Alternative raw material sources have been a major topic shaping nonwovens product development in recent years as the industry responds to legislation and changing consumer sentiment that has challenged the use of plastics in absorbent products. Last month, Kimberly-Clark announced an alternative fiber program that cites Hesperaloe, a plant native to the Southwest U.S., as the next breakthrough in shifting away from petroleum-based feedstock.

The company’s designation of Hesperaloe—a native, low-water-use succulent—as an ideal fiber for its products addresses several challenges at once. While fiber performance remains the most important criteria, the industry can no longer evaluate materials solely on technical specifications. Water consumption, agricultural resilience, supply security and regional economic impact are increasingly important parts of the equation.

Kimberly-Clark did not select Hesperaloe on a whim. Through its Alternative Natural Fiber program, the company evaluated more than 70 potential fiber candidates against performance, sustainability and cost criteria. 

And, the company’s patented technology platform, which transforms Hesperaloe fibers into a usable sustainable material, could ultimately prove more important than the plant itself. Finding an interesting natural fiber is one thing; developing the processing technology needed to consistently turn it into a high-performing input for diapers, feminine care products, tissue or other hygiene applications is another.

This is why Kimberly-Clark’s decision to build a pilot facility in Yuma, AZ is notable. This infrastructure can form a bridge between laboratory promise and commercial reality, allowing researchers to understand how the material behaves at increasing scale and how it can be integrated into existing manufacturing systems.

There is also a broader lesson here for the nonwovens industry. Sustainable innovation cannot be confined to final product format. If the raw material itself depends on increasingly stressed resources, efficiency gains downstream only go so far. Hesperaloe’s potential lower water requirements compared with some crops currently grown in the Southwest could make the agricultural side of the fiber equation considerably more attractive.

Still, Kimberly-Clark has a long way to go in incorporating Hesperaloe across its vast consumer products portfolio. It will need to demonstrate consistent fiber quality, scalable cultivation, competitive economics, reliable processing and a supply chain capable of supporting global hygiene-product demand. Those are significant hurdles, but Kimberly-Clark’s collaboration with growers, technical experts and communities across the Southwest could certainly help it overcome these challenges. 

If Hesperaloe can deliver on its early promise, this could become more than another alternative-fiber experiment. It could demonstrate a new model for material innovation—one that begins with the raw material.

As always, we appreciate your comments.

Karen McIntyre | Editor
kmcintyre@rodmanmedia.com

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In 2025, at least for the global nonwovens industry, the picture was largely the same as it was the prior year. In a global economy marked by uncertainties around trade, raw material supply, energy costs, inflation and more, many of the world’s major nonwovens producers report a challenging environment, which have led to slower investment strategies and an overall cautious mindset by many of the companies profiled in this report—regardless of where they are based. 

Despite this uncertainty, many companies have begun to show some signs of optimism—often in the form of investment or acquisitions. Kimberly-Clark continues to redefine its business through the acquisition of Kenvue; Freudenberg has acquired a Chinese wound care specialist; Fibertex Nonwovens is on track to complete a new line in the Czech Republic later this year and Tenowo reports it has upgraded its spunlace operations. 

Interestingly, where investment continues to be strong is within air-through bonding. This year, China’s Kingsafe and Beijing Dayuan, as well as TWE, in India, and Shalag Nonwovens in the U.S., have new lines within this technology segment in response to demand for extremely soft, premium materials for hygiene applications.

As it has been in the past few years, sustainability continues to be a buzzword within nonwovens. Producers are looking at ways to lessen their product weights, integrate more sustainable raw materials and reduce the impact of their operations on the environment. While these efforts are driven to some degree by legislative actions like the SUP Directive in the European Union, they are also the result of consumer and retailer demand for greener product options.

By The Numbers

This year’s top companies report includes 40 nonwovens producers located around the world. While many of the leading companies are based in established markets like the U.S., Japan and Europe, companies from less developed areas are increasing their role, and this year, companies from developing countries like Brazil, Turkey, China, Taiwan, Indonesia and the Czech Republic have continued to grow their size and their scope in the nonwovens industry. Many of these companies are focusing on growth, meaning their rankings will only grow in future years.

Each company in this survey is ranked on the basis of the prior year (2025) sales, which are translated from local currency to U.S. dollars. In several cases, sales are estimated, and in all instances, these sales figures do not reflect economic factors like currency fluctuations or raw material prices, which can skew the ranking. 

While ranking by annual sales figures is necessary to the nature of this report, it is really the activities of these companies—as reported in their profiles—that should be considered.

Click here to see the 2026 Top 40 Nonwovens Industry Companies Report

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An Thai Fiber, a Vietnamese manufacturer of nonwovens, is part of Thai Chau Im-Ex Co., Ltd., which was established in 2005 as a supplier of geotechnical materials and solutions for infrastructure projects in Vietnam.

