Sunscreen, casual and sports wear stimulate high growth demand for spandex

In 2023, the tourism market is rapidly thriving in China, showing a continuous trend of steady growth in local tourism, neighboring tourism, inter-provincial tourism, and outbound tourism. During this process, sales of outdoor products have surged, especially with the start of the summer heat, where sales of sunscreen clothing, ice sleeves, and sunscreen masks have significantly increased, with a high proportion of spandex added. Additionally driven by consumer comfort needs, the proportion of spandex added in leisure and sportswear is also high, not only in women's wear but also with a significant increase in business casual wear for men. The average price of spandex from January to May in this year has returned to be low for downstream fabric mills and clothing enterprises, leading to a high-speed growth in spandex demand, up by over 20% YoY, driven by many popular trends such as sunscreen, leisure, and sports. It's expected that spandex will continue to show high demand growth rates in the second half of the year, stimulated by the demand for ultra-soft, dralon fabrics, high knitted and high-density fabrics. In 2023, the growth rate of demand for is expected to reach a new high due to the low base of last year and the hot products in the first half of this year.

The summer heat mode starts, sunscreen clothing is very popular.

As the temperatures across the country enter a "barbecue mode," the dressing of sunscreen products is rising. According to incomplete statistics, there are nearly one hundred sunscreen clothing brands this year. During the Tmall 618 promotion, many subcategories in the sports and outdoor industry achieved double-digit or triple-digit year-on-year growth, with outdoor clothing growing by 294%. The sunscreen clothing is one of the most popular products in this subcategory.

Three years after the pandemic, people's demand for travel and tourism has greatly increased, and sunscreen clothing has become the "new favorite" of the market this year. The proportion of spandex added in sunscreen clothing is mostly between 10% and 20%, while the proportion of spandex added in products such as ice sleeves and sunscreen masks is between 6% and 7%. The increase in sales of popular products and the high proportion of spandex added have stimulated the demand for spandex.

Sunscreen products and fabric composition

The proportion of spandex added in sports and yoga pants is high, and it even becomes the main material.

In the first half of this year, popular trends such as shark pants, sports and yoga pants, and Barbie pants are still prevalent. The proportion of spandex added in yoga and sports underwear is high, with most of the spandex added being around 20%. Some products have a higher proportion of spandex added, ranging from 40% to 50%, and a few have a proportion of spandex added up to 53% in some sports underwear products. Spandex has completed a counterattack from accessory to main material.

Yoga underwear products and fabric composition

The proportion of spandex added in men's leisurewear and suits has increased significantly.

The application of spandex is still expanding, and the proportion of spandex added in women's tops, skirts, and pants is steadily increasing. Currently, the proportion of spandex added in men's suits, trousers, jackets, shirts, POLO shirts, and other areas has also significantly climbed up. For example, some brands of suits and jackets have added 5-10% or more, and the proportion of spandex added to some men's business casual fabrics is also between 10% and 20%.

Some men's wear and fabric composition

Price: with average price hitting the second lowest

According to the data from CCFGroup, the average price of spandex 20D, 30D and 40D was at 37,495yuan/mt, 36,061yuan/mt and 32,939yuan/mt respectively in Jan-May, 2023, the second lowest in recent six years, slightly higher than the same period of 2020 and close to the corresponding period in 2019.