Protective Clothing Market

Global Protective Clothing Market Size (2024 to 2032)

The global protective clothing market size was valued at USD 12.07 billion in 2023 and is anticipated to reach USD 25.20 billion by 2032 from USD 13.10 billion in 2024, exhibiting a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8.52% during the forecast period 2024 to 2032. 

MARKET OVERVIEW

Protective clothing is personal protective equipment utilized to protect the body from infection and damage. This includes helmets, high visibility vests, protective gloves, breathing aids, eye protectors, and safety shoes and boots coated with a protective layer of chemicals and steel toe caps. This type of clothing is used when the working environment is dangerous for the human body. An increase in the use of protective clothing in the medical sector to prevent the transmission of viruses such as COVID-19, and Ebola, and infection control is driving growth in the protective clothing business. In addition to the increasing incidents of manual accidents in the workplace, the rising need for respiratory equipment for mines, emergency services, the military, police facilities, healthcare, and fire departments is expected to drive a market boom in the coming years. To increase health and safety awareness, OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) has partnered with various health and safety organizations, through the Workplace Innovator Award program, to create new ideas and solutions. Agencies, together with market players, should encourage these measures in order to strengthen safety standards, which act as a driver for the protective clothing market in the years to come.

MARKET DRIVERS

The improved economic climate, coupled with the rise of industrialization around the world, is driving the growth of protective clothing.

Industries are adopting protective clothing to ensure the safety of their workers and strict government regulations are by far the main growth in protective clothing.  Workplace accidents and occupational illnesses in the United States fell to 2.9 incidents for 110 in 2020, from 11.9 incidents for 110 employees in 1973 due to protective equipment, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor. With the increasing rate of industrialization, the number of manufacturing procedures and policies has increased in many proportions, as a result of which the personal protective equipment companies are focusing on the development of specific protective clothing to ensure the maximum health of the workers. According to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) Global Industrial Policy Survey, it finds that over the past 15 years, at least 102 economies in developed and developing countries (representing more than 90% of global GDP) have put in place structured industrial growth strategies. Over the past five years, the emergence of new approaches has accelerated.

The growth of the industrial sector will increase the adoption of protective clothing. Protective clothing can protect the user from one or more hazards. These may involve protection from mechanical shock, physical injury, heat/fire, extreme cold, rain, electric shock, radiation, invisibility, and toxic substances and infectious agents. The design of new textile fabrics with activity and multifunctional properties has attracted a lot of attention in recent years. Graphene can be incorporated into polymers/textiles to improve fabric properties for different applications. Conventional protective clothing has deficiencies such as high weight, bulky nature, lack of mobility, heat stress, low heat dissipation, high physical stress, reduced dexterity, etc. Due to the superlative properties of graphene.

MARKET RESTRAINTS

The high cost of protective clothing is a major limiting factor in this market

Many companies cannot buy these clothes in bulk due to the high cost. Apart from this, increased automation may also hamper the growth of the protective clothing market. For example, in the automotive industry, the number of workers has been reduced due to automation, which has limited the growth of the worldwide market.

REPORT COVERAGE

SEGMENTAL ANALYSIS

Global Protective Clothing Market Analysis By Material Type

Based on material type, the aramids and blends segment got the largest market share in 2023. Aramids are widely used for protective clothing because they have excellent mechanical properties compared to steel or steel fibreglass of it weight, and they are also heat and flame-resistant.

Sustainable clothing accounted for 59.2% of the global market share in terms of volume in 2020 and is expected to reach 5.63 billion by 2026. The growing need for highly durable mechanical wear and high utility protective equipment in critical industries like refining, oil and gas, metal mining, and the automotive industry will support market growth.

The disposable protective clothing market is supposed to reach $ 4.86 billion by 2026 due to its high demand in clean rooms or laboratories for protection against hazardous chemicals and liquids. In addition, the lower cost associated with disposables compared to durable garments should give them a competitive edge in short-term industrial projects.

