TEXAS – In 2023, global fibre production reached a record high of 124 million tonnes, according to a new report by Textile Exchange. The Materials Market Report provides an overview of the total volumes of fibres used across various sectors, including apparel, home textiles, footwear, and other applications.
The data revealed that the market share of virgin fossil-based synthetics continued to rise in 2023, while there was a decline in the share of cotton and recycled fibres.
Global fibre production has more than doubled since 2000. The 124 million tonnes produced in 2023 marked a 7 per cent increase from the 116 million tonnes produced in 2022, with projections suggesting it could reach 160 million tonnes by 2030 if current trends persist.
Virgin fossil-based synthetic fibre production grew from 67 million tonnes in 2022 to 75 million tonnes in 2023, with polyester maintaining its position as the most produced fibre globally, representing 57 per cent of total fibre production.
While recycled polyester production saw a slight increase in 2023, its overall market share fell from 13.6 to 12.5 per cent. Recycled polyamide (nylon), the second most used synthetic fibre, made up only 2 per cent of the market. These trends were largely driven by the lower cost and continued production of virgin synthetics, coupled with existing limitations in recycling technologies. Less than 1 per cent of the global fibre market originated from pre- and post-consumer recycled textiles.
Global cotton production decreased slightly from 25.1 million tonnes in 2022 to 24.4 million tonnes in 2023. However, the share of cotton produced under certification programmes remained steady, accounting for 29 per cent of the total cotton produced.
Positive trends were observed in the production of certified wool, which adheres to standards such as the Responsible Wool Standard (RWS), ZQ, SustainaWOOL (GREEN and GOLD), the Sustainable Cape Wool Standard (SCWS), and Climate Beneficial programmes. The share of certified wool rose from 4.2 per cent in 2022 to 4.8 per cent in 2023. Recycled wool continued to represent around 6 per cent of the global wool market.
Certified fibres such as mohair and cashmere demonstrated notable growth, with both achieving market shares of 47 per cent.
Overall, Man Made Cellulosic Fibre production grew from 7.4 million tonnes in 2022 to 7.9 million tonnes in 2023, representing 6 per cent of the global fibre market.
The report highlighted the industry’s ongoing reliance on virgin fossil-based synthetic materials, which poses a threat to achieving climate goals. It also shines a light on the current challenges in textile-to-textile recycling and need for innovative solutions, with most recycled polyester still being sourced from PET bottles.
Claire Bergkamp, CEO of Textile Exchange, said: “We hope this data serves as a clear call to action for the industry, highlighting both the successes and the critical areas where we must intensify our focus to meet climate targets.”