As demand for infrastructure development grew, Thai Chau expanded from supplying materials into manufacturing, investing in its first production facility in Long An Province in 2015. In 2020, the company commissioned An Thai Fiber, significantly strengthening its production capabilities and enabling it to develop a broader range of technical nonwoven materials.

An Thai Fiber manufactures both PP staple-fiber needlepunched nonwovens and PET continuous-filament nonwovens. For both product lines, the company has integrated in-house production capabilities from raw material processing through to finished nonwoven fabrics, rather than relying on externally sourced fibers. This allows the company to maintain greater control throughout the manufacturing process, ensuring consistent quality, product specifications and performance in accordance with the technical requirements of different projects.

Its products are engineered to provide separation, filtration, drainage, protection and other engineering functions for demanding civil engineering applications. The company serves major domestic infrastructure projects while also exporting to international markets, including Europe, the U.S., Japan and South Korea. Its products comply with global quality requirements, including CE certification for the European market.

In addition to conventional geotextiles, the company is developing composite and reinforced materials designed to enhance the performance of transportation and infrastructure projects where higher mechanical strength is required.

An Thai Fiber’s primary focus is infrastructure-related applications, including roads, highways, ground improvement systems, drainage systems and other civil engineering works.

The company continues to see positive market fundamentals in these sectors, driven by ongoing investment in transportation networks, urban development and climate-resilient infrastructure worldwide. As project owners increasingly seek longer service life and lower lifecycle costs, An Thai Fiber sees continued opportunities for high-performance geosynthetic solutions.

An Thai Fiber’s international growth strategy is built around three pillars: quality, consistency and manufacturing capability. It continues to invest in modern production equipment, automation and quality control systems to ensure stable product performance. Achieving CE certification has also helped the company meet the technical and regulatory requirements of international customers.

An Thai Fiber continues to invest in expanding its needlepunched nonwoven production capacity while upgrading its quality assurance systems and developing higher-value composite materials. These investments are intended to improve production efficiency, enhance product consistency and strengthen the company’s ability to meet increasingly sophisticated technical requirements and participate in larger and more complex infrastructure projects worldwide.

For An Thai Fiber, sustainability is closely linked to durability and resource efficiency. The company is developing products designed to contribute to longer-lasting infrastructure. By extending service life and reducing maintenance requirements, geosynthetic materials can help lower resource consumption and overall environmental impact throughout a project’s lifecycle. An Thai Fiber views sustainability as an approach that should deliver measurable value not only for the environment, but also for asset owners and communities.

The nonwovens industry continues to evolve as performance, sustainability and efficiency become increasingly important across many sectors. In geotechnical and infrastructure applications, nonwoven materials play an important role in improving project performance while optimizing construction costs. With continued investment in transportation, urbanization and climate adaptation projects around the world, An Thai Fiber remains positive about the long-term outlook for the industry.

The company believes that continued innovation, technical expertise and long-term investment will be key to capturing new opportunities as the global nonwovens and geosynthetics markets continue to develop.

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Assigned to The Procter & Gamble Company, Cincinnati, OH.

Filed: 1/24/20
Issued: 7/28/26

A pant comprising: a chassis comprising: a topsheet; a backsheet; and a core disposed at least partially intermediate the topsheet and the backsheet; and a belt portion extending from the chassis, the belt portion comprising: a first substrate; a second substrate joined to the first substrate; a plurality of elongate elastic elements disposed intermediate the first substrate and the second substrate; a first elasticized texture zone comprising a first portion of the substrates and the elongate elastic elements; a second elasticized texture zone comprising a second portion of the substrates and the elongate elastic elements; wherein the first substrate and the second substrate are coextensive across the entire belt portion; a first adhesive pattern in the first elasticized texture zone configured to join the first portion of the substrates and the elongate elastic elements; and a second adhesive pattern in the second elasticized texture zone configured to join the second portion of the substrates and the elongate elastic elements, wherein the first adhesive pattern is different than the second adhesive pattern; wherein the first adhesive pattern is configured to join the elongate elastic elements with the first portion of the substrates in a non-continuous fashion or the second adhesive pattern is configured to join the elongate elastic elements with the second portion of the substrates in a non-continuous fashion; wherein the elongate elastic elements have a first elastic spacing in the first elasticized texture zone; wherein the elongate elastic elements have a second elastic spacing in the second elasticized texture zone, and wherein the first and second elastic spacings are different; wherein the first elasticized texture zone has a first frequency and a first amplitude; wherein the second elasticized texture zone has a second frequency and a second amplitude, wherein the first frequency is different than the second frequency, and wherein the first amplitude is different than the second amplitude; and wherein the second substrate is nested with the first substrate. 

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Assigned to The Procter & Gamble Company, Cincinnati, OH.

