Garment Active Insulation Market Size, Share & Trend Analysis Report By Product (Polyester, Cotton, Wool, Nylon), By Application (Outerwear, Footwear), By Region, And Segment Forecasts, 2019 - 2025

Industry Insights

The global garment active insulation market size was estimated at USD 158.9 million in 2018, growing at a CAGR of 6.6% over the forecast period. The rising demand for the product for manufacturing high performance winter sportswear and outdoor wear, is projected to drive the market growth over the forecast period.

Development of new polymers that alter the insulation properties of the fabric and regulate the body temperature, is anticipated to propel the demand for the product. In addition, the advancements in the technology used to design the active insulation fabric including implementation of finishing treatment, use of layered fabrics and others is projected to drive the market growth.

In 2018, the U.S. market for the product was valued at USD 26.2 million. Growing popularity of outdoor sports in the country, including baseball, basketball, football, ice hockey, and tennis, coupled with emphasis on health and fitness is likely drive the demand for sports apparel in the country. Increasing usage of sports apparel is expected to propel the demand for the product.

The use of polyester active insulation is expected to exhibit low gains on account of high energy consumption in the production process. In addition, the production of polyester utilizes hazardous chemicals that are carcinogenic in nature when further discharged in air and water. This is likely to limit the product used in the active insulation over the forecast period.

Fiber and polymer technology, yarn and fabric production techniques, modified structure of yarn and fabrics, and finishing techniques are few operational methods implemented to obtain high-performance fibers. The aforementioned techniques are projected to positively influence the growth of the industry across the globe.

Rising demand for garment active insulation clothing among the military personnel to combat extreme weather conditions is contributing to the ascending demand for the product. However, the environmental impact of certain insulating materials is likely to result in the development of environment-friendly products in the apparel industry, thereby limiting the market growth.

Product Insights

Polyester based active insulation accounted for the largest share and is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 6.8% from 2019 to 2025. Polyester exhibits high dimensional stability and offers superior resistance to decay, dirt, and alkali, thereby exhibiting increased adoption. In addition, polyester fiber offers excellent thermal stability or heat resistance which leads to its use in outdoor wear.

Wool market accounted for USD 35.7 million in 2018 and is projected to grow at a CAGR of 6.4% from 2019 to 2025. The product is an economical option for the insulation manufacturers as it is naturally engineered for absorbing moisture from the skin and dissipating it to the environment through the evaporation process and is expected to be increasingly used in low-cost activewear products

Wool based products offer sweat wicking that prevents drenching of clothing, thereby eliminating the risk of hypothermia in athletes. In addition, wool fibers exhibit crimped structure that has air pockets that facilitate the dissipation of moisture. The temperature and moisture management property of the product is likely to drive the segment growth.

Cotton offers a good combination of comfort and softness. The material is not highly preferred for use in active sportswear as a base layer owing to its high moisture absorption and retention properties. However, the product is engineered to enhance its loft and trap air to notably improve the overall insulating capacity of the material, thereby propelling its demand in sportswear segment.

Sourcing Insights

Branded products have dominated majority of garment active insulation market in the time frame 2014-2018 and are expected to continue the same over the forecast period. Top brands in the industry are expanding their assortments through the incorporation of advanced patented technologies in the product and production processes, which is likely to stimulate the industry growth.

The well-established companies are investing heavily in research and development activities to develop hi-tech technologies, materials and production processes to develop premium quality product. In addition, majority of products undergo several certifications to prove their safety, sustainability and functionality to the consumers

The major active wear and sportswear manufacturers rely on branded products to enhance the performance of their apparel. In addition, their apparel collections are designed based on the compatibility with the insulation products supplied by the major brands. This is estimated to fuel the demand for branded products in the industry.

The industry is anticipated to witness a substantial rise in sales of the non-branded insulation products owing to their low pricing. In addition, the local active manufacturers in emerging economies such as China and India rely on non-branded insulation products, which is projected to stimulate the garment active insulation industry growth.

