South Korea Textile Chemicals Market

South Korea Textile Chemicals Market Overview:

The South Korea textile chemical market size reached USD 510.76 Million in 2024. The market is projected to reach USD 714.49 Million by 2033, exhibiting a growth rate (CAGR) of 3.80% during 2025-2033. The market is driven by growing demand for high-performance and sustainable textiles, supported by innovations in dyeing, finishing, and coating technologies. The rise in technical textiles for automotive, medical, and industrial use further fuels growth. Government policies promoting eco-friendly manufacturing and exports, along with increasing consumer preference for functional and fashionable fabrics, also contribute significantly to market expansion boosting the South Korea textile chemical market share.

South Korea Textile Chemical Market Trends:

Regulatory Support Accelerates Sustainable Chemical Adoption

In July 2024, South Korea’s Ministry of Environment introduced a landmark directive promoting the phase-out of hazardous textile chemicals and encouraging adoption of eco-friendly alternatives. This regulatory initiative aligns with the Green Chemicals Program, which offers incentives for the development and application of biodegradable auxiliaries, low-VOC dyes, and fluorine-free finishing agents. The policy aims to reduce environmental impact from textile manufacturing by lowering effluent toxicity and encouraging sustainable chemical innovations. Consequently, manufacturers have accelerated the reformulation of textile auxiliaries to meet stringent ecological standards, with growing investments in enzyme-based treatments and silicone-free repellents. These environmentally conscious initiatives have been complemented by enhanced government funding and increased monitoring of chemical usage. The combined effect of these measures is a marked transformation in the chemical inputs used in textiles, contributing to a more sustainable industry. This regulatory momentum supports a significant structural evolution within the sector, underscoring the positive outlook of South Korea textile chemical market growth.

Advancements in Dyeing and Finishing Technologies

In January 2025, revisions to South Korea’s K-REACH regulations increased chemical registration thresholds, enabling faster approval and commercialization of innovative textile chemicals. This regulatory amendment has facilitated accelerated adoption of enzyme assisted pre-treatment agents and advanced digital inkjet dyes, which contribute to significant water and energy savings in dyeing processes. Supported by government-backed Smart Manufacturing initiatives, multiple pilot projects have been launched to integrate AI-driven controls and IoT-based monitoring systems within finishing operations. These technological innovations are widely implemented across apparel, home textiles, and industrial fabrics to enhance functionality, delivering benefits such as improved color fastness, UV protection, and antimicrobial properties. By shifting from conventional bulk chemical inputs toward precision-engineered formulations tailored for specific textile applications, manufacturers enhance better resource efficiency and meet evolving sustainability standards. This transition supports both environmental goals and product differentiation, enabling companies to stay competitive in a rapidly modernizing industry landscape. Together, these developments highlight a robust technological transformation and signify important South Korea textile chemical market trends.

Growing Demand from Diversified Textile Applications

The 2024 Textile and Fashion Industry Competitiveness Strategy Underscores South Korea’s focus on broadening the application spectrum of textile chemicals beyond traditional apparel markets. This strategy has driven growth in specialty chemicals designed for home furnishings, filtration materials, structural fabrics, and emerging smart textiles that integrate digital functionalities. These advanced textile sectors require highly specialized chemical treatments, including flame retardants, durable coatings, surface hardeners, and responsive finishes that provide enhanced performance and safety features. Chemical developers are increasingly involved at initial stages of fabric and yarn design, embedding functional properties directly into materials to meet stringent industry standards. This collaborative approach between chemical formulators and textile manufacturers drives innovation and positions specialty chemicals as crucial enablers of technical textile advancements. The shift toward diversified end-use applications drives portfolio expansion and encourages the production of higher value, tailored chemical solutions. As a result, the industry is evolving from reliance on commodity inputs to a more sophisticated value chain, emphasizing the growing importance of specialty chemicals in South Korea’s evolving textile sector.

