed low-irritation wipes suitable for sensitive areas, enabling routine use as part of daily maintenance.

Similarly, for dogs, exposure to outdoor environments can result in dryness or wear of the paw pads. This has led to the development of wipes with moisturizing and protective functions, combining cleaning with care through both material selection and product structure design.

Overall, nonwoven technologies in pet care are moving toward more scenario-based and function-integrated solutions. This shift requires closer alignment between material performance, formulation and end-use application, making product development more application-oriented than before.

Q3: Compared to human absorbent hygiene products, what are the key technical challenges in the design and performance requirements of pet products?

Compared to human absorbent hygiene products, pet products present more complex technical challenges in both design and performance. One key difference is that humans are not only the end users but also the most direct source of feedback, allowing manufacturers to quickly refine product structure and functionality based on user experience. In contrast, pets cannot communicate their experience directly, so product development relies on long-term observation of behavior, usage patterns and feedback from pet owners. As a result, validating product performance and comfort often requires more time and extensive testing.

In addition, pet product design must address the needs of both the pet and the owner. For absorbent products, this means not only ensuring absorption efficiency and surface dryness, but also considering odor control, ease of cleaning, and intuitive product handling and replacement. Achieving the right balance between performance and usability is therefore more complex in terms of material selection and structural design.

Another challenge lies in the high variability among pets. Differences in size, breed, activity level and living environment can all impact durability, fit, and overall performance. Compared to human hygiene products, which typically follow more standardized sizing and usage patterns, pet products require more flexible design approaches and broader scenario-based testing.

At the same time, as pets are increasingly regarded as family members, expectations for safety and quality continue to rise. In addition to absorbent performance, brands are placing greater emphasis on skin-friendly materials and overall product reliability, requiring a more integrated and cross-disciplinary development approach.

Overall, developing pet hygiene products is not simply an extension of human product technologies. It requires a fundamental understanding of user behavior and real-life scenarios, as well as a more comprehensive product design logic. This makes both technical development and market validation inherently more challenging.

NWI: Are sustainability and environmental considerations beginning to influence the development of pet care products?

KNH: What strategies has KNH adopted in terms of material selection and manufacturing processes?

Sustainability and environmental considerations are indeed gaining attention in the pet care sector, particularly in Europe and the U.S., where some brands have started to place clearer requirements on material sourcing and product recyclability. However, from a broader market perspective, these demands are still evolving and have not yet become the primary driver of product development.

One of the key challenges is that pet hygiene products must balance performance, safety, and ease of use. Requirements such as absorbency, durability, and product stability remain critical. In some cases, sustainable materials still present limitations in terms of performance or cost, which means brands need to carefully balance environmental goals with practical product requirements.

Against this backdrop, KNH takes a pragmatic approach. We continue to evaluate the feasibility of various sustainable materials, such as reducing plastic content and exploring renewable or biodegradable options. At the same time, we focus on optimizing manufacturing processes to improve efficiency and minimize unnecessary resource consumption.

We also recognize that demand for sustainable products varies across markets. As a result, KNH provides solutions at different levels, allowing brand partners to align product development with their positioning and consumer expectations.

Overall, sustainability will be an important direction for the future of pet care products. However, its adoption will depend on achieving the right balance between performance, cost, and market acceptance. KNH will continue to invest in related materials and technologies to advance more practical and scalable sustainable solutions.

NWI: With the continued growth of the global pet market, what are KNH’s future directions in terms of product lines and market expansion?

KNH: Looking ahead, KNH’s strategic focus is on strengthening its role beyond manufacturing by developing more integrated and solution-oriented product offerings. Rather than concentrating on individual products, we are placing greater emphasis on building more structured and application-driven product portfolios that can better support diverse market needs.

In terms of product strategy, we will continue to expand our capabilities in functional and daily care segments, with a focus on customization and application-specific development. This includes working closely with brand partners to co-develop products that align with their positioning and target markets, enabling more differentiated and competitive offerings.

From a market perspective, Asia remains a key growth region, while developments in Europe and the U.S. continue to provide important benchmarks in terms of regulations, product standards, and market expectations. We also look forward to seeing more clearly defined safety standards for pet care products in Asian markets, which would further support industry maturity and consistency across regions.

At the same time, KNH is actively evolving its role as an OEM/ODM partner. By integrating material expertise, product development capabilities, and market insights, we aim to support customers not only in manufacturing, but also in strategic product planning and market positioning.

Looking ahead, KNH will continue to invest in R&D and customization capabilities, while strengthening long-term partnerships with clients. Our goal is to gradually build a more comprehensive and scalable solution ecosystem centered on pet care, supporting brands in adapting to a rapidly evolving global market.