The geotextile and agrotextile market is on an upward trend. According to a recent report released by Grand View Research, the global geotextile market size is expected to reach $11.82 billion by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 6.6% during 2023-2030. Geotextiles are in high demand due to their applications ranging from road construction, erosion control, and drainage systems.
Meanwhile, according to another report by the research firm, the global agrotextile market size is expected to reach $6.98 billion by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 4.7% during the forecast period. The demand for agricultural productivity from the growing population is expected to significantly boost the product demand. Moreover, the increase in demand for organic food is also aiding the adoption of processes and technologies that can increase crop yields without the use of supplements. This has increased the use of materials such as agrotextiles across the globe.
According to the latest North American Nonwovens Industry Outlook report released by INDA, the geosynthetics and agrotextiles market in the U.S. grew 4.6% in tonnage between 2017 and 2022. The association predicts that these markets will continue to grow over the next five years, with a combined growth rate of 3.1%.
Nonwovens are generally cheaper and faster to produce than other materials.
Nonwovens also offer sustainability benefits. In recent years, Snider and INDA have worked with civil engineering companies and governments to promote the use of nonwovens, such as spunbond, in road and rail sub-bases. In this application, geotextiles provide a barrier between aggregate and the base soil and/or concrete/asphalt, preventing the migration of aggregates and thus maintaining the original aggregate structure thickness indefinitely. The nonwoven underlay holds the gravel and fines in place, preventing water from penetrating the pavement and destroying it.
In addition, if any type of geomembrane is used between the road sub-bases, it will reduce the amount of concrete or asphalt required for road construction, so it is a great benefit in terms of sustainability.
If nonwoven geotextiles are used for road sub-bases, there will be huge growth. From a sustainability perspective, nonwoven geotextiles can indeed increase the life of the road and bring considerable benefits.