Fluorescent Whitening Agents Market Trends

Growth Drivers

• Surge in the Demand for Eco-friendly Packaging - The packaging business has seen a boom due to the increased demand for paper-based packaging materials, the accessibility of raw materials, and the simplicity of use of optical brighteners, which are widely used as brightening agents to produce complete white papers. The demand for optical brighteners has increased since raw paper materials contain impurities like bamboo sticks and scrap wood that must be removed to produce clear white paper. These factors are expected to create new opportunities in the global market for fluorescent brighteners and are forecast to contribute to fluorescent whitening agents market growth. For instance, the leading manufacturer of specialty chemicals worldwide, Clariant, introduces the most concentrated urea-free liquid optical brightening agent (OBA) for use in writing and printing materials. New disulphonated Leucophor® ACK reduces OBA needs for papermakers, reduces transportation costs, and lessens carbon footprint without containing any chemicals that are damaging to the environment.
• Growing Utilization in the Cosmetic Industry - The demand for fluorescent whitening agents, which function as color-correcting and brightening additives in various skincare and personal care products like shampoo, conditioners, eye makeup, concealer, and many others, has increased due to the rapid population growth in both developed and developing economies, the rise in import and export of various cosmetics and skincare products, and the increased focus on the cosmetic sector. According to a report, skincare and hair care products account for about 60% of the worldwide cosmetics market. Also, more than 36% of American customers of skincare products utilized them many times a day in 2020. These factors play a major role in the fluorescent whitening agents market expansion of optical brighteners.
• Increased Advancement in the Products - As the popularity of bio-based or environmentally friendly products rises relative to synthetic items made with chemical substances, the major players in the industry are concentrating on creating eco-friendly substitutes for current formulations. Novel developments in product creation are being pursued, to reduce expenses and offer several advantages to final consumers. This price drop could lead to a revival of optical brightener use in paper production, opening up a fantastic new revenue stream for the laundry and detergent sectors.

Challenges

• Non-biodegradability of Fluorescent Whitening Agents - A significant obstacle in the industry is the fluorescent whitening agents' toxicity and non-biodegradability. The demand and use for fluorescent whitening agents, also known as brightening agents, are impacted by toxicity and non-biodegradability limits and regulations. By changing the equilibrium of light in aquatic environments, these agents can disturb aquatic ecosystems and have an impact on aquatic life, such as fish and algae. Because the manufacture of optical brighteners frequently uses non-renewable resources, resource extraction, and energy use are environmental issues. As a result, it is expected that the worldwide fluorescent whitening agents market will face significant hurdles.
• Side Effects during the Production of Fluorescent Agents due to Chemicals may Hamper the Market Growth
• Intense Competition from Alternatives may Hinder the Growth of the Market