Starch has long been used in households and also by launderers for providing a clean and crisp appearance to the fabric, largely apparels. Use of starch on apparels often results in easy ironing process, thus fabric starch is regularly used by launderers worldwide.
Fabric starch used by launderers also helps protecting fabric from stains, and washes tough stains out if starch is applied on the cloths. Long term use of fabric starch also ensure of holding the ironed appearance for longer period.
Fabric starch market stakeholders waited for long to move away from specialty product category to frequently bought product aisle in retail superstore. It was the rise of e-Commerce when the true potential of the product was unveiled. Leading fabric starch brands reported pleasing sales numbers once they were digitally present.
e-Commerce also enabled brand’s reach to regular households, which were earlier restricted to professional fabric care service providers such as launderers. Digital platforms are being actively used by large and small companies operating in fabric starch market to communicate effectively with their customers.
Starch is a carbohydrate produced primarily sourced from plants. It is used in the laundering and dry cleaning industry as a stiffener for fabrics. Starch used by commercial dry cleaning and laundry service providers are made up corn starch, wheat starch, and synthetic starch.
Over the years brands have ideated multiple fabric starch formation which offers extra conditioning to the fabric. Companies brandish such claims and have been reported to be benefits. Some of such value added fabric starch available in the market include scented starch spray, wrinkling and soiling resistant fabric starch etc.
Leading fabric starch manufacturing companies have demonstrated their R&D capabilities and developed multiple such formulation. A majority of fabric starch introduced in the market were marginally different from one another, yet brand owners effectively marketed the claims.
The market strategy of claims seems to be paying-off for brands, as till December 2019 a steep rise in consumer spending on fabric care products was registered. Though all stories do not unfold in manner marketers expect it to be.
Most of the economic activities remained sluggish in 2020, and most of people were working from home. This situation practically minimized the use of fresh, ironed and crease free apparels, as individuals preferred wearing casuals while working from home.
This prevailing trend created cascade effect on many of the product, and fabric starch is one of such product. Though fabric starch accounts for even less than one percent of overall retail sales, but is key for the companies operating in this business.
Some of the manufacturers in fabric starch market had sufficient inventory, and were ready to supply it to retailers on their call. However, frugal consumer sentiment in the first half of 2020 limited fabric starch sales to less than 55% comparing against Y-o-Y 2019.
The global wrinkle release spray market witnessed dent right at the moment when it was about to exhibit over at par growth.
Professional grade fabric starch is available in retail market of North America and Europe for many years, and these markets are relatively matured. With market position on maturity curve of PLC, fabric starch brands have limited scope of improving retail visibility.
Leading brands have occupied shelve space as well as digital platform, as they took advantage or early movers.
Unlike the west, eastern fabric starch markets are relatively embryonic in nature. A small portion of customer out of meteoric potential customer pool, identifies fabric starch as a separate fabric care product.
Even a fractional share of such customers add it to their shopping carts. Since, being at embryonic stage, the Asian markets offer meteoric scope of growth for wrinkle release spray brands, but the these regional clusters are still dominated by local brands, and at times prefer conventional method of starching cloths.
Asian countries collectively contributed to less than 18% of revenue in global fabric starch market in 2019, whereas Europe dominated sales with slightly over 35% share in the same year.
Despite being a market at embryonic stage and a large population base, Asian markets are yet not ripe for investment. Consumers in high potential countries like China, India, Indonesia etc., will be ready to adopt such products only after 2025.
The global fabric starch market is largely characterized by the existence of large number of small brands which primarily operate in one country. North American and European brand seems to outperform their Asian counterpart in terms of expanding regionally, but a large opportunity cluster is yet under the carpet.
North American and European brands have not been able to create a space for themselves in Asian retail outlets. Local brands are still dominating in fabric starch market for China, Japan, South Korea and India. These are high potential markets, and Western brands may opt to consolidate fabric starch market by acquiring companies in these countries.
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Fabric Starch Market
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