In Japan, the manufacture of baby diapers has increased greatly and the demand for nonwovens has grown along with it. Table one shows the size of different nonwovens’ contribution to the diaper market. Table one shows how the size of the filament nonwovens—SMS/SMMS and polypropylene spunbond nonwovens—and staple nonwovens—thermal bonded—markets have fluctuated over the years.  

In 2014, the contribution of filament nonwovens to the diaper market is estimated to be 128,800 tons while staple nonwovens are about 20,100 tons, making the total about 149,000 tons. By percentage, filament represents 87% while staple comprises 13%. The use of staple nonwovens is limited mainly to diaper topsheets so this amount is relatively small. Both domestically made nonwovens and imported nonwovens are used in diapers. Currently about 14% of staple nonwovens used in diapers were imported while 50% of filament nonwovens were made on foreign soil in 2014.

Although filament nonwovens for diapers are mainly imported from China, Thailand, Malaysia and Korea, they are mainly made by Japanese-based companies. Filament nonwovens have been produced by Mitsui Chemicals and Toray in China and Mitsui and Asahi Kasei in Thailand. Of these, only Toray, based in Korea, is not a Japanese company.
As the market has been depending more and more on products imported from China, Thailand and Korea, they are also made in Japan by Mitsui, Asahi Kasei, Shinwa, JNC, Unitika and Oji Paper.

Demand for thermal bonded nonwovens had been decreasing until 2012 when it started to increase again. Main manufacturers of raw materials for diapers include Rengo Nonwoven Products, Havid and Fukuron, and among them, Havix and Fukuron have increased their production capacity, corresponding to the increasing demand. In terms of the thermal bonded nonwovens, business performance has been trending favorably in regard to the topsheet of the diaper. As this market grows, conflicting demands with polypropylene spunbond nonwovens arises. n