Filed: 2/5/21
Issued: 7/28/26

An absorbent article comprising: a first waist region, a second waist region, a crotch region disposed between the first and second waist regions; a chassis comprising a topsheet, a backsheet, and an absorbent core disposed between the topsheet and backsheet; an ear joined to the chassis and comprising: a laminate comprising a first spunbond nonwoven and an elastomeric material, wherein the laminate further comprises a plurality of ultrasonic bonds; wherein the first spunbond nonwoven has an Average Bond Area prior to incorporation into the laminate of between about 7% to about 14% and a basis weight of 25 gsm or less; wherein the laminate comprises an elastic region and an inelastic region, and wherein the inelastic region is free from elastomeric material, wherein the inelastic region is joined to the chassis; and a fastening system joined to the ear by a fastening attachment bond, wherein the fastening attachment bond overlaps the elastomeric material. 

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Assigned to The Procter & Gamble Company, Cincinnati, OH.

Filed: 7/10/24
Issued: 7/28/26

A method for making absorbent articles, the method comprising steps of: providing first elastic strands wound onto mandrel cores, and wherein the first elastic strands comprise a first decitex; rotating the mandrel cores to unwind the first elastic strands from the mandrel cores; advancing the first elastic strands from the rotating mandrel cores; stretching the first elastic strands; and providing second elastic strands, wherein the second elastic strands comprise a second decitex, and wherein the second decitex is greater than the first decitex; unwinding the second elastic strands from an overend unwinding device; stretching the second elastic strands; bonding the stretched first and second elastic strands between a first substrate and a second substrate to form an elastomeric laminate comprising different stretch characteristics in different regions in the elastomeric laminate, wherein the first elastic strands are bonded with a first bond applicator configured to apply adhesive bonds and wherein the second elastic strands are bonded with a second bond applicator configured to apply adhesive bonds; and cutting the first elastic strands to create deactivated regions in the elastomeric laminate.  

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Filed: 2/28/23
Issued: 7/28/26

A diaper comprising: a front section sheet, wherein said front section sheet is configured to be operable for mainly capturing urine matter, a back section sheet, wherein said back section sheet is configured to be operable for considerably capturing fecal matter; a proximate middle inner portion bridging said front section sheet and back section sheet; and a W-shaped divider element, wherein said W-shaped divider element is configured to structurally separate or isolate the urine matter from fecal matter.  

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Aplix, Le Cellier, France.

Filed: 7/12/21
Issued: 7/28/26

A retainer device, comprising: a base extending along a longitudinal direction and having an upper face and a lower face, a plurality of retainer elements extending from the upper face of the base, each retainer element having a value according to a first geometric dimension, wherein: the retainer device has at least two retainer zones and an intermediate zone disposed between the at least two retainer zones and connecting the at least two retainer zones, the retainer elements disposed in first and second retainer zones of the at least two retainer zones, the first and second retainer zones having values according to the first geometric dimension which are greater than the values according to the first geometric dimension of the retainer elements disposed in the intermediate zone, wherein the base and the retainer elements are made of a same material, wherein, the retainer elements of the at least two retainer zones are spaced apart from each other, and at least in the retainer zones, the retainer elements are each formed of a rod surmounted by a head protruding from the rod; wherein, considered in the direction going from the first retainer zone to the second retainer zone, the intermediate zone has successive retainer elements whose value according to the first geometric dimension decreases then retainer elements whose value according to the first geometric dimension increases. 

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Assigned to Fameccanica.Data S.p.A., San Giovanni Teatino, Italy.

Filed: 11/30/23
Issued: 8/11/26

An absorbent structure, comprising: an absorbent pad comprising cellulose fluff and having at least one through-opening elongated along a longitudinal axis, wherein said at least one through-opening has a central section and two end sections located on opposite sides of the central section, and wherein the central section has a width greater than a width of each of the end sections, at least one fluff-free absorbent insert comprising a non-woven layer in which superabsorbent material is incorporated, wherein the fluff-free absorbent insert has a shape elongated along said longitudinal axis and has a central section and two end sections located on opposite sides of the central section of the at least one fluff-free absorbent insert, wherein the central section and the two end sections of the at least one fluff-free absorbent insert are housed, respectively, in the central section and in respective end sections of the at least one through-opening, and wherein between the at least one fluff-free absorbent insert and longitudinal edges of the central section of the at least one through-opening, two longitudinal channels are formed located on opposite sides of the at least one fluff-free absorbent insert.  

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Assigned to RKW SE, Mannheim, Germany.

Filed: 12/21/21
Issued: 8/11/26

A breathable film, comprising: a breathable, polyolefinic, filled, stretched film comprising more than 45% by weight fillers and an adhesive integrally formed therein, the film being formed by monaxial stretching as a layer and an imprint bonded thereon via the adhesive that is in the layer, the breathable film having a water vapor transmission rate of at least 500 g/m2 in 24 h according to ASTM D6701-01; and a water column of more than 300 mm according to EDANA WSP 80.6, wherein the adhesive includes an ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer (EVA), a proportion of EVA in the layer being more than 5% by weight and less than 50% by weight, and the EVA has a vinyl acetate proportion of more than 20% and less than 60% by weight.  

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