Disposable Protective Apparel Market - A Global and Regional Analysis: Focus on Material, Product Type, End User, and Region - Analysis and Forecast, 2022-2031

The apparel which protects consumers from particles, dust, heat, molecules, vapors, allergens, radiations, and other hazards and is usually used for single use and needs to be replaced frequently is termed as disposable protective apparel. Disposable protective apparel is prominently used in workplaces, including healthcare, industrial, and construction sectors. Demand for disposable protective apparel is expected to grow significantly with increasing investments in the healthcare industry. Disposable protective apparel is a critical element for the rapidly expanding healthcare sector. Growth in the disposable protective apparel market is being driven by the increasing awareness amongst the consumer related to personal safety and technological developments in disposable protective apparel, such as the manufacturing of breathable and heat-resistant apparel. The market is expected to benefit from the growing focus on stringent government rules and regulations by regulatory organizations in various regions and countries related to workplace safety.

Market Lifecycle Stage

The disposable protective apparel market is still in the growing phase for healthcare and industrial applications owing to ongoing development in these industries; however, for applications such as construction and others, the market is comparatively in its mature stage. The market is expected to benefit from the growing focus on stringent government rules and regulations by regulatory organizations in various regions and countries related to workplace safety. The industry is also benefiting from increased awareness of the benefits of employing disposable protective apparel.

Industrial Impact

• Disposable protective apparel is widely used in the healthcare industry to protect workers and patients from contaminants such as micro-organisms and is anticipated to have a high impact on the healthcare industry.

• Furthermore, disposable protective apparel has a moderate to high impact on the industrial sector as disposable protective apparel is used to protect workers from liquids, gases or solid particulates, or heat in oil and gas, automotive and chemical industries.

Impact of COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic considerably impacted the production of disposable protective apparel as a result of country-wide shutdowns of manufacturing sites, labor shortages, and disruptions in supply and demand chains globally, which distorted the market. The supply of disposable protective apparel declined in industrial sectors such as chemicals and oil and gas while it drastically increased in the food, pharma, and healthcare sector. Amid the pandemic, the healthcare sector grew drastically, which boosted the sales of disposable protective apparel. The demand for most of the protective apparel used in healthcare multiplied, creating huge demand. This created demand-supply gaps and a huge shortage of disposable protective apparel. The shortage led to increased prices of most disposable protective apparel.

Market Segmentation:

Segmentation 1: by End User
•    Healthcare
•    Industrial
       o    Chemical
       o    Oil and Gas
       o    Mining
       o    Automotive
       o    Manufacturing (Metalworking)
       o    Others
•    Construction
•    Others

Healthcare is anticipated to be one of the prominent end-use markets for disposable protective apparel during the forecast period 2022-2031.

Segmentation 2: by Material
•    Polyethylene
•    Polypropylene
•    Polyester
•    Latex
•    Nitrile
•    Others

Based on material, the disposable protective apparel market is estimated to be led by nitrile during the forecast period 2022-2031. Nitrile is prominently used in the manufacturing of gloves; with increased demand for gloves, the demand for nitrile is anticipated to increase in the upcoming future.

Segmentation 3: by Product Type
•    Masks
•    Coveralls/Overalls
•    Aprons
•    Gloves
•    Gowns/Suits
•    Respirators
•    Others

Based on product type, the disposable protective apparel market is estimated to be led by gloves during the forecast period 2022-2031. Gloves are widely used by the healthcare worker and consumers on the back of COVID-19, which is anticipated to create huge demand for gloves.

Segmentation 4: by Region
•    North America - U.S., Canada, and Mexico
•    Europe - Germany, France, Italy, Spain, and Rest-of-Europe
•    China
•    U.K.
•    Asia-Pacific and Japan - Japan, India, South Korea, ASEAN, and Rest-of-Asia-Pacific
•    Rest-of-the-World

China is expected to lead the disposable protective apparel market throughout the forecast period, owing to the presence of a significant number of healthcare industries and food, pharmaceutical, and chemical manufacturers in the region.

Recent Developments in Disposable Protective Apparel Market

• In April 2022, Toray Industries, Inc. announced that it had developed LIVMOA 4500AS disposable personal protective clothing. The new offering complies with the JIS T 8115 Type 4 standard for “Spray-tight” chemical self-protective apparel.

• In June 2018, DuPont announced plans to invest more than $400 million in the water & protection segment to increase capacity for the manufacture of TYVEK nonwoven materials at its Luxembourg site due to growing global demand. The expansion for the new operating line of TYVEK nonwoven materials is expected to be completed in 2023.

• In January 2021, the Uvex Safety Group GmbH & Co. KG acquired shares in HexArmor and now holds a majority stake in the company. This agreement is anticipated to strengthen the company’s market position in North America.

