According to customs statistics, the import and export performance of household paper and sanitary products in China in the first quarter of 2026 is analyzed as follows:
· Household Paper
In Q1 2026, China saw a year-on-year increase in exports of household paper. Imports also rose but remained at a relatively low volume.
Exports
China exported 452,200 tons of household paper in Q1 2026, representing a year-on-year growth of 27.57%. The export value reached 661 million US dollars, up 18.07% year on year. The average export price stood at 1,461.4 US dollars per ton, a year-on-year drop of 7.45%.Finished paper remained the main export category, accounting for 69.61% of total household paper exports, compared with 71.40% in Q1 2025. Toilet paper made up 27.1% of total exports, down 1.3 percentage points from 28.4% in the same period of 2025. Pocket tissues and facial tissues took the largest share among finished paper products at 34.21%, rising 0.26 percentage points from 33.95% a year earlier. The proportion of paper tablecloths and paper napkins was 8.32%, versus 9.05% in Q1 2025.
Imports
Household paper imports climbed 27.31% year on year in Q1 2026, yet the total volume was merely 9,876.01 tons, less than 10,000 tons. Base paper dominated imports, accounting for 91.14% of the total import volume.
· Absorbent Sanitary Products
China’s exports of absorbent sanitary products have maintained steady growth for years, while imports have continued to decline. In Q1 2026, the export volume of such products was far higher than imports.
Exports
Total exports of absorbent sanitary products hit 475,300 tons in Q1 2026, with an export value of 1.181 billion US dollars, up 16.63% and 10.06% year on year respectively. The average export price was 2,484.45 US dollars per ton, falling 5.63% year on year. Baby diapers remained the leading export item, accounting for 44.59% of total exports.
Imports
Imports of absorbent sanitary products amounted to 4,642.54 tons in Q1 2026, a year-on-year decrease of 18.46%, with a total import value of 48.5518 million US dollars. Thanks to the improved quality of domestic absorbent sanitary products, market demand for imported goods has further weakened.
· Wet Wipes
In Q1 2026, China’s wet wipe exports increased year on year, while imports declined. The export volume was substantially larger than imports.
Exports
China exported 266,600 tons of wet wipes in Q1 2026, a year-on-year increase of 23.76%, with an export value of 363 million US dollars, up 15.91% year on year. Cleaning wet wipes recorded an export volume of 222,700 tons, making up 83.51% of total wet wipe exports.
Imports
Wet wipe imports were low at only 5,670.88 tons, with an import value of 36.9494 million US dollars. Disinfecting wet wipes were the major imported product, accounting for 90.79% of total wet wipe imports.
Note: Under current customs commodity codes, cleaning wet wipes are classified under Code 34011990 and disinfecting wet wipes under Code 38089400. It should be noted that the two codes cover not only wet wipes but also other cleaning and disinfection products.
