Sales of converted, nonwoven wipes in North America, Latin America, Western Europe and Japan will expand from $4.5 billion in 2001 to $5.9 billion by 2006, according to a new study by Naples, FL-based market researcher John R. Starr, Inc.

Product categories, whose sales are expected to rise about 5% annually, include baby and adult, industrial, household, personal-care and other nonwoven wipes.

North America and Western Europe, together, represented more than three quarters of nonwoven consumption. Major nonwoven types used in 2001 were spunlaced and airlaid pulp, which together made up over 75% of total nonwoven consumption.

Wipes growth is driven by three key factors, the report says:

• Continued increases in the number of wipes used per diaper change in the large baby-wipes application in major developed markets, and growing penetration in emerging markets;
• Continued displacement of cloth by advanced technology nonwovens (dry and premoistened) in general-purpose industrial, foodservice, cleanroom/controlled environment, surface preparation, printing and other uses; and
• Increased consumer acceptance of new personal-care and household cleaning wipe products.