1,3-Propanediol (PDO) Market Size and Share
1,3-Propanediol (PDO) Market Analysis by Mordor Intelligence
The global 1,3-propanediol market generated USD 434.28 million in 2025 and is projected to advance to USD 618.84 million by 2030, delivering a steady 7.34% CAGR across the forecast window. Demand escalates as downstream sectors replace petro-derived diols with bio-based alternatives to meet corporate carbon-reduction targets. Renewable pathways already account for nearly three-fifths of all volume thanks to falling fermentation costs, rising glycerol availability from biodiesel, and regulatory incentives that reward low-carbon feedstocks. Personal-care formulators, technical textile processors, and polyurethane foam makers are scaling up purchases, while process licensors offer single-train units above 50 kta that improve economies of scale. The 1,3-propanediol market now sits at the crossroads of cost optimisation and decarbonisation, giving integrated biorefineries a durable competitive edge.
Key Report Takeaways
- By source, bio-based production captured 59.67% of the 1,3-propanediol market share in 2024 and is poised for the fastest 8.87% CAGR through 2030.
- By purity grade, industrial grade retained 71.22% share of the 1,3-propanediol market size in 2024; cosmetic and pharmaceutical grade variants are growing at a 9.76% CAGR.
- By application, polytrimethylene terephthalate led with 67.45% revenue share in 2024; personal care products are forecast to expand at a 10.24% CAGR to 2030.
- By end-user industry, engineering plastics commanded 49.45% of the 1,3-propanediol market size in 2024, while textile dyeing and finishing is advancing at an 8.66% CAGR through 2030.
- By geography, North America held 34.66% of 2024 revenue, while Asia-Pacific is projected to surge at a 10.59% CAGR during the outlook period.
Global 1,3-Propanediol (PDO) Market Trends and Insights
Driver Impact Analysis
Driver | (~) % Impact on CAGR Forecast | Geographic Relevance | Impact Timeline |
---|---|---|---|
Rising demand for bio-based polymers | +2.1% | Global, with concentration in North America & Europe | Medium term (2-4 years) |
Growing adoption of Polytrimethylene Terephthalate (PTT) fibres in automotive & apparel | +1.8% | APAC core, spill-over to North America | Long term (≥ 4 years) |
Expansion of polyurethane in insulation & foams | +1.4% | Global, with early gains in North America & Europe | Short term (≤ 2 years) |
Government incentives for biomass-based chemicals | +1.2% | North America, Europe, with emerging support in APAC | Medium term (2-4 years) |
Growth in Polyurethane & Engineering Plastics | +0.8% | Global, with strong demand in APAC manufacturing hubs | Medium term (2-4 years) |
Source: Mordor Intelligence
Rising Demand for Bio-Based Polymers
Brand-owner climate pledges now require verifiable Scope 3 emission cuts. Switching to bio-based polymers such as PTT derived from 1,3-propanediol reduces cradle-to-gate greenhouse gases by up to 37% versus fossil incumbents[1]DKSH, “Bio-based Chemicals Outlook,” dksh.com. Life-cycle savings convert directly into lower product-carbon footprints, a metric tracked closely in multinational procurement scorecards. The renewable chemicals sector is projected to attain USD 70.89 billion by 2030, implying a strong pull-through for bio-PDO intermediates. Producers that co-locate fermentation, purification, and polymerisation in one site lock in glycerol feedstock at discounted prices and capture higher margins through integrated utilities and shared logistics.
Growing Adoption of PTT Fibres in Automotive & Apparel
PTT fibres deliver superior stretch recovery and soft-touch aesthetics, which fetch premium pricing in athleisure wear and automotive seat fabrics. Capacity expansion, however, is constrained by sub-1 million t of global PDO output. Strain-engineering advances have raised PDO titre and yield, while continuous-fermentation pilots demonstrate 20-25% lower OPEX. As upstream limitations ease, Asia-Pacific upholstery mills and North American Tier-1 auto suppliers are switching to PTT to meet both durability and recyclability targets.
Expansion of Polyurethane in Insulation & Foams
Building-code revisions increasingly set stricter U-value requirements. Formulating foams with renewable polyols made from 1,3-propanediol is one route to higher thermal resistance. Prototype rigid boards show 30-50% carbon-emission cuts while matching compressive strength benchmarks. Demand further benefits from OEM commitments to remove halogenated blowing agents in favour of low-GWP options, creating room for bio-PDO-based polyols that tolerate next-generation refrigerants.
