With the in-depth promotion of the new infrastructure strategy, cable-specific nonwoven fabrics, as core protective materials for cables, are entering a golden era of industry development. Reporters learned from the latest industry report that the domestic market size of nonwoven fabrics for cables is expected to reach 12.86 billion yuan in 2026, an increase of 31.4% compared to 2024, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) as high as 14.7%. High-performance and environmentally friendly products have become the mainstream in the market, and the industry is accelerating its transformation towards high-end, green, and intelligent development.

Although cable nonwoven fabric may seem ordinary, it is an "invisible guardian" that ensures the safety of power transmission. This nonwoven fabric achieves multiple protective functions through unique processes and plays an irreplaceable role in insulation blocking, high temperature resistance, waterproof and moisture-proof, mechanical protection, flame retardant and fire prevention. In high-voltage transmission scenarios, when used in conjunction with XLPE insulation layers, it can increase the breakdown voltage tolerance by 15%-20%. In a continuous aging test at 120°C, the service life of cables with a nonwoven fabric coating can be extended by about 30%. It is widely suitable for various scenarios such as photovoltaic power stations, electric vehicle charging piles, and submarine cables.

Policy support and standard improvement have laid a solid foundation for the development of the industry. In recent years, policies such as the "Action Plan for Digital Transformation of the Manufacturing Industry" and the "Industrial Green Development Plan" have been introduced intensively, driving the industry to accelerate its upgrading. The national standard "GB/T 41012-2022 Nonwoven Fabrics for Wire and Cable" implemented in 2023 clearly stipulates for the first time mandatory indicators such as a longitudinal breaking strength of ≥150N/5cm and a transverse tearing strength of ≥25N, covering the entire process from raw material selection, production technology, to performance testing. This effectively addresses the industry's pain point of inconsistent product quality in the market. Data shows that in 2024, 89 enterprises were certified as green factories, accounting for 31.2% of the total number of enterprises above a certain size. The comprehensive energy consumption per unit of product decreased by 11.6% compared to the previous year, indicating significant achievements in the construction of a green manufacturing system.

Technological innovation has become the core competitiveness of the industry. Enterprises are increasing their R&D investment to drive product breakthroughs towards functionalization and high-end development. In terms of raw materials, high modulus low shrinkage polyester chips have achieved industrial application, with fiber strength increased to 8.5cN/dtex and energy consumption reduced by 15%. On the production side, intelligent production lines equipped with AI visual inspection systems have become widespread, controlling product weight deviation within ±3% and reducing the defective product rate from 5% to 0.8%. Furthermore, the research and development of new materials such as graphene composite nonwoven fabrics and biodegradable polylactic acid nonwoven fabrics have accelerated, providing more reliable solutions for high-end applications such as ultra-high voltage cables and marine cables.

The market demand structure continues to optimize, with emerging fields becoming growth engines. As new infrastructure projects such as UHV power grids, 5G base stations, and wind and photovoltaic power generation accelerate their implementation, the demand for nonwoven fabrics used in high-voltage cables and special cables is expected to increase from the current 35% to over 50%. The proportion of demand in new energy, 5G communication, and other fields is expected to reach 45.6% of the total demand. In terms of regional patterns, the industrial clusters in the Yangtze River Delta and Pearl River Delta contribute 65% of the country's production capacity, while the proportion of production capacity under construction in the central and western regions has risen to 22%, indicating a clear trend of industrial transfer. The industry concentration is steadily increasing, with the market share of CR10 enterprises expected to rise from 48.7% in 2024 to 58.4% in 2026, highlighting the driving effect of leading enterprises.

Industry experts indicate that the cable nonwoven industry will maintain an average annual compound growth rate of 13.8% over the next five years, with the market size expected to surpass RMB 21.54 billion by 2029. However, the industry still needs to address challenges such as price fluctuations of raw materials and rising costs for environmental compliance. Enterprises must continuously strengthen technological innovation and industrial chain integration, seize the policy dividend period, build core competitiveness in the high-end and green sectors, and provide solid support for the high-quality development of new infrastructure.