Consumer brands, betting on the next "Trendy Fiber".

Introduction

In the business realm, tales about innovation and trends invariably possess an irreversible and forward-moving character. The substitution of oil lamps with electric lights, carriages with automobiles, and cash with mobile payments are instances that can be readily cited.

Today, a comparable storyline might be unfolding in the domain of textile materials. While the cotton industry boasts a history as lengthy as that of modern capitalism, more diverse "plant-based fibers" are commencing to step onto a new platform, and alterations are subtly taking place.

As the name implies, the so-called "plant-based fibers" typically refer to fiber materials extracted from natural plant substances such as trees and bamboo. Common viscose fibers, Lyocell fibers, and so forth, all fall into this category. Authoritative scholars have several consensuses regarding their advantages: For instance, in terms of environmental protection, they are derived from nature, free of heavy metals and harmful chemicals, and biodegradable; in terms of performance, while being skin-friendly and gentle, they also exhibit better hygroscopicity, breathability, and wear resistance.

Times are evolving, and this fiber material that can be employed in high-precision and cutting-edge fields such as biology and aerospace is increasingly infiltrating our daily lives. The reasons for this encompass that in areas such as outdoor equipment, daily care, beauty and skincare, consumers' demands are now shifting towards stronger and more detailed functionalities, while also demanding more environmentally friendly materials and production methods. This precisely collides with the advantages of plant-based fibers, generating a brilliant spark.

1. Excellent in Function and Environmental Protection, Applicable in High-End and Consumer Products

Although they are merely small fiber materials, plant-based fibers can withstand the most demanding application scenarios due to their performance.

Applications such as artificial cartilage, hemostatic materials, and missile heat shields, which sound extremely "hardcore", directly demonstrate their performance advantages.

For example, in 2022, scientists at Duke University in the United States developed a hydrogel cartilage substitute, which has become a boon for patients with knee pain. Among them, the main material utilized in this artificial cartilage is a product of plant-based fibers. From the experimental results, its tension, pressure resistance, and wear resistance are superior to natural cartilage, and even display multiple-level advantages in certain aspects.

In addition, due to its biocompatibility, biodegradability, and non-toxicity, plant-based fibers are also extensively employed in medicine as raw materials for hemostatic materials.

As a key material for the heat shield of intercontinental missile warheads, aerospace-grade high-purity viscose-based carbon fibers are compared to the "protective clothing of missiles", which can safeguard missiles from high-temperature damage. This material is precisely derived from plant-based fibers through special treatment.

Beyond the high-precision and cutting-edge domains, the trend is also on the rise. Today, when the demands of ordinary consumers for daily necessities also tend towards functionality, safety, and environmental protection, the wind of plant-based fibers is blowing towards an increasingly broader area.

According to the observation of 36Kr, from the maternal and infant brand Babycare to numerous clothing brands such as Uniqlo, JNBY, and UR, they have all launched products with plant-based fiber materials as raw materials. The awareness and recognition of consumers are also escalating. A user on Xiaohongshu posted, "I used to prefer to buy cotton and linen a few years ago, but now I've replaced them all with Lyocell and a small amount of linen."

Compared to pure cotton materials, the production process of plant-based fibers reduces pesticide residues and fluorescence in the industrialized planting process. Fabrics made from this material can rapidly eliminate sweat from the human body. When blended with other fibers, it can also enhance the luster and color intensity. In the live broadcasts of top anchors, plant-based fibers often appear simultaneously with adjectives such as "super luxurious", and have already become a representative of high-end comfort.

The presence of plant-based fibers is also not absent in the daily chemical field. The maternal and infant brand Babycare has launched high-end soft wipes with plant-based fibers as raw materials. An industry insider commented to 36Kr, "This fiber is extracted from plants such as trees and bamboo, is renewable and environmentally friendly, and has longer fibers with good performance in terms of toughness, elasticity, and hygroscopicity."

2. Why Has It Become a "Trendy Fiber"?

At the outset of the birth of a great company, it often comes with the trait of "challenging the giants". The rise of a material is no different.

Consumer goods are an extremely mature major赛道. In each细分领域, there has been the most mainstream material in the past. For example, cotton commonly used in clothing and soft wipes, and blended fabric commonly used in facial masks. In these large-scale mass consumer goods fields, users still have pain points that need to be addressed, making plant-based fibers highly anticipated.

