Protective Clothing Market Overview
Recent development in the global protective clothing market is primarily due to rapid enhancement in technology and stringent regulations by governments of various developed countries, which mainly include countries of North America and Europe. Various industries have also considered employees’ safety as a major concern and have also started to address the same. Furthermore, they are also arranging training programmes for employees regarding the use of this type of clothing. Developing countries such as India, China, and Taiwan are anticipated to boost the market, owing to the increase in construction activities.
Protective clothing is the personal protective equipment, which are used to protect the wearer’s body from infection and damage. This includes helmets, high visibility vests, protective gloves, respiratory aids, eye protectors, and shoes and safety boots covered with protective layer of chemicals and steel toe caps. This type of clothing is used where the working environment is hazardous to human’s body. In this report, the protective clothing market is segmented on the basis of material type, application, end-use industry, and region.
On the basis of material type, the protective clothing market is categorized into aramid and blends, polyolefin and blends, polyamides, and PBI. Among these, the aramid and blend category is anticipated to occupy a major share in the market, primarily owing to its mechanical strength and heat resistant properties. Meta aramid and para aramid are the two types of aramid fibers that are used in making protective cloths. Meta aramid provides excellent resistant to heat, radiation, and chemical; whereas, the para aramid provides high strength. However, the demand for PBI-based protective cloths is also witnessing a good growth in this industry, owing to its properties such as thermal stability and flame resisting nature.
Based on application, the protective clothing market is classified into thermal, chemical, and visibility. The thermal protective cloths protect workers from extreme heat and cold condition. These are mainly consisted of three components namely, thermal liner, moisture barrier, and outer shell. Whereas, the mechanical protective cloths provide barrier against sharp equipment such as chain saws and knives.
On the basis of end-use industry, the protective clothing market is categorized into construction and manufacturing, oil and gas, and mining. Among these, the construction and manufacturing category holds the maximum market share, owing to stringent governments’ policies and awareness of safety among employees. Furthermore, there is a rapid rise in the construction industry in developing countries such as India and China, which has further enhanced the growth of the market.
Based on region, the protective clothing market is categorized into North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific (APAC), Latin America (LATAM), and the Middle East and Africa (MEA). Among these regions, North America holds the largest market share, owing to stringent governments’ regulations and awareness of safety among employees. However, the APAC market is also anticipated to grow as a result of rapid industrialization and increase in investment in the construction industry.
Protective Clothing Market Dynamics
Drivers
One of the key factors driving the growth of the protective clothing market is stringent regulatory laws such as requirement of heat resistant gloves and boiler suit in the oil and gas industry. Apart from this, there are agencies, including Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA), which specify different safety guidelines according to the area of operation regarding the use of this clothing. Recently, safety has given a first priority as awareness regarding the same is increasing. Furthermore, developing countries are growing and experiencing a rapid increase in construction activities, which have propelled the market growth.
Restraints
High cost of protective clothing is a major restraining factor of this market. Many companies are not able to purchase this clothing in bulk numbers due to high cost. Apart from this, increase in automation can also hinder the growth of the protective clothing market. For instance, in automobile industry, the number of workers has reduced due to automation, which has led to restrict the market growth.
Protective Clothing Market Competitive Landscape
Some of the major companies operating in the global protective clothing market are Ansell, Lakeland Industries Inc., 3M, Honeywell International Inc., Royal Ten Cate NV., Sioen Industries NV, E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company, Milliken & Company, and W. L. Gore & Associates Inc.
The study provides the historical as well the forecast market size data for various countries, including the U.S., Canada, France, Germany, the U.K., Italy, Spain, Japan, China, India, Brazil, Saudi Arabia, and South Africa.
