Rubber & Fiber Market: Trends, Prices & Forecast

Rubber is an integral part of the apparel industry, being an important component of flexible wear like gloves, pants, trousers, and more. Both natural and synthetic rubbers are used in textiles. Aside from the final natural rubber form, the primary liquid material latex is also used as it is in textile applications.

Aside from its flexibility, rubber is also prized for its resistance to abrasion, water, electricity, and chemicals. This makes rubber popular in the use of rainwear, diving gear, industrial wear and other protective clothes. Other textile applications for rubber include jackets, aprons, and bras.

Rubber is also omnipresent in footwear, utilized in the making of slippers, rain boots, formal shoes, and more. Home textile application of rubber is also on the rise, used in the making of bedding, curtains, and upholstery. Rubber is often also combined with materials like nylon and polyester for more flexible and durable clothes.

Like rubber, latex is also used in protective clothing like gas masks, industrial boots, and gloves. Other uses for latex include leotards, bodysuits, and stockings. There is a thriving community of latex enthusiasts who dress from head to toe in leather and enjoy the skin-tight feel of the material. This has led to a rise of specific latex manufacturers and retailers that cater to this community.

Southeast Asia is the clear dominant region in the world when it comes to natural rubber production. Thailand is the leader while other SE Asian countries like Malaysia and Cambodia are also significant rubber producers.

TexPro compiles unparalleled levels of pricing data for both latex and rubber. The tool incorporates historical pricing data, sorted day-by-day, real-time current price updates as well as projections for how price will change up to one year from the present month. It is an all-in-one solution for organizations engaged in the rubber trade, easing sourcing decisions.

High crude oil prices, supply shortages, adverse weather conditions affecting production, and worsening geopolitical conditions are all concerns for rubber and latex trade. However, the growing inclination towards natural fibres in the global textile and apparel industry bodes well for the future of natural rubber and latex.