Taking clothing as an example, outdoor-related equipment can be described as a "hot commodity". The "2024 Spring/Summer Taobao Tmall Sports and Outdoor Industry Trend White Paper" shows that in terms of穿搭, young people exhibit a dual pursuit of fashion and functionality. For instance, in the scenario of intense exercise and sweating, the requirements for breathability, quick-drying, and lightness are difficult to achieve with traditional pure cotton materials, and the advantages of plant-based fibers thus emerge.

From the actions of leading brands, KOLON has added a certain proportion of plant-based fibers to several T-shirt and casual clothing products to meet functional needs such as warmth and breathability while being less prone to deformation. International renowned outdoor brands such as Lafuma and independent designer brand Rico Lee have also previously launched products containing plant-based fibers. The general manager of Lafuma China once stated, "We believe that this solution that combines environmental protection and excellent performance can consolidate our leading position in the outdoor clothing brand."

In an article in ISPO, the author mentioned that it is not unjustifiable to call plant-based fibers "trendy fibers". "This sustainable material is produced in a particularly environmentally friendly manner, has excellent breathability, and is highly suitable for making sportswear. Anyone who values sustainability but does not wish to sacrifice comfort will choose textiles made from it."

In addition to the outdoors, under the demand iteration in the daily chemical field, the imagination space is also vast. According to statistics from Euromonitor, the global soft wipe market had a retail scale of approximately 61 billion pieces in 2023, and it is still in a stage of rapid growth. The survey indicates that nearly 80% of respondents stated that they typically use disposable facial wipes, and the material is the factor that is most criticized in this field.

A professional engaged in the research and development of facial wipes discovered in a user interview that users' demands for the material of soft wipes are mainly reflected in several aspects such as thickness and toughness, dry softness, and fabric hygiene, and plant-based fibers can precisely meet the needs of high gram weight and soft hand feel, and its 13 times water absorption rate is also higher than the 9 times water absorption rate of cotton. "In addition, pure cotton cloth is prone to impurities during the planting and manual picking process, and problems such as yellow spots and black spots are prone to occur. Therefore, the majority of brands in the market use plant-based fibers for their soft wipes."

Another person in the daily chemical care industry informed 36Kr that pure cotton soft wipes are generally thin or prone to breakage, and the material selection can better take into account the user experience. He provided examples, stating that Uniqlo's polar fleece has better heat retention properties, the silk in the home textile industry has a more skin-friendly touch, the ice silk used in the sunscreen field can better reduce temperature, and the Lycra material used in fitness clothing has an elastic advantage. "Pure cotton should not become the sole belief in the market. Each material has its own advantages, and it is a good fiber when used in the right place."

In addition, the most common non-woven fabric material in the facial mask field, although inexpensive, thin, soft, and non-irritating, has less absorption of essence liquid, and its penetration promotion effect and fit are limited. Membrane cloth made of plant-based fibers is becoming the choice of many high-end brands. This type of membrane cloth has a strong water absorption capacity, and due to its performance advantages of good fit, breathability, water saving, and water absorption, it can effectively enhance the utilization efficiency of the essence liquid in the facial mask.

Under the large market, the extraction technology of plant-based fibers is also continuously enhancing its commercial capabilities.

Not long ago, the team of Wang Feng from the Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, announced that they had successfully separated fiber materials from wood with high efficiency and published this achievement in the international top journal "Nature", attracting global attention. One of the main substances separated by this team is plant-based fiber.

At present, China is the largest producer of plant-based fibers, with a complete industrial chain and the widest range of application fields. However, it is worth noting that last year, China imported more than 3 million tons of the upstream material "dissolving pulp" for plant-based fibers, with an import dependency of nearly 90%. Against this backdrop, the significance of the above research breakthrough is even more significant.

When commercial technology is becoming increasingly mature, referring to the similarity between plant-based fibers and cotton materials in terms of safety and softness, coupled with the optimization and supplementation of the former in terms of water absorption, wear resistance, and less deformation, the story of large-scale substitution may rapidly unfold. For plant-based fibers, a new golden age like the "Cotton Empire" is approaching, and the trend chasers have already arrived.