Automotive fabric market is anticipated to grow at a CAGR of 3.0% during the forecast period. Fabrics used in automobiles are a special type of fabric that provides an aesthetic look to the interior of the vehicles. Automotive fabric is often used for auto upholstery and interiors of vehicles, which includes interior carpets, seat belts, headliners, and dashboards.  The market has witnessed significant growth owing to the rapid growth in the demand for automobiles, rising safety measures, and unique features such as elasticity and resistance to breakage offered by fabric are some of the major factors that boost the growth of the global automotive fabric market.  Moreover, a rapid rise in the sale of automobiles majorly in the developed countries is another factor responsible for the growth of the market. For instance, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA), a total of 2.1 million electric cars were sold in 2019, representing a 6% growth from the previous year. For the next five years, automakers announced plans to release another 200 new electric car models, many of which are in the popular sport utility vehicle market segment. As improvements in technical performance such as battery energy density that is 20-100% higher than were previous models.  

However, new development and launches by major players will further aid in the market growth. For instance, in June 2021, PAI Partners agreed to acquire Pasubio to expand the automotive leather business and to further strengthen Pasubio’s leading position in the high-quality automotive leather market. Moreover, turning animal skin into leather requires toxic and harmful chemicals, which make the material less susceptible to decomposition, and lead to an increase in greenhouse gas emissions. Hence, rising greenhouse gas emissions coupled with opting for alternative martial such as synthetic leather, and natural leather may hinder the growth of the market.   

Segmental Outlook 

The global automotive fabric market is segmented based on fabric type and application. Based on fabric type, the market is segmented into polyester, vinyl leather, nylon and others. Based on application, the market is bifurcated into carpet, upholstery; pre-assembled interior components, safety belts, and airbags.  Based on application, the upholstery segment is expected to grow at the fastest rate during the forecast period. The growth is mainly attributed owing to the increase in end-user demand for comfort, and personalized automotive interiors.  Moreover, the rise in the sale of automotive vehicles especially passenger cars, along with the presence of major market players is likely to boost the growth of the segment.  For instance, in March 2020, Designtex and Hologenix LLC announced the launch of Designtex CELLANT upholstery.  CELLIANT is a blend of naturally occurring, thermo-reactive minerals that are applied as a non-woven backing to four fabrics across fifty colors. The minerals work to capture and convert body heat into infrared energy, which has been clinically shown to increase local circulation and improve cellular oxygenation, as well as support regulating body temperature, all of which means more energy, endurance, comfort and well-being. 

Regional Outlook

The global automotive fabric market is further segmented based on geography including North America (The US and Canada), Europe (UK, Italy, Germany, France, and Others), Asia-Pacific (India, China, Japan, South Korea, and Others), and the Rest of the World (the Middle East & Africa and Latin America). Asia-Pacific is expected to grow at a significant rate in the global automotive fabric market during the forecast period.  India has been the hub of auto component products and producer of leather and exports leather products to other countries. According to Invest India, exports of leather were valued at 402.61 million in May 2022, and India's leather industry accounts for nearly 13% of the production of hides/skins and handles a robust annual production of nearly 3 billion sq. ft. of leather.  The rising production of leather leads to higher growth of the market in the region. 

Global Automotive Fabric Market Growth, by Region 2021-2028

North American Region to Witness Potential Growth During the Forecast Period 

North American region is projected to grow at the fastest rate during the forecast period. The growth of the market is mainly attributed owing to the presence of manufacturing facilities, and the easy availability of raw materials. Moreover, the existence of major key market players such as Stahl, Dedar, and Lockfast in the North American region that are rapidly adopting various key strategies such as collaboration, partnership, and innovation to stay competitive in the global market. For instance, in September 2021, Shawmut Corp. unveiled its premium automotive interior fabric Neoluxe in partnership with Zettl Group. Neoluxe is designed with embossed, welded, embroidered, perforated, and printed techniques. The fabric becomes a more attractive choice for a myriad of automotive interior components and reduces environmental impact compared to other premium suedes owing to the raw material used during processing.  

Market Players Outlook

The major companies serving the global automotive fabric market include Adient plc, Lear Corp., Toyota Boshoku Corp., Takata Corp., and Seirin Co., Ltd. The market players are contributing to the market growth by the adoption of various strategies including mergers and acquisitions, collaborations, funding, and new product launches, to stay competitive in the market. For instance, in May 2022, ARC Automotive Inc. announced the formation of a new joint venture with Yanfeng for the production of airbag inflators.  With this collaboration, the company expands its activities in the automotive industry and focuses on bringing airbag inflators into vehicle segments for all customers and markets across the globe.  Moreover, the companies offer a full complement of inflator products for all airbag applications including the driver, passenger, side curtain, and knee airbags. 

The Report Covers

• Market value data analysis of 2021 and forecast to 2028.
• Annualized market revenues ($ million) for each market segment.
• Country-wise analysis of major geographical regions.
• Key companies operating in the global automotive fabric market. Based on the availability of data, information related to new product launches, and relevant news is also available in the report.
• Analysis of business strategies by identifying the key market segments positioned for strong growth in the future. 
• Analysis of market entry and market expansion strategies.
• Competitive strategies by identifying ‘who-stands-where’ in the market.