South Korea Textile Chemical Market Segmentation:

IMARC Group provides an analysis of the key trends in each segment of the market, along with forecasts at the country and regional levels for 2025-2033. Our report has categorized the market based on fiber type, product type, and application.

Fiber Type Insights:

• Natural Fiber
• Synthetic Fiber

The report has provided a detailed breakup and analysis of the market based on the fiber type. This includes natural fiber and synthetic fiber.

Product Type Insights:

• Coating and Sizing Chemicals
• Finishing Agents
• Colorants and Auxiliaries
• Surfactants
• Desizing Agents
• Others

A detailed breakup and analysis of the market based on the product type have also been provided in the report. This includes coating and sizing chemicals, finishing agents, colorants and auxiliaries, surfactants, desizing agents, and others.

Application Insights:

• Home Furnishing
• Apparels
• Industrial Textile
• Automotive Textile
• Others

The report has provided a detailed breakup and analysis of the market based on the application. This includes home furnishing, apparels, industrial textile, automotive textile, and others.

Regional Insights:

• Seoul Capital Area
• Yeongnam (Southeastern Region)
• Honam (Southwestern Region)
• Hoseo (Central Region)
• Others

The report has also provided a comprehensive analysis of all the major regional markets, which include the Seoul Capital Area, Yeongnam (Southeastern Region), Honam (Southwestern Region), Hoseo (Central Region), and others.

Competitive Landscape:

The market research report has also provided a comprehensive analysis of the competitive landscape. Competitive analysis such as market structure, key player positioning, top winning strategies, competitive dashboard, and company evaluation quadrant has been covered in the report. Also, detailed profiles of all major companies have been provided.

South Korea Textile Chemical Market News:

• December 2024: South Korea’s LG Chem has partnered with Reifenhäuser to advance the development of Machine Direction Oriented (MDO)-PE films for recyclable packaging. The collaboration focuses on producing eco-friendly, PFAS-free films that enhance sustainability while improving production efficiency. By reducing material consumption, companies aim to replace conventional PET-PE laminates with more sustainable alternatives. Their joint efforts seek to create a complete solution for flexible mono-PE packaging, aligning with growing environmental concerns and market demands in South Korea and beyond.
• December 2024: Azelis has partnered with AAK to distribute sustainably sourced, plant-based personal care ingredients in South Korea. This new agreement expands Azelis’ portfolio by adding AAK’s full range of emollients for the beauty and personal care market. The collaboration marks their first partnership in the Asia Pacific region, following successful cooperation in the Americas. Both companies aim to meet the growing demand for eco-friendly and innovative beauty solutions, supporting sustainability and market needs in South Korea.

South Korea Textile Chemical Market Report Coverage:

Key Questions Answered in This Report:

• How has the South Korea textile chemical market performed so far and how will it perform in the coming years?
• What is the breakup of the South Korea textile chemical market on the basis of fiber type?
• What is the breakup of the South Korea textile chemical market on the basis of product type?
• What is the breakup of the South Korea textile chemical market on the basis of application?
• What is the breakup of the South Korea textile chemical market on the basis of region?
• What are the various stages in the value chain of the South Korea textile chemical market? 
• What are the key driving factors and challenges in the South Korea textile chemical?
• What is the structure of the South Korea textile chemical market and who are the key players?
• What is the degree of competition in the South Korea textile chemical market? 

Key Benefits for Stakeholders:

• IMARC’s industry report offers a comprehensive quantitative analysis of various market segments, historical and current market trends, market forecasts, and dynamics of the South Korea textile chemical market from 2019-2033.
• The research report provides the latest information on the market drivers, challenges, and opportunities in the South Korea textile chemical market.
• Porter's five forces analysis assist stakeholders in assessing the impact of new entrants, competitive rivalry, supplier power, buyer power, and the threat of substitution. It helps stakeholders to analyze the level of competition within the South Korea textile chemical industry and its attractiveness.
• Competitive landscape allows stakeholders to understand their competitive environment and provides an insight into the current positions of key players in the market.