Overview of China’s Tissue Paper and Sanitary Products Trade in the First Half of 2024
Based on customs data, China’s tissue paper products continued to show a trade surplus in the first half of 2024, with significant growth in export volume. The import volume of absorbent hygiene products and wet wipes continued to decrease, while export activities remained robust. Below is a detailed analysis of the import and export situation for various products:
Tissue Paper
Exports:
In the first half of 2024, the export volume of tissue paper saw a significant increase of 31.93%, reaching 653,700 tons, with an export value of $1.241 billion, up 6.45% year-over-year. The export of raw paper saw the largest increase, growing by 48.88%. However, finished paper products (toilet paper, handkerchiefs, facial tissues, napkins, etc.) still dominated, accounting for 69.1% of total tissue paper exports. The average export price of tissue paper decreased by 19.31% year-over-year, with a general decline in the average export price across various products. The trend in tissue paper exports shows increased volume with reduced prices.
Imports:
The import volume of tissue paper in China slightly increased in the first half of 2024, amounting to approximately 17,800 tons, predominantly consisting of raw paper, which made up 88.2% of imports.
Currently, domestic production and variety of tissue paper products can meet the local market demand. From a trade perspective, the domestic tissue paper market is primarily export-oriented, with relatively low import volume and value, resulting in minimal impact on the domestic market.
Absorbent Hygiene Products
Exports:
The export scale of absorbent hygiene products from China steadily grew in the first half of 2024, reaching a total of 724,000 tons, with an export value of $1.985 billion. There was growth in the export volume of female hygiene products, baby diapers, and adult incontinence products, although the average export price decreased. Baby diapers accounted for the largest share, making up 40.0% of total exports.
Imports:
The total import volume of absorbent hygiene products has been declining annually, with a reduced impact on the industry. In the first half of 2024, imports amounted to only 12,500 tons, a sharp decrease of 36.16% compared to the same period in 2023. Baby diapers still dominated imports, accounting for 53.9%, but their import volume decreased significantly by 44.64%. The import volume of sanitary pads and tampons, which had previously been stable, also showed a notable decline in 2024. This reduction in demand for imported products is attributed to increased domestic production capacity, improved product quality, and a declining birth rate, reducing the target consumer base.
Wet Wipes
In the first half of 2024, China’s export volume of wet wipes far exceeded its import volume, demonstrating strong competitiveness in the international market.
Exports:
The export volume of wet wipes surged by 55.74% year-over-year to 396,600 tons, primarily consisting of cleaning wipes, which accounted for 78.5% of exports. The average export price of wet wipes was significantly lower than the import average, indicating potential for growth in high-value functional wet wipes in the international market.
Imports:
The import volume of wet wipes in the first half of 2024 was only 12,500 tons, a decline of 26.51% year-over-year, with minimal impact on the domestic market.