Government Incentives for Biomass-Based Chemicals
Policy support widens cost advantages for firms integrating agricultural residues into value chains. In the United States, the Department of Energy has channelled more than USD 561 million into pilot biorefineries and microbial-genomics research[2]U.S. Department of Energy, “Bioenergy Technologies Office Funding Programs,” energy.gov . Similar programmes from the U.S. Department of Agriculture encourage farmers to monetise waste glycerol streams, thus securing low-cost feedstock for PDO plants. European and Asian clean-fuel mandates generate further glycerol supplies as biodiesel and sustainable aviation fuel output climb.
Restraint Impact Analysis
Restraint | (~) % Impact on CAGR Forecast | Geographic Relevance | Impact Timeline |
---|---|---|---|
Feedstock price volatility | -1.6% | Global, with acute impact in regions dependent on biodiesel glycerol | Short term (≤ 2 years) |
Cheaper substitutes available | -0.9% | Global, with competitive pressure in cost-sensitive applications | Medium term (2-4 years) |
Biodiesel‐glycerol supply disruptions | -0.7% | North America & Europe primarily, with spillover to global markets | Short term (≤ 2 years) |
Source: Mordor Intelligence
Feedstock Price Volatility
The 1,3-propanediol market relies heavily on crude glycerol from biodiesel. When policy credits narrow, biodiesel output drops and glycerol prices jump, eroding margins for non-integrated PDO producers. Studies show biodiesel would operate at a loss without incentives, underscoring the sensitivity of the feedstock pool. Forward contracts and dual-feed fermentation designs that switch between glycerol and glucose help cushion swings but require capital upgrades.
Cheaper Substitutes Available
Propylene glycol and ethylene glycol remain less expensive per ton in bulk formulations. Customers without low-carbon mandates often default to these incumbent glycols, capping PDO uptake in commodity domains. Competition also arises from other bio-based diols, forcing PDO suppliers to articulate property-driven value rather than relying solely on bio-content. Growth, therefore, concentrates in niches where PDO’s skin-mildness or fibre-resilience confers clear performance gains, such as leave-on cosmetics or stretch-denim.
Segment Analysis
By Source: Bio-Based Dominance Continues
Bio-based pathways delivered 59.67% of total volume in 2024 and are on track for an 8.87% CAGR, ensuring the 1,3-propanediol market keeps shifting toward renewable inputs. Production economics improve as fermentation titres exceed 120 g L⁻¹ and downstream chromatography is replaced by membrane polishing. Companies that vertically integrate biodiesel, glycerol purification, and PDO synthesis lock in feedstock at discounts of 10-15%, widening EBITDA margins. Petro-based routes, while still relevant for niche solvent grades, face rising carbon-tax exposures that could inflate costs by USD 80-120 t⁻¹ in Europe over the forecast period.
The interplay between policy incentives and metabolic-engineering breakthroughs shapes the competitive matrix. Deploying synthetic-biology toolkits accelerates strain screening, while continuous-fermentation technology lifts plant utilisation to 8,000-8,200 h yr⁻¹. Such process intensification underpins the 1,3-propanediol market’s capacity additions announced in China, the United States, and Brazil, reinforcing bio-based leadership.
Note: Segment shares of all individual segments available upon report purchase
By Purity Grade: Volume Versus Value Play
Industrial grade maintained a 71.22% share in 2024, propelled by application breadth and relaxed impurity ceilings that simplify purification. Its price point sits USD 200-250 t⁻¹ below cosmetic grade, cementing its role in resins and composites. Still, cosmetic and pharmaceutical specifications accelerate at 9.76% CAGR on the back of stringent microbiological and heavy-metal limits. Column-free ultrafiltration brings total organic carbon down to <10 ppm, allowing bio-PDO to qualify for United States Pharmacopeia listings.
Rising demand for dermal-friendly solvents and paraben-reduction initiatives encourage formulators to switch. Producers that already run food-contact compliant lines find it commercially viable to add a polishing loop and sell into these higher-margin outlets, creating a tiered portfolio that balances throughput with profitability.
