Polyester Tire Cord Fabrics Market Size & Share Analysis - Growth Trends And Forecast (2025 - 2030)

Global Polyester Tire Cord Fabrics Market Trends and Insights

Surging Radial-Tire Penetration in Asia-Pacific

In 2024, passenger cars in the Asia-Pacific region widely adopted radial tires, marking a significant increase from previous years. This shift was largely driven by Chinese and Indian OEMs adapting to fuel-economy regulations that penalized bias designs in rolling-resistance tests. Radial tires, requiring more polyester cord than their bias counterparts to manage heightened inflation pressures, have consequently boosted demand for High Modulus Low Shrinkage (HMLS) polyester, even as bias tire volumes decline. In the Middle East, greenfield tire projects have committed exclusively to radial lines, ensuring a long-term increase in polyester consumption. While commercial vehicle fleets in ASEAN nations have been slow to adopt, surging diesel prices are making a compelling case for the total cost of ownership in favor of radial tires. This trend positions the polyester tire cord fabrics market to steadily benefit from late adopters in developing regions.

Rapid OEM Shift to HMLS Yarns and PCI Elimination

Tire manufacturers are shifting from standard-tenacity polyester to HMLS grades. These new grades allow for carcass-ply cuts that reduce weight. The lower thermal shrinkage of HMLS yarns also supports production lines that skip post-cure inflation (PCI), cutting plant energy use and shortening cycle times^{[1]Wanchao Wang et al., “Nylon-Like Polyester Cord for Tires Without Post-Cure Inflation,” MDPI Polymers, mdpi.com}. Bridgestone and Michelin have piloted PCI-free lines, but widespread rollout hinges on scaling modified RFL chemistries that control scrap rates. Combined, higher-tenacity yarns and PCI elimination improve cost per tire and sustainability metrics, reinforcing OEM preference for HMLS polyester.

Accelerating EV Production Demanding Low-Rolling-Resistance Carcasses

In 2024, EVs accounted for a significant share of light-vehicle output, with projections suggesting a substantial rise by 2030. However, these vehicles face challenges: their tires tend to wear out more quickly when subjected to higher static loads and torque spikes. A switch from nylon to HMLS polyester can reduce hysteresis losses, thereby boosting the vehicle's range. Both Continental’s ContiRe.Tex platform and Hankook’s iON line demonstrate that recycled-PET cords not only meet the desired mechanical standards but also advance circularity objectives. EV buyers, valuing range, find the performance-cost balance acceptable. This trend bodes well for the polyester tire cord fabrics market, ensuring its continued growth.

OEM Sustainability Mandates for Recycled/Bio-Based PET Cords

Continental, Michelin, and Bridgestone have committed to using 100% recycled or bio-based polyester cord by 2030, which requires suppliers to certify their feedstocks under ISCC PLUS and other schemes. Far Eastern New Century generated one-third of 2023 revenue from green products and expanded recycled-PET yarn capacity to meet tire-grade demand. Teijin’s 2025 Thailand debottlenecking project adds high-tenacity recycled PET, signaling rapid technology diffusion. Recycled flakes trade at a discount, while chemically recycled PET fetches a premium but qualifies for carbon-credit monetization, keeping the polyester tire cord fabrics market aligned with corporate net-zero pathways.

Volatile PTA/MEG Feedstock Prices

Brent crude prices heavily influence PTA and MEG, which together account for nearly 70% of polyester costs, causing converter margins to fluctuate within months. In 2024, Asian PTA spot prices experienced significant changes, disrupting budgets for non-integrated converters. While integrated players like Hyosung mitigate this volatility using captive monomers, smaller firms find themselves renegotiating quarterly with OEMs, leading to stalled expansion plans and reduced research and development spending.

Formaldehyde Restrictions and Performance Limits in Premium Tires

Starting August 2027, EU Regulation 2023/1464 will limit formaldehyde levels in interior cabins^{[2]European Union, “Regulation (EU) 2023/1464,” eur-lex.europa.eu}. Concurrently, the U.S. EPA's 2024 risk evaluation underscores the dangers of workplace exposure. Kordsa has developed a Cokoon adhesive that completely removes formaldehyde, but it mandates a revalidation period for tires. On another note, while polyester cords lag behind aramid counterparts in tires exceeding certain speed thresholds, this limitation restricts their entry into the lucrative ultra-high-performance segment, which accounts for a substantial portion of revenue. These regulatory challenges, combined with performance limitations, cast a shadow on the growth prospects of the polyester tire cord fabrics market.