| 2024 China’s import and export of household paper and sanitary products | |||||||
| Export | |||||||
| Productcode | product name | Amount/Dollar | Teaching/t | average price/ (Dollar/t) | Compared with the same period last year/% | ||
| Amount | Teaching | average pricegrid | |||||
| Total tissue paper | 1,241,067,978 | 653,671.290 | 1,898.61 | 6.45 | 31.93 | -19.31 | |
| 48030000 | Original | 226,170,212 | 202,215.992 | 1,118.46 | 12.11 | 48.88 | -24.70 |
| 48181000 | toilet paper | 382,560,125 | 192,319.668 | 1,989.19 | 1.98 | 20.34 | -15.26 |
| 48182000 | Handkerchiefs, facial tissues | 471,985,579 | 194,200.129 | 2,430.41 | 2.16 | 25.27 | -18.45 |
| 48183000 | Paper tablecloths, paper napkins | 160,352,062 | 64,935.501 | 2,469.41 | 26.34 | 44.99 | -12.86 |
| Total absorbent hygiene products | 1,985,011,569 | 724,434.229 | 2,740.09 | 2.93 | 18.68 | -13.27 | |
| 48189000 | Fine pulp, fine etc.His family, health or medicalHospital supplies | 317,028,458 | 162,610.441 | 1,949.62 | 17.60 | 25.61 | -6.37 |
| 96190011 | Diapers for babiesand diapers, of any materialsystem | 870,583,377 | 290,103.509 | 3,000.94 | 5.72 | 17.35 | -9.91 |
| 96190019 | Any other materialDiapers and diapers | 250,107,444 | 103,582.405 | 2,414.57 | 9.31 | 18.05 | -7.41 |
| 96190020 | Hygienic products made of any materialtowel(Pads)and hemostasisPlug | 314,227,591 | 65,276.650 | 4,813.78 | -20.57 | 0.70 | -21.47 |
| 96190090 | Diapers of any materialLinings and other items listed in this headingSimilar products | 233,064,699 | 102,861.224 | 2,265.82 | 11.38 | 26.72 | -12.11 |
| Wet wipes total | 619,139,133 | 396,602.932 | 1,561.11 | 16.54 | 55.74 | -25.17 | |
| 34011990 | Cleaning Wipes | 456,233,451 | 311,246.698 | 1,465.83 | 35.30 | 64.08 | -17.54 |
| 38089400 | Disinfectant wipes | 162,905,682 | 85,356.234 | 1,908.54 | -15.98 | 31.38 | -36.10 |
| import | |||||||
| Productcode | product name | Amount/Dollar | quantity/t | average price/ (Dollar/t) | Compared with the same period last year/% | ||
| Amount | quantity | average pricegrid | |||||
| Total tissue paper | 23,512,829 | 17,843.819 | 1,317.70 | 0.91 | 6.94 | -5.65 | |
| 48030000 | Base paper | 18,025,210 | 15,734.811 | 1,145.56 | 11.47 | 15.72 | -3.67 |
| 48181000 | toilet paper | 1,569,669 | 590.030 | 2,660.32 | -46.85 | -60.56 | 34.75 |
| 48182000 | Handkerchiefs, facial tissues | 3,211,696 | 1,262.912 | 2,543.09 | 0.08 | 6.33 | -5.87 |
| 48183000 | Paper tablecloths, paper napkins | 706,254 | 256.066 | 2,758.09 | -27.13 | -36.56 | 14.88 |
| Total absorbent hygiene products | 94,323,342 | 12,546.579 | 7,517.85 | -44.00 | -36.16 | -12.27 | |
| 48189000 | Pulp, paper, etc.His family, health or medicalHospital supplies | 11,062,728 | 1,482.704 | 7,461.18 | 64.42 | 45.64 | 12.89 |
| 96190011 | Diapers for babiesand diapers, of any materialsystem | 30,492,785 | 6,765.414 | 4,507.16 | -55.14 | -44.64 | -18.97 |
| 96190019 | Any other materialDiapers and diapers | 849,044 | 238.994 | 3,552.57 | -3.63 | 23.05 | -21.68 |
| 96190020 | Hygienic products made of any materialtowel(Pads)and hemostasisPlug | 51,732,702 | 3,996.422 | 12.944.75 | -43.70 | -33.93 | -14.79 |
| 96190090 | Diapers of any materialLinings and other items listed in this headingSimilar products | 186,083 | 63.045 | 2,951.59 | -80.41 | -63.30 | -46.61 |
| Wet wipes total | 84,106,209 | 12,505.398 | 6,725.59 | -8.56 | -26.51 | 24.43 | |
| 34011990 | Cleaning Wipes | 3,652,632 | 968.245 | 3,772.43 | -52.40 | -69.21 | 54.70 |
| 38089400 | Disinfectant wipes | 80,453,577 | 11,537.153 | 6,973.43 | -4.5? | 16.82 | 14.73 |
*Note: In current customs product codes, cleaning wipes are classified under code 34011990, and disinfectant wipes under 38089400. These codes also include other cleaning and disinfectant products.*