By Application: PTT Holds Scale, Personal Care Fuels Incremental Growth
Polytrimethylene terephthalate stayed ahead with 67.45% revenue in 2024, reflecting entrenched demand from carpet yarns, stretch sportswear, and automotive textiles. Conversion economics hinge on the 1,3-propanediol market size for PTT itself, which exceeds 350 kt yr⁻¹ globally. ATP-driven polymerisation yields a uniform molecular-weight distribution, lifting fibre dyeability and reducing fabric processing water by up to 40%. These attributes embed PTT in OEM sustainability roadmaps.
Personal-care lines represent the fastest-moving frontier, expanding at 10.24% CAGR. Zemea-branded PDO functions simultaneously as a humectant, preservative-potentiator, and solvent, enabling formulators to simplify ingredient decks and secure “clean-beauty” labels. This channel's brand narratives around traceable corn-sugar feedstocks resonate strongly with shoppers. The two-tier dynamic means high-volume polymer outlets provide the baseload, while premium skin-care SKUs drive margin uplift.
By End-User Industry: Engineering Plastics Anchor Demand
Engineering plastics absorbed 49.45% of 2024 shipments, mirroring robust uptake in high-performance resins that serve electronics housings, appliance parts, and under-hood automotive components. Integrating PDO-derived polyols with isophthalic modifiers produces copolymers balancing toughness and heat distortion. OEM specification cycles average 7-10 years, giving this tranche of the 1,3-propanediol market predictable offtake.
Textile dyeing and finishing posts the sharpest 8.66% CAGR as mills substitute conventional glycols in aqueous dye baths to meet zero-discharge requirements promulgated by fashion brands. Trials show 20-30% lower chemical oxygen demand when PDO replaces diethylene glycol, supporting regulatory compliance in regions tightening effluent norms. Diversifying into processing chemicals shields producers from polymer-price swings.

Geography Analysis
North America retained the largest regional slice at 34.66% in 2024, underpinned by deep bio-economy infrastructure, access to competitively priced corn-based dextrose and well-established glycerol purification clusters in the Midwest. Federal and state tax credits worth up to USD 1.01 gal⁻¹ and low-carbon fuel-standard multipliers foster resilient biodiesel output, feeding PDO fermenters with a stable stream of technical glycerol[3]USDA, “Building a Resilient Bio-economy,” usda.gov. Leading multinationals co-locate upstream and downstream units to reduce logistics and utilities intensity, reinforcing the region’s cost leadership.
Asia-Pacific, registering a brisk 10.59% CAGR, benefits from explosive textile manufacturing growth, rising per-capita cosmetics spend and policy drives to localise bio-chemical supply chains. China’s “Bio-manufacturing Development Plan (2022-2035)” targets a tripling of renewable chemical output, while India’s government approved a 20% biodiesel blending roadmap, expanding glycerol availability. Joint-venture announcements between Chinese bioscience firms and Western technology licensors underscore the acceleration. As capacity incrementalism meets surging internal demand, the 1,3-propanediol market widens its footprint across the broader ASEAN manufacturing corridor.
Europe maintains a solid installed base, though its growth lags at mid-single-digit percentages given regulatory maturity. Under the European Green Deal, industries face escalating CO₂ pricing, nudging converters toward bio-based feedstocks. Automotive interiors and carpet-tile suppliers in Germany and the Netherlands routinely specify PTT blends to unlock material recyclability credits, sustaining consumption.
South America and the Middle East & Africa stay emergent. Brazil’s RenovaBio regime promotes sugar-and-glycerol-based chemical build-outs, while Gulf Cooperation Council states evaluate PDO as part of crude-to-chemicals diversification. Regional uptake remains tethered to infrastructure upgrades and access to competitive biomass, but forward integration by soy-biodiesel players may catalyse localised supply.

Competitive Landscape
The 1,3-propanediol market exhibits a highly concentrated profile. Competitive intensity revolves around securing low-cost glycerol, deploying second-generation microbes and scaling continuous fermentation. Marketing narratives pivot on cradle-to-gate carbon intensity. Producers publishing third party-verified life-cycle assessments gain preferential access to brand-owner procurement rosters, particularly in beauty and apparel. Integrated players able to furnish low-scope-3 footprints and scope-2 renewable-energy certificates enjoy listing advantages in corporate-sustainability indices.