Application Insights

The footwear application segment accounted for USD 22.0 million and is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 7.4% from 2019 to 2025. Footwear featuring advanced active insulation materials offer warmth in colder conditions without adding excessive weight to the final product. Some of the preferred footwear active insulation materials used in footwear include polypropylene, Zylex and wool.

The outerwear garment application segment accounted for USD 100.5 million in 2018 and is projected to reach USD 153.5 million in 2025. The development of high-tech insulation fabric by major market players coupled with its increasing use in the manufacturing of outerwear products is projected to witness high demand, thereby propelling the market growth over the forecast period.

The handwear application segment is projected to exhibit growth over the forecast period owing to increasing use of gloves in skiing and snowboard, hiking, ice climbing, and hunting in colder areas. In addition, the superior thermal regulation properties of the handwear products coupled with high breathability, water, and wind proof functioning is projected to fuel the demand.

Garment active insulation systems are increasingly utilized for the manufacturing of underwear including sports bras, panties, slip, and men’s briefs. In addition, the system is also incorporated in the production of specialized apparel to cater the customized clothing requirements from military and sports applications. This is projected to benefit market growth over the forecast period.

Regional Insights

Introduction of high-tech garment active insulation products and the technological advancements in the manufacturing process is anticipated to drive the industry growth over the forecast period. In addition, the rapid rise in hiking and sports activities across the globe is projected to further benefit market growth.

Asia-Pacific is expected to dominate the market over the forecast period owing to the presence of a wider consumer base supplemented by a large production hub for winter garments. In addition, the increase in the spending abilities of the consumers in the developing economies is expected to drive the production of winter wear garments leading to industry growth.

Rapid rise in hiking activities in North America and Europe coupled with the emerging trends of athleisure has positively influenced the growth of market in the region. In addition, the industry is expected to grow in the wake of the production of activewear based footwear and handwear products in the regions

The North America market accounted for 21.1% of the industry revenue in 2018 and is anticipated to register gains on account of the extensive garment manufacturing base in the constituent economies. The U.S. was the largest market in the region owing to significant demand for activewear for sports and outdoor activities from the population in the country.

Garment Active Insulation Market Share Insights

The key players in the regional market have adopted sustainable solutions keeping in mind the long-term benefits and procurement of high-quality raw materials. In addition, the use of advance technology coupled with the implementation of various business expansion strategies including mergers, acquisitions, development of new production plants, and geographic expansion.

Prominent players of the market are Polartec, PrimaLoft, Inc., W. L. Gore & Associates, Inc., INVISTA, HDWool, 3M, M.I.T.I. Spa, and Freudenberg SE. The players primarily compete on the basis of product quality, price, and customer service. In addition, several players lay high emphasis on developing a strong distribution network to reach a vast customer base.

Report Scope

Segments covered in the report

This report forecasts revenue growth at global, regional & country levels and provides an analysis of the industry trends in each of the sub-segments from 2014 to 2025. For the purpose of this study, Grand View Research has segmented the global garment active insulation market report on the basis of product, sourcing, application, and region:

• Product Outlook (Volume, Tons; Revenue, USD Million; 2014 - 2025)

  • Polyester

  • Cotton

  • Wool

  • Nylon

• Sourcing Outlook (Volume Tons; Revenue, USD Million; 2014 - 2025)

  • Branded

  • Non-branded

• Application Outlook (Volume, Tons; Revenue, USD Million; 2014 - 2025)

  • Outerwear

  • Footwear

  • Handwear

  • Others

• Regional Outlook (Volume, Tons; Revenue, USD Million; 2014 - 2025)

  • North America

    • The U.S.

    • Canada

    • Mexico

  • Europe

    • Germany

    • The U.K.

    • France

    • Italy

  • Asia Pacific

    • China

    • India

    • Japan

    • Bangladesh

  • Central & South America

    • Brazil

    • Argentina

  • Middle East & Africa