Animal Glue Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Application, Regional Outlook, Competitive Strategies, And Segment Forecasts, 2019 To 2025

The global animal glue market is anticipated to exhibit significant growth over the forecast period owing to the escalating demand for adhesives. Animal glue is an adhesive that is generated by extended heating of connective tissues. It has been widely used until the emergence of synthetic adhesives. It is an organic artifact used primarily for domestic applications such as paintings, restoring objects, manuscripts, and other varied artifacts. It is also used for the building of pipe organ, restoration of antiques, repairing piano and lutherie.

There is a wide variety of animal glue available in the market including collagen-based, gelatin, isinglass, rabbit skin, and bone glues. Depending on their innate properties they are used for various applications. For example, collagen-based glue, serving as an adhesive, consolidants, and binder, is extensively used for the preservation of artifacts. Other forms of glue include gelatin, isinglass, rabbit skin, fish, hide, and bone glues. Gelatin is widely used in pharmaceutical, food, cosmetics, and photography. Hide glue joints can be repairable and reversible. Rabbit skin glue is far more bendable when it is drying compared to hide glues. It is majorly used in binding, footwear, painting, and food. These are majorly woodworking adhesives.

There are some significant disadvantages to these glues. For example, hide glue has short open time, thermal limitations and is vulnerable to microorganisms whereas rabbit-skin glue is much more flexible when it’s dry than hiding glues. It is used by painters for sizing or priming of oil in canvases. Rabbit-skin glue is used as a component for the preparation of compo and gesso and in bookbinding and footwear as well. The industry is projected to grow over the forecast period owing to the applications mentioned earlier and uses.

Mounting demand for paintings, artifacts, and various other creative objects due to the increasing disposable income in developed and emerging economies is expected to propel demand. Due to the presence of a few players in the market, there is a limited supply of animal glue. Thus, the demand is expected to rise owing to this enormous gap in demand and supply.

The animal glue market faces major hindrance because it harms paper, wood, and artifacts where it is used. Further, too much humidity and change in temperature damages the materials. The market is impregnated with controversy as this industry encourages the slaughter of cattle, horses, and other animals for the production of hiding glues which pose a significant challenge to industry growth. In Western countries like Canada, the slaughter of animals for the manufacture of hiding and hoof glues is seen negatively, which negatively impacts demand.

The growth is further challenged due to the replacement of this material for other synthetic sealants which can be used in a wide variety of end-use industries such as coating, lamination, facades, insulation, flooring, and panel lamenting applications. Enhanced volatility in the prices of raw materials coupled with growing environmental concerns is anticipated to prompt companies to manufacture bio-based adhesive, thus diminishing the revenue share of animal glues. Stringent government regulations paired with standards enforced by EPA are projected to restrain growth over the next few years.

The industry faces a considerable challenge from biobased and petroleum-based adhesives. A bio-based resin, which is composed of vegetable oils, soy, and starch, not only preserves the environment by reducing carbon footprint but also lowers the overall cost of production of these sealants. The growing petroleum-based sealant industry is likely to intercept with the growth of this market as petroleum-based adhesive saves time during the manufacturing of directories and books.

The market is segmented by application and product. The application section consists of binding, footwear, painting, and food. Footwear subcategory can further include assembly and bonding of sole and other parts related to footwear. The product segment can be categorized into rabbit skin, bone, hide, and fish glue.

Asia Pacific is anticipated to account for the largest share of the global animal glue market. The increasing population in emerging economies coupled with the rapid development of the industrial sector including adhesives, paints, and the food & beverage industry are expected to increase product demand in the region. Europe has a huge market because European people are fond of art and music, and animal glue can fix paintings and artifacts. North America is also estimated to witness favorable growth owing to the increasing population coupled with higher disposable income resulting in demand for pictures and the creative materials industry. The industry is extremely consolidated with only a few players entertaining the market. Notable companies include African Glue Industries and LD Davis Industries Inc.