Filtration forms an increasingly lucrative subsegment of durable nonwovens sales. In 2024 these consumed a total of 826,500 tons of nonwovens, mainly wetlaid and spunlaid variants, with global sales totalling $6.1 billion. Data from a recent Smithers market report—The Future of Nonwovens for Filtration to 2029 – show that multiple factors will see demand accelerate through to the end of the decade, with the market increasing at 10.7% year-on-year to reach $10.2 billion in 2029.

Smithers analysis covers use of liquid and gas filtration media in 30 different end-use applications, and in many of these, future growth is dependent on technical innovation. The principal product features for realizing this are:

• Pore size and distribution
• Wet Resiliency
• Uniformity
• Wet Strength.

Air/Gas Filtration

Air and gas filtration consumed 207,000 tons of nonwovens in 2024. The primary nonwoven processes employed are spunlaid—particularly meltblown, wetlaid and needlepunch—especially for filtering smaller particles, due to their small pore size and even distribution. High-performance applications are enhanced by an electrostatic charge to the fibers, or an antimicrobial treatment to better destroy pathogens. 

While the peak in demand for facemask media has receded, there are still some residual effects in filtration demand. Pre-pandemic MERV-13 rated filters were used in hospitals for general surgery and inpatient care, while residential and commercial buildings used filters rated MERV-12 or lower. MERV-15 and MERV 16 media are now the norm, as these more effectively filter bacteria in HVAC systems.

In automotive segments there will be an increase in upgraded nonwovens with smaller pores, as tougher emission standards are implemented. There are also developments in new specialty air filters to protect the batteries of new model electric vehicles, while cabin air filters are increasingly popular and no longer limited to premium models.

A wide variety of gas filtration media are consumed in other industrial segments—from lightweight spunbond polypropylene to pleated wetlaid cellulose-polyester and heavy-weight needlepunch polyester. While broader economic issues are restricting investment in new facilities for some of these in the near future, this will be largely countered by the regulatory requirements for higher air quality and worker protection. 

Liquid Filtration

Nonwovens are used to filter a wider range of liquids, water, beverages, wet foods, fuel, hydraulic fluids and biological fluids. Fuel and oil filters for automobile internal combustion engines have long been a major application, but in the long term this will decline as more vehicles switch to all-electric powertrains.

Sales of filtration media into food processing is set to increase, with a rise in processed foods, such as alcoholic and soft drinks, milk and cooking oils in developing markets; and a growing demand for fruit juices and other specialty beverages in developed markets.

Demand for consumer filtration media has been bolstered by the increased use of coffee filters, especially the growing footprint of pod-based coffee machines. The main demand here is for wetlaid cellulose/polyester nonwovens, or thermal bonded carded nonwovens

Visit: www.smithers.com/services/market-reports/nonwovens/the-future-of-nonwovens-for-filtration-to-2029

1.Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value (MERV), a measure of a filter’s ability to capture particles between 0.3 and 10 microns (μm).