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Nylon 6 and nylon 66, the most important of the many available nylon fibers, account for approximately 98% of total production. Other nylon fibers, used primarily in specialty and nontextile applications, include nylon 46, 610, 612, 11, 12 and the aramids (aromatic polyamides).
Nylon fibers are used in a broad range of apparel, home furnishing and industrial end uses, particularly in areas that require high tensile strength and abrasion resistance. The somewhat different physical properties of nylon 6 and 66 are not considered important in most end-use applications and nylon 6 and 66 tend to be used interchangeably, although in the carpeting industry, nylon 66 may be preferred because of its molecular structure, which leads to greater product durability.
The following pie chart shows world consumption of nylon fiber:
World demand for nylon fibers in 2007 was about 5% lower than demand in 2004. A decline in major consuming regions such as the United States and Western Europe contributed to the fall, despite strong consumption growth in China. Regional economic conditions, increased competition from imported finished goods and from other fiber types, and changing consumer preferences are all factors that have affected and will continue to affect nylon fiber production and consumption.
Over the next five years, world demand is forecast to grow slowly, with China leading the world’s demand growth during this time with a growth rate of around 4% per year. China’s growing domestic economy and major role as a global supplier of finished goods will help fuel this growth.
As of mid-2008, the ten largest producers accounted for almost 38% of the world’s capacity. INVISTA has 13% of the world’s nylon fiber capacity, with fiber production facilities in North America, Central and South America, Western Europe and Asia. The next-largest producers are Shaw Industries and Solutia, each with about 5% of world capacity.
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