Europe Textile Market Growth Analysis - Forecast Trends and Outlook (2024-2032)

Europe Textile Market Size

The Europe textile market size attained a value of USD 181.77 billion in 2023. The market is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 3.0% during 2024-2032 to reach a value of USD 236.86 billion by 2032.

Key Takeaways

• Textile manufacturers are incorporating computer vision technology for fabric pattern recognition and fabric colour matching, to examine fabric quality, saving up on production costs and time.

• The major European markets namely, Germany, France, Spain, the Netherlands, Italy, and Poland collectively account for nearly 67% of all intra-EU imports in the apparel sector.

• The EU's sustainable textile production strategy targets the establishment of a new sustainable textile ecosystem within the EU market by 2030.

The textile sector is a key segment within the manufacturing sector and is a major contributor to the European economy. Reportedly, the largest manufacturers of textiles are United Kingdom Italy, Germany, and France. The textile sector in Europe mainly consists of small and medium-sized enterprises. The European manufacturers are regarded as the leaders in technical and industrial textiles such as non-wovens (industrial filters, hygiene products, materials for the medical and automotive sectors), high-quality garments, and interior textiles with a high design content.

The textile market in Europe is driven by various factors, such as the demand for technical textiles, research to develop advanced textiles, rising use of natural fibres to produce textiles, and rising demand for fashion clothing.

Key Trends and Developments

Rising demand for natural fibres, demand for sustainable production processes, and adoption of technology by manufacturers are creating several opportunities for Europe textile market development.

Technological Trends in the Textile Market in Europe

• In the European Union, Italy, Germany, and France lead in terms of the number of professionals with advanced technology (AT) skills employed in the textile market.

• The advanced technology skills include Advanced Manufacturing, Big Data, Cloud, AI, Advanced Materials, Security, Industrial Biotechnology, IoT, Robotics, Nanotech, Blockchain, AR/ VR, and Photonics.

• However soft skills and other non-technological skills are also highly relevant, especially for the luxury textile and apparel sector, as they play a critical role in the success of European companies on global markets.

Figure: Top Five Technological Skills in the Textile Sector with the Highest Growth from 2018 to 2019 Among EU27 Countries.

Europe Textile Market Trends

There is a growing demand for smart fabrics in Europe. These products can communicate with smartphones to process biometric information such as heart rate, temperature, breathing, and stress for use in sporting applications. Further, the adoption of 3D printing has revolutionised the textile manufacturing sector In Europe. 3D printing allows the manufacturers to experiment with innovative materials and recyclable materials. This further helps in allowing the region to reach its zero waste goals.

In 2020, the European Commission (EC) launched the Circular Economy Action Plan (CEAP) pushing the region towards a circular economy. The textile sector is considered a priority sector with the Strategy for Sustainable Textiles launched under CEAP aiming to create a greener production and consumption of textiles. With the rising importance of sustainability and ethical production practices, ecologically manufactured textiles are considered a white space for opportunities for growth in the sector.  This is further contributing to the greater uptake of safer and cleaner materials such as wool and cotton for producing textiles.

Europe Textile Industry Segmentation

Europe Textile Market Report and Forecast 2024-2032 offers a detailed analysis of the market based on the following segments:

Household is further divided into bedding, kitchen, upholstery, towel, and others whereas technical segment is categorised into construction, transport, protective, medical, and others. Additionally, fashion and clothing are divided into apparel, ties and clothing accessories, handbags, and others.

The wool segment is expected to hold a significant Europe textile market share as it is widely adopted to make winter clothing

According to the Europe textile market analysis, due to its properties such as breathability and thermal insulation, wool is being widely adopted for making winter clothing. Wool, considered a renewable raw material grown by sheep has the potential to lower large amounts of carbon and improve biodiversity. The growing inclination towards a circular economy across Europe is contributing to the greater adoption of wool for textile production.

As per the Europe textile market report, natural fibres such as cotton are increasingly being used in Europe as renewable raw materials majorly due to their biodegradable properties aligning with the region's circular economy initiatives. Cotton has gained popularity in Europe as it is practical versatile, durable, soft, breathable, and biodegradable. Also, as it can be dyed and blended with other fibres, it is being widely used in the European textile and apparel sector.

The Italian city of Como is considered a main centre for manufacturing silk fabrics in Europe due to the abundant presence of mulberry trees that are required for breeding silkworms. The silk produced in Italy is hypoallergenic and is widely used in producing dresses, scarves, tie accessories, etc.

As chemical fibres are durable and can be dyed easily, it finds application in household and clothing textiles in Europe, aiding the Europe textile market growth. In Europe, chemical fibres, such as polyester and nylon make up a large share of clothing and household textiles. Also, due to its characteristics such as affordability, and versatility, it is widely adopted for the production of low-cost, fast fashion, and high-performance textiles for durable clothing in Europe.

By product type, polyester is widely adopted in producing technical textiles, aiding the Europe textile market development

Europe’s technical textile sector supports the use of polyester in various markets, such as medical, packaging, and sports, owing to its properties of chemical resistance, hydrophobicity, UV resistance, etc.  Further, when blended with cotton, polyester improves cotton's shrinkage, durability, and wrinkling profile.

In the European clothing market, natural fibres are rising in prevalence with the rising popularity of cotton. While nylon is expected to grow the fastest and polyester holds the largest volume, the demand for natural fibres is still rising driven by rising environmental awareness.

Competitive Landscape

Textile manufacturers compete for better quality, price, development of sustainable fabrics, and certifications.

Other key players in the Europe textile market include Aquafil S.p.A., Tirotex Textile Company, Fulgar SpA, Getzner Textil AG, and Lanificio Fratelli Balli S.P.A., among others.

Europe Textile Market Analysis by Region

The United Kingdom holds a significant Europe textile market share due to a strong textile manufacturing sector

According to the Europe textile market analysis, the textile manufacturing sector of the United Kingdom produces about GBP 5.8Bn of materials that consist of the widely sought-after cashmere, worsted wool, luxurious tweeds, and distinctive tartans. As of 2020, the country had a presence of 4,200 businesses manufacturing textiles. The United Kingdom's textile sector is transforming with the digitalisation and acceptance of a circular economy.

The textile sector in Germany is concentrated in the regions of North Rhine-Westphalia (199 companies), Bavaria (127 companies), Baden-Württemberg, (121 companies), and Saxony (103 companies). Germany stands out for its significant innovation in the area of technical synthetic textile which encompasses a large share of textile manufacturing.

The EU countries, such as France, Italy, and Germany generally produce high-end luxury apparel. The fashion and luxury markets play a crucial role in the French economy. France also encompasses numerous companies engaged in the production of yarns, fabrics, and textiles for furniture, and technical applications. Additionally, the country's ready-to-wear clothing sector benefits from a well-established distribution network spread across the country.

According to the Europe textile market analysis, the Italian textile sector is transforming to achieve a complex balance between modernisation and technological advancements, while simultaneously maintaining a focus on creativity and craftsmanship. Italy is the second largest producer of textile finishing machinery with a world market share of around 17%. The country is home to around 45,000 textile and fashion companies. A majority of the small and medium textile companies are located in the Italian textile districts, such as Piedmont, Lombardy, Veneto, Emilia, and Tuscany.

Key Highlights of the Report

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