Diverse Wound Aftercare and Wearable Devices Drive the Use of Clean Transparent Films and Tapes in North America
This study focuses on the North American transparent films and tapes market. The scope of this study includes the transparent films and tapes that are used as direct wound dressings, support or substrate for other dressings, and also to hold wearable devices. Transparent film dressings are polyurethane thin-film, semi-permeable membranes that allow water vapor and oxygen to pass through them, enabling fast healing. Film dressings are used as single layers or may be combined with other types of dressings like foam, hydrocolloid, hydrogel, or alginate. The transparent films and tapes market is diverse, with segmentation based on the end-users and applications.
Transparent films and tapes are segmented by applications in the healthcare sector (including hospital and OTC wound and ostomy care applications) and in the lifestyle sector [including wearable devices (patches), veterinary care, tattoo & body art aftercare applications]. The base year for the study is 2019, with forecasts running up to 2024. Revenue is defined as manufacturers (films suppliers) revenue, which is generated by transparent films and tapes to manufacturers (both brand owners and contractors) of wound dressings and wearable device products.
The total transparent films and tapes in healthcare and lifestyle markets in North America generated $220.3 million in 2019 and it is likely to grow with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 10.6% to reach $365.2 million by 2024.
The diversity of applications for transparent films and tapes in North America healthcare (OTC and hospital-based wound care and ostomy care) and lifestyle (stick-to-skin wearable devices, tattoo & body art aftercare, veterinary care) as moist wound dressings, support for other wound dressings, and also as substrate to devices will drive their demand.
The total transparent films and tapes in healthcare and lifestyle markets in North America comprise major end-use markets: healthcare market $104.5 million (47.4%) and lifestyle market $115.8 million (52.6%).
All transparent films and tapes to be placed on the skin must be clean for use. About 95.0% of film dressings are sterilized and are used for wound and ostomy care, OTC wound applications, veterinary care, and tattoo aftercare. Films and tapes for mounting wearable devices are usually not sterilized.
In the past, film dressings were classified as advanced wound dressings. However, in recent years, many suppliers have removed the films dressing from their advanced wound dressings category or business group and have transferred them into the general marketing of “supplies”.