Global Protective Clothing Market Analysis By Application

Chemical defense clothing held the largest market share of over 33.2% in terms of volume in 2020. The rapid growth of the chemical industry around the world is expected to meet the growing demand from the pharmaceutical and electrical industries and industrial electronics has a positive impact on the chemical industry market growth during the projected period. Initiatives by manufacturers to improve product designs to improve fit and comfort are likely to drive demand for flame-retardant clothing during the forecast period.

Global Protective Clothing Market Analysis By End-User Industry

The increasing standards of medical hygiene have led to the need for protective clothing worldwide in this sector. The manufacturing and construction sector has been the primary market for protective clothing for many years with a CAGR of 8.21%. The manufacturing and construction industry involves vigorous activities which are often subject to accidents, hazards and possibly a danger to the lives of workers.

REGIONAL ANALYSIS

Europe was valued at $ 2.26 billion in 2023 and is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 13.2% during the projection period.

The well-established aerospace and automotive manufacturing sector support regional demand. The growing oil and gas industry in the region is determined to drive demand for products in the coming years.

The United States has become the largest market due to the high investment in the industrial sector. Additionally, regulatory updates, such as OSHA in 2014, revised OSHA regulation 1910.269 which required workers to wear fire-resistant clothing, are foreseen to drive demand over the forecast period.

Product demand in India is expected to increase at a CAGR of 15.7% during the projected period. Government initiatives such as Make in India, which has led to the rapid growth of the manufacturing sector in the country, are expected to have a positive impact on regional growth.

The Middle East and Africa accounted for 12.4% of the global market share by volume in 2020. The bulk of product demand in the region came from the oil and gas sector. Initiatives taken by GCC countries to improve domestic manufacturing to limit dependence on imports are expected to boost industrialization, which in turn is likely to have a positive impact on growth.

KEY PLAYERS IN THE GLOBAL PROTECTIVE CLOTHING MARKET 

Ansell, Lakeland Industries Inc., 3M, Honeywell International Inc., Royal Ten Cate NV., Sioen Industries NV, Milliken & Company, W. L. Gore & Associates Inc, and Others.

RECENT HAPPENINGS IN THE MARKET

• In March 2020, Lindström launched a new line of protective clothing for working women. Appropriate and presentable work clothes are an essential factor for safety and well-being at work. Lindström is now launching a new range of protective workwear specifically for women. The outfits are designed to satisfy the stringent necessity of safety, ergonomics, and freedom of movement for other industries.
• In June 2020, Charnaud launched new Medi-Safe clothing in times of crisis. Through its commitment to innovation and its belief in a “head to toe” approach to safety, CHARNAUD offers its customers the best quality products certified according to the strictest local and international quality standards.
• In July 2020, Loyal Textiles introduced the world's first reusable PPE. Loyal chose the R | Elan FeelFresh from Reliance, which is inherently antimicrobial that inhibits bacterial and viral growth, to be combined with cotton fiber.
• In October 2020, KG Denim introduced the Trigger HealtHive medical protective equipment solutions. KG Denim recently made headlines for launching “Trigger HealtHive” medical protective equipment solutions to combat the human Coronavirus. Trigger HealtHive offers a wide range of health and hygiene-related products including 'BioRefresh', a new technology that has the potential to be a game changer for the business.

DETAILED SEGMENTATION OF THE GLOBAL PROTECTIVE CLOTHING MARKET

This research report on the global protective clothing market has been segmented and sub-segmented based on material type, application, end-user industry

By Material Type

• Aramid & Blends
• Polyolefin & Blends
• Polybenzimidaloe (PBI)
• Cotton Fibers
• Laminated Polyesters
• Durable
• Disposable

By Application

• Thermal
• Mechanical
• Chemical
• Biological/Radiation
• Others

By End-User Industry

• Oil & Gas
• Construction &Manufacturing
• Pharmaceuticals/Medical
• Military &Defense
• Firefighting
• Others

By Region

• North America 
• Europe 
• Asia Pacific
• Latin America 
• Middle East & Africa