Demand - Drivers and Limitations

Following are the demand drivers for the disposable protective apparel market:

•    Rising Focus on Workplace Safety
•    Product Innovation to Encourage End-User Adoption
•    Growth in End-User Industries Utilizing Disposable Protective Apparel

The market is expected to face some limitations due to the following challenges:

•    Uncertainty in Raw Materials Availability and Supply
•    Competition from Unorganized or Low-Cost Producers

How can this report add value to an organization?

Product/Innovation Strategy: The product segment helps the reader understand the different materials and product types involved in the disposable protective apparel market. The material segment includes polyethylene, polypropylene, polyester, latex, nitrile, and others, while the product type segment includes masks, coveralls/overalls, aprons, gloves, gowns/suits, respirators, and others. Moreover, the study provides the reader with a detailed understanding of the disposable protective apparel market based on end-user, including healthcare, industrial, construction, and others. The government imposing stringent regulations related to workplace safety is fuelling the demand for disposable protective apparel.

Growth/Marketing Strategy: The disposable protective apparel market has seen major development by key players operating in the market, such as business expansions, partnerships, collaborations, mergers and acquisitions, and joint ventures. The favored strategy for the companies has been business expansions and acquisitions to strengthen their position in the disposable protective apparel market. For instance, in December 2020, Ansell Limited announced that it had completed the acquisition of the Primus brand and related assets that constitute the life science business belonging to Primus Gloves and Sanrea Healthcare Products. In addition, Ansell and Primus have entered into a long-term supply partnership. This acquisition is expected to increase Ansell’s presence in this important market and provides the company with the opportunity to further accelerate the growth of the company’s life science business.

Competitive Strategy: Key players in the disposable protective apparel market analysed and profiled in the study involve disposable protective apparel manufacturers and the overall ecosystem. Moreover, a detailed competitive benchmarking of the players operating in the disposable protective apparel market has been done to help the reader understand how players stack against each other, presenting a clear market landscape. Additionally, comprehensive competitive strategies such as partnerships, agreements, acquisitions, and collaborations will aid the reader in understanding the untapped revenue pockets in the market.

Key Market Players and Competition Synopsis

The companies that are profiled have been selected based on inputs gathered from primary experts, analysing company coverage, product portfolio, and market penetration.

The global disposable protective apparel market is pegged at $2,410.4 million in 2021, and it is expected to grow with a CAGR of 6.1% and reach $4,358.0 million by 2031. The growth in the global disposable protective apparel market is expected to be driven by increasing government initiatives related to workplace safety. Based on product type, the gloves segment, which captures around 46% of the market as of 2021, is expected to lead the disposable protective apparel market. Other product types, including masks, accounted for approximately 23%, coveralls/overalls accounted for 11%, gowns/suits accounted for approximately 9%, aprons and respirators accounted for about 4% each, and other product types of disposable protective apparel accounted for around 3% of the total demand in 2021.

Some of the prominent established names in this market are:

Company Type 1 (by Product Type): Coveralls/Overalls
•    3M Company
•    Ansell Ltd.
•    Honeywell International Inc
•    International Enviroguard, Inc.
•    Ironwear
•    Lakeland Industries, Inc.
•    Protective Industrial Products, Inc.
•    Kimberley-Clark Professionals
•    Scandia Gear Europe B.V.
•    Uvex Group
•    Asatex AG
•    Derekduck Industries Corp

Company Type 2 (by Product Type): Masks and Respirators
•    3M Company
•    Honeywell International Inc
•    International Enviroguard, Inc. 
•    Ironwear
•    Protective Industrial Products, Inc.
•    Uvex group

Company Type 3 (by Product Type): Gloves
•    Honeywell International Inc
•    Ironwear
•    Protective Industrial Products, Inc.
•    Kimberley-Clark Professionals
•    Scandia Gear Europe B.V.
•    Uvex Group
•    Asatex AG
•    Dastex Reinraumzubehor GmbH & Co. KG
•    ENMED Global

Company Type 4 (by Product Type): Aprons, Gowns, and Suits
•    DuPont
•    Dastex Reinraumzubehor GmbH & Co. KG
•    Magid Glove & Safety
•    DEREKDUCK INDUSTRIES CORP
•    Draegerwerk AG & Co. KGaA
•    Asatex AG
•    Lakeland Industries, Inc.
•    Protective Industrial Products, Inc.
•    International Enviroguard, Inc.
•    3M Company
•    Ansell Ltd.

Company Type 5 (by Product Type): Others
•    3M Company
•    Ansell Ltd.
•    International Enviroguard, Inc.
•    Ironwear
•    Lakeland Industries, Inc.
•    Protective Industrial Products, Inc.
•    Scandia Gear Europe B.V.
•    Asatex AG
•    DEREKDUCK INDUSTRIES CORP
•    Magid Glove & Safety
•    OccuNomix International LLC
•    Anqiu Berland Garment Co., Ltd.
•    DuPont
•    Dastex Reinraumzubehor GmbH & Co. KG