Polyester Tire Cord Fabrics - Market Share Analysis, Industry Trends & Statistics, Growth Forecasts (2026-2031)

The polyester tire cord fabrics market size was valued at 741.36 kilotons in 2025 and is estimated to grow from 764.49 kilotons in 2026 to reach 891.43 kilotons by 2031, at a CAGR of 3.12% during the forecast period (2026-2031). This report is Segmented by Tire Type (Radial Tire and Bias Tire), Application (Passenger Cars, Commercial Vehicles, and Other Applications), and Geography (Asia-Pacific, North America, Europe, South America, and Middle-East and Africa). The Market Forecasts are Provided in Terms of Volume (Tons).

Global Polyester Tire Cord Fabrics Market Trends and Insights

Surging Radial-Tire Penetration, Especially Across Asia-Pacific

Radial tires accounted for over 75% of global production in 2025, with Asia-Pacific driving this transition as Chinese manufacturers expand overseas capacity by 388.7 million units. While bias-ply tires remain preferred in specific off-the-road applications, their production is declining at an annual rate of -3.1%, shifting polyester demand toward radial tires, which require up to 20% more reinforcement per unit. Investments such as Zhongce's RMB 5.4 billion facility and Sailun's 30 million radial tire production lines necessitate dedicated cord-dipping infrastructure. Additionally, India's enforcement of IS 15627 radial certification has boosted domestic radial tire production by 12% in 2025.

Rapid OEM Migration to High-Tenacity HMLS PET Yarns

Automotive manufacturers are increasingly adopting high-modulus low-shrinkage (HMLS) PET yarns with ≥ 8.5 g/den tenacity and ≤ 3.5% shrinkage at 177°C to replace heavier steel belts. Oerlikon's 2024 Suzhou expansion and Kordsa's USD 18 million Izmit production line are designed to meet these specifications. Reducing unsprung mass by one kilogram improves electric vehicle (EV) driving range by approximately 0.2%. Hyosung estimates that a 400 kg EV battery necessitates 10-20% more cord per vehicle.

Tightening Formaldehyde Limits on RFL Adhesives in United States and European Union

Regulation 2023/1464 limits in-cabin formaldehyde levels to 0.062 mg/m³ starting August 2027, while the U.S. EPA's 2024 TSCA evaluation identifies formaldehyde as an unreasonable risk in tire-cord dipping processes. Although Michelin's Resicare technology demonstrates compliance feasibility, retrofitting each dipping line costs USD 2-4 million and requires up to 18 months for OEM validation.

Other drivers and restraints analyzed in the detailed report include:

• Accelerating EV Output Requiring Low-Rolling-Resistance Carcasses
• Tier-1 Tire Makers’ Shift Toward rPET/bio-PET Cords
• Performance Gap Versus Aramid Cords in Ultra-High-Speed Tires

For complete list of drivers and restraints, kindly check the Table Of Contents.

Segment Analysis

Radial tire accounted for 58.22% of the 2025 volume and is projected to grow at a CAGR of 4.15% through 2031. This growth is positively impacting the polyester tire cord fabrics market, as radial carcasses combined with belt packages require 15-20% more reinforcement compared to bias carcasses. Bias tire applications remain relevant only in scenarios where extreme sidewall flexibility outweighs the benefits of improved fuel efficiency.

Zero-degree cap plies, wound above the steel-belt package, have become standard in V-rated products. However, polyester's lower modulus limits its use to carcass plies. High-modulus low-shrinkage (HMLS) copolymers with shrinkage below 2.5% are addressing this limitation and, importantly, eliminate the need for energy-intensive post-cure inflation processes.

Complete Report Scope:

• By Tire Type
  • Radial Tire
  • Bias Tire
• By Application
  • Passenger Cars
  • Commercial Vehicles
  • Other Applications
• By Geography
  • Asia-Pacific
    • China
    • India
    • Japan
    • South Korea
    • ASEAN Countries
    • Rest of Asia-Pacific
  • North America
    • United States
    • Canada
    • Mexico
  • Europe
    • Germany
    • United Kingdom
    • France
    • Italy
    • Spain
    • Turkey
    • Russia
    • NORDIC Countries
    • 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

Geography Analysis

Asia-Pacific accounted for 49.18% of the 2025 volume and is projected to grow at a 3.99% CAGR through 2031. This growth is driven by Chinese tire manufacturers expanding overseas into Southeast Asia, Latin America, and North Africa. Domestic expansions, such as Zhongce's addition of 25 million units and Sailun's 30 million units, further strengthen the region's dominance. Additionally, India's increasing adoption of radial passenger-car tires and Hyosung's Maharashtra plant, with a capacity of 1,500 tons per month, position South Asia as an emerging supply hub. Kolon Industries' debottlenecking in Vietnam and Toray's hybrid-cord production line in Thailand are expanding the polyester tire cord fabrics market across ASEAN.

North America and Europe maintain profitability through premium tire programs and stringent formaldehyde regulations, which drive demand for advanced adhesive chemistries. Kordsa's USD 20 million expansion in North America and a USD 7 million investment in Turkish steel-cord production highlight strategic moves to capitalize on these high-margin opportunities.

South America, and Middle-East and Africa contribute to the remaining market share. Brazil's 70 million-unit tire industry benefits from Mercosur tariffs that promote local cord procurement. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 initiative, targeting 300,000 vehicles annually, is expected to increase regional polyester demand by up to 5,400 tons. Turkey leverages its customs-union access to the EU and Kordsa's high-modulus yarn line to serve both European and Middle-Eastern original equipment manufacturers (OEMs).

List of Companies Covered in this Report:

• Bekaert
• Century Enka Limited
• CORDENKA GmbH & Co. KG
• Far Eastern New Century Corporation
• Firestone Fibers & Textiles
• FORMOSA TAFFETA CO., LTD.
• HYOSUNG
• Indorama Ventures Public Company Limited
• Jiangsu Taiji Industry New Materials Co., Ltd.
• Junma Group
• Kolon Industries Inc.
• KORDÁRNA Plus a.s.
• Kordsa Teknik Tekstil A.S.
• Madura Industrial Textiles Ltd.
• Shandong Helon Polytex Chemical Fibre
• SRF Limited
• TEIJIN FRONTIER (U.S.A.), INC.
• TORAY INDUSTRIES, INC.
• Zhejiang Hailide New Material Co., Ltd.

Additional Benefits:

• The market estimate (ME) sheet in Excel format
• 3 months of analyst support