With the global footwear market’s growing demand for functional, comfortable and green materials, PK nonwoven fabric, as a high-quality nonwoven category tailored for shoe manufacturing, is rapidly emerging from traditional supporting materials to become a core innovative material in the footwear industry. Relying on its outstanding performance, versatile applications and remarkable cost advantages, it is driving the upgrading of shoe material manufacturing. The current industry presents a development trend of “performance prioritization, application diversification and environmental upgrading”, and will further deepen its layout in functional and high-end shoe material fields in the future, injecting new vitality into the high-quality development of the global footwear industry.

PK nonwoven fabric, also known as polyester knitted nonwoven fabric, is a specialized shoe material made of eco-friendly polyester (PET) as the main raw material, formed through advanced spun-bond or hot-pressing processes. Unlike traditional woven fabrics that require spinning and weaving, it has no warp and weft, allowing for flexible cutting and forming, and has been widely applied in various parts of footwear production, becoming an indispensable key material for modern shoe manufacturing.

Domestic and international development trends

Domestic Market

Import and Export Situation: As a major producer and exporter of shoe-use PK nonwoven fabric, China has seen steady growth in its export volume in recent years. In 2024, the total export value of domestic shoe-use PK nonwoven fabric reached 380 million US dollars, mainly sold to Southeast Asia, Europe and South America. It is expected that the export scale will approach 550 million US dollars by 2026. Imports are mainly high-precision hot-pressing equipment and special functional additives, with a certain degree of dependence on foreign advanced technology.

International Market

Market Size Expansion: It is predicted that by 2026, the global market size of shoe-use PK nonwoven fabric will reach 140 billion US dollars, with a compound annual growth rate of over 6%. In 2024, the global market size of environmentally friendly shoe-use PK nonwoven fabric products reached 18 billion US dollars, and is expected to maintain a high growth momentum driven by the global green consumption trend.

Regional Growth Disparities: The Asia-Pacific region, especially China and India, has huge growth potential, with the rapid development of the footwear manufacturing industry driving the surge in demand for PK nonwoven fabric. North America and Europe, relying on mature high-end footwear markets and strong demand for functional materials, show stable growth, with an annual growth rate of 9% to 13%. Although the market size in South America and Africa is relatively small, it has a high growth rate, becoming a new growth pole of the global market.

The balance between cost and performance (Focus on Advantages, Performance and Applications)

I. Core Advantages: Key Characteristics Adapted to the Shoe-Making Industry

1. High cost-effectiveness: The main raw material is recycled polyester fiber, which has lower production costs than traditional cotton fabric and genuine leather. The production efficiency is high, meeting the mass production needs of footwear enterprises, while helping enterprises reduce costs and increase efficiency significantly.

2. Strong formability: By adjusting the production process, thickness and fiber ratio, it can be made into various forms from thin interlining to thick support materials, perfectly adapting to the needs of different parts of shoes, such as uppers, insoles and shoe tongues.

3. Lightweight and comfortable: Compared to rubber and leather, PK nonwoven fabric of the same thickness is lighter, helping shoes achieve "lightweight" design, reducing foot burden and improving wearing comfort, which is especially suitable for sports shoes and casual shoes.

4. Easy processing and environmental protection: It does not fray easily during cutting, and has good compatibility with adhesives and sewing threads, fitting well with the splicing and bonding processes in shoe-making, reducing production waste. At the same time, it contains no azobenzene, heavy metals or formaldehyde, which is non-toxic, tasteless and fully compliant with global environmental protection standards for footwear materials.

II. Key Performance: Meeting the Functional Requirements of Shoe Applications

1. Excellent mechanical strength: It has outstanding tensile and tear resistance. When used as an upper reinforcement or insole layer, it can withstand long-term friction and pressure during daily walking, effectively extending the service life of shoes. Its high physical strength and wear resistance also make it suitable for high-wear parts such as shoe toes and heels.

2. Superior breathability and moisture absorption: The special porous structure formed by hot pressing or spun-bond processes ensures smooth air circulation, accelerates moisture evaporation, reduces foot sweatiness, and keeps the interior of shoes dry and comfortable, making it ideal for shoes worn for long periods.

3. Strong weather resistance: It has good resistance to temperature changes and slight dampness, is not easy to deform or mold due to environmental influences, and can meet the usage requirements of footwear in different climate regions around the world.

4. Stable dimensional stability: After washing or long-term use, it has a low shrinkage rate, can maintain the original shape of the shoe, and avoid discomfort caused by material deformation, ensuring the fitting degree of shoes for a long time.

III. Main Applications: Covering Multiple Parts of Shoes

1. Upper-related: It serves as a "reinforcement layer" for uppers, used in wear-prone areas such as shoe toes and heels to enhance structural support and prevent deformation. It can also be used as a lightweight upper base material, combined with mesh and knitted fabrics to improve the breathability and strength of uppers, and some sublimation PK fabrics can realize personalized printing to meet fashion design needs.

2. Shoe Accessories: It acts as a "supporting interlining" for shoe tongues and insoles, enhancing the stiffness of the accessories while maintaining breathability. It is also used as a binding material around shoe openings and eyelet areas, reducing fabric friction against the skin and improving wearing comfort.

3. Sole and Lining: It functions as an "intermediate layer" for soles, connecting the sole and upper to improve the sole’s cushioning and stability. As a "moisture-absorbing interlining" for inner linings, it can quickly absorb foot sweat, keep the shoe interior dry, and avoid peculiar smells, which is in line with the hygiene needs of footwear use.

Policy and demand resonate, and environmental attributes become the core competitiveness

Strong policy support has paved the way for the development of the shoe-use PK nonwoven fabric industry. China’s "Textile Industry Quality Improvement Action Plan (2023-2025)" clearly supports the development of green nonwoven materials and recycled fiber application technologies, providing policy guarantees for the upgrading of the PK nonwoven fabric industry.

The green preference of the demand side has continued to strengthen. 67% of consumers are willing to pay a premium of 5% or more for shoe products made of environmentally friendly materials. International footwear brands such as Nike and Adidas have significantly increased the proportion of PK nonwoven fabric in their supply chains. In 2024, the application proportion of recycled polyester fibers in shoe-use PK nonwoven fabric reached 40%, and this proportion will continue to increase in the future.

Conclusion

Currently, shoe-use PK nonwoven fabric is in a critical period of "deepening performance upgrading, expanding application scenarios and strengthening environmental advantages". Its comprehensive advantages in performance, cost and environmental protection have made it an important choice for footwear manufacturing enterprises to reduce costs, increase efficiency and enhance product competitiveness.

For industry enterprises, it is necessary to seize the trends of greenification and functionalization, and continuously improve product added value and brand influence through raw material upgrading and technological research and development. In the future, PK nonwoven fabric will not only become the core basic material for footwear manufacturing, but also play a key role in promoting the sustainable development of the footwear industry. The global market size of the industry is expected to exceed 180 billion US dollars by 2028, initiating a new growth cycle.