1,3-Propanediol (PDO) Industry Leaders
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DSM
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DuPont
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Shell plc
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Zhangjiagang Glory Biomaterial
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Shenghong Group Holdings
- *Disclaimer: Major Players sorted in no particular order

Recent Industry Developments
- February 2025: MojiaBio entered into an agreement with A*STAR to develop a Sustainable Biomanufacturing Technology Platform. This platform will incorporate commercial-scale fermentation lines dedicated to the production of 1,3-propanediol, aiming to enhance sustainable manufacturing capabilities.
- April 2023: Technip Energies was awarded an EPC contract by Ningbo Juhua Chemical for the construction of a 72 kta PDO production facility in Zhejiang Province. The facility will utilize the Zimmer proprietary process, reflecting a commitment to advanced and efficient production technologies.
Global 1,3-Propanediol (PDO) Market Report Scope
1,3-propanediol (PDO) is a colorless viscous liquid soluble in water and is mainly used as a building block in the production of the polymers such as polytrimethylene terephthalate (PTT). The 1,3-propanediol market is segmented by source, application, end-user industry, and geography. By source, the market is segmented into bio-based PDO and petrochemical-based PDO. By application, the market is segmented into polyurethane, personal care products, polytrimethylene terephthalate (PTT), and other applications (household and engine coolants). By end-user industry, the market is segmented into synthetic drugs, engineering plastics, textile dyeing, finishing, and other end-user industries(cosmetics and pharmaceutical). The report also covers the market size and forecasts for the 1,3-Propanediol (PDO) Market in 15 countries across major regions. For each segment, the market sizing and forecasts are based on revenue (USD million).
By Source | Bio-based PDO | ||
Petrochemical-based PDO | |||
By Purity Grade | Industrial Grade | ||
Cosmetic / Pharma Grade | |||
By Application | Polyurethane | ||
Polytrimethylene Terephthalate (PTT) | |||
Personal Care Products | |||
Other Applications | |||
By End-User Industry | Synthetic Drugs | ||
Engineering Plastics | |||
Textile Dyeing and Finishing | |||
Other End-User Industries (cosmetics and pharmaceutical) | |||
By Geography | Asia-Pacific | China | |
India | |||
Japan | |||
South Korea | |||
Rest of Asia-Pacific | |||
North America | United States | ||
Canada | |||
Mexico | |||
Europe | Germany | ||
United Kingdom | |||
France | |||
Italy | |||
Rest of Europe | |||
South America | Brazil | ||
Argentina | |||
Rest of South America | |||
Middle East and Africa | Saudi Arabia | ||
South Africa | |||
Rest of Middle East and Africa |
Bio-based PDO |
Petrochemical-based PDO |
Industrial Grade |
Cosmetic / Pharma Grade |
Polyurethane |
Polytrimethylene Terephthalate (PTT) |
Personal Care Products |
Other Applications |
Synthetic Drugs |
Engineering Plastics |
Textile Dyeing and Finishing |
Other End-User Industries (cosmetics and pharmaceutical) |
Asia-Pacific | China |
India | |
Japan | |
South Korea | |
Rest of Asia-Pacific | |
North America | United States |
Canada | |
Mexico | |
Europe | Germany |
United Kingdom | |
France | |
Italy | |
Rest of Europe | |
South America | Brazil |
Argentina | |
Rest of South America | |
Middle East and Africa | Saudi Arabia |
South Africa | |
Rest of Middle East and Africa |
Key Questions Answered in the Report
What is the current 1,3-Propanediol (PDO) Market size?
The 1,3-propanediol market generated USD 434.28 million in 2025 and is forecast to climb to USD 618.84 million by 2030, supported by a 7.34% CAGR.
Which source segment leads demand?
Bio-based production captures 59.67% of the 2024 volume and is growing at an 8.87% CAGR, reflecting the market’s pivot toward renewable feedstocks.
Which region shows the fastest growth?
Asia-Pacific is expanding at a 10.59% CAGR through 2030 due to surging textile manufacturing and proactive bio-economy policies.
What purity grades of PDO exist and why do they matter?
Industrial grade meets polymer needs at lower cost, while cosmetic and pharmaceutical grades, growing at 9.76% CAGR, command premiums due to tighter impurity limits required in personal-care and drug formulations.
Page last updated on: June 27, 2025