Segment Analysis

By Tire Type: Radial Dominance Reshapes Cord Specifications

Radial designs represented 57.71% of 2024 demand and are expected to grow at 4.24% to 2030, outpacing the growth of bias output, thereby increasing the size of the polyester tire cord fabrics market for this segment. Radials run 15-20 °C cooler at cruising speed, enabling EV platforms to manage battery-induced heat loads without adding extra weight to the carcass. Bias tires continue to dominate in agricultural and off-road niches, yet their lower upfront price fails to offset the higher fuel consumption on the road. In China, passenger cars have seen radial adoption surpassing a significant level. Meanwhile, by 2024, commercial vehicles reached a notable penetration rate. Each of these transitions has led to an increase in cord usage per tire, attributed to heightened inflation pressure. This shift stands as the most significant volume driver for the growth of the polyester tire cord fabrics market.

Bias volumes are contracting in mature economies but growing in sub-Saharan Africa, where repairability is prioritized over total cost. Even so, the global bias share continues to shrink as Middle East greenfield plants specify radial-only lines. Hankook’s iON tire combines chemically recycled HMLS yarn with steel belts to strike a balance between sustainability and strength, demonstrating how hybrid constructions can reduce the radial premium in long-haul applications. Such innovations sustain radial growth while preventing the displacement of polyester by aramid in mainstream speed ratings.

By Application: Commercial Vehicles Accelerate on Radial Conversion

Passenger cars consumed 54.36% of polyester cord in 2024; however, the commercial-vehicle category is projected to post the fastest 4.65% CAGR through 2030, thereby increasing the polyester tire cord fabrics market size for the truck and bus segments. Switching from bias to radial tires, a long-haul tractor-trailer saves diesel annually, recouping the tire premium in a short period. Tires for SUVs and light trucks, part of the passenger group, use more cord per unit, driving average consumption per passenger tire upward over the years.

Following the implementation of GST, Indian fleet consolidation is accelerating the adoption of radials, with commercial vehicle penetration increasing significantly. A third RFL line is now operating at high capacity to cater to the expansion of truck radials. While motorcycle and agricultural tires contribute to the demand, especially as Asian scooter manufacturers turn to polyester for e-scooter range extension, their tonnage pales in comparison to the truck and SUV segments. This keeps the polyester tire cord fabrics market concentrated on higher-load applications.

Note: Segment shares of all individual segments available upon report purchase

Geography Analysis

Asia-Pacific contributed 49.27% of global volume in 2024 and is expanding at 4.12% to 2030. This growth is largely driven by China's passenger-tire plants operating at high capacity and India emerging as a major car market. Kolon's recent investment in Vietnam aims to boost the plant's capacity, aligning with the demands of industry giants like Kumho, Sailun, and Bridgestone. Vietnam's passenger tire exports and its annual consumption of polyester cord underscore the market's significance for polyester tire cord fabrics.

North America and Europe together represent a notable share of the global volume but are experiencing slower growth. This stagnation is attributed to plateauing vehicle miles and extended tread life. In response to the EU's formaldehyde caps, there's a noticeable shift towards formaldehyde-free adhesives, with Cokoon leading the charge. Reflecting a trend of supply-chain regionalization, Kumho is eyeing a greenfield site in Europe to align with USMCA's rules of origin. Meanwhile, Continental's ambition for sustainable polyester is pushing local converters to authenticate their recycled content, complicating the landscape but simultaneously raising entry barriers in the polyester tire cord fabrics market.

South America, the Middle East, and Africa collectively hold a significant market share, with steady growth. Pirelli has established a facility in Saudi Arabia, while Morocco's Sentury factory is set to contribute additional tire production. This surge in production is expected to meet the demand for HMLS cord. In 2024, Turkey's Kordsa unveiled a polyester yarn line, strategically catering to nearby OEMs. Although Brazil's tire production is on the mend, the country struggles with insufficient domestic cord capacity, resulting in a reliance on imports from Taiwan's Formosa Taffeta. Such inter-regional dynamics highlight how localized shortages can amplify the polyester tire cord fabrics market, even in regions with modest tire production.