Product intelligence · HS 392490 · 2024 data

Plastics: household articles and hygienic or toilet articles

Global exports of plastics: household articles and hygienic or toilet articles totalled $11,485,810,275 in 2024, a +3.9% change from the previous year. Traded by 193 countries across 9,184 bilateral corridors, with demand from 200 importing markets. The long-term trend is stable.

Data: OECD BIMTS · Coverage: 19952024 · Updated: 2026-07-17

Global trade

$11.5B

+3.9% YoY

3Y / 5Y CAGR

+1.5%

5Y: +7.0%

Supply structure

Concentrated

HHI 0.354

Volatility

Low

Score 2/100

1.

Market movement

In 2024, plastics: household articles and hygienic or toilet articles trade exhibited modest growth, with global flows reaching $11,485,810,275 and a three-year compound annual growth rate of +1.5% (five-year: +7.0%). The all-time peak of $11,485,810,275 was recorded in 2024.

Over the 30-year observation window (19952024), 83% of years recorded positive growth, indicating a predominantly expanding market. Trend momentum is decelerating (-3.6% acceleration).

The World Trade Flows Characterization classifies plastics: household articles and hygienic or toilet articles as "One-way trade" in the medium price range price segment, providing additional context for market positioning and competitive dynamics.

2.

Supply & demand structure

The supply side is concentrated (Herfindahl-Hirschman Index 0.354). The three largest exporters — China ($6.8B), United States ($442.3M), and Germany ($428.3M) — collectively dominate supply flows. The leading exporter has grown at +3.9% over the last three years.

On the demand side, importer concentration is diversified (HHI 0.083). The three largest import markets are United States ($3.0B), Germany ($601.7M), and Canada ($389.6M). The largest importing market sources from 126 different supplying countries.

Estimated substitution elasticity: -5.61. Buyers are highly price-sensitive and can switch between suppliers relatively easily.

The dominant trade corridor is China → United States at $2.4B, representing 77.3% of the importer's total demand.

3.

Risk profile & trade outlook

The volatility score for plastics: household articles and hygienic or toilet articles is 2 out of 100, classified as low. Trade flows are relatively stable compared to other HS6 products, suggesting mature supply chains and predictable demand.

For market entrants, modest but steady demand provides a reasonable entry window. The concentrated supply structure suggests high barriers but also potential opportunity if dominant suppliers face disruption or capacity constraints.

Data confidence is rated "High" based on reporting coverage and consistency across OECD member and partner countries.

Historical evidence

Annual trade value 19952024

Peak: $11,485,810,275 in 2024.

YearGlobal trade (USD)YoY growth
2015$6,888,742,037-1.5%
2016$6,720,150,679-2.4%
2017$7,262,427,552+8.1%
2018$7,852,098,615+8.1%
2019$8,171,107,075+4.1%
2020$9,091,035,325+11.3%
2021$10,998,964,449+21.0%
2022$11,241,607,629+2.2%
2023$11,054,664,215-1.7%
2024$11,485,810,275+3.9%

Top exporting countries

Ranked by export value of plastics: household articles and hygienic or toilet articles in 2024.

View all 193 exporters →

Top importing markets

Largest import destinations for plastics: household articles and hygienic or toilet articles.

View all 200 markets →

Leading trade corridors

Largest bilateral export flows for plastics: household articles and hygienic or toilet articles, ranked by value. Click any country to view its full profile.

#ExporterImporterValue 20243Y CAGR
1ChinaUnited States$2.4B-0.2%
2ChinaMalaysia$346.4M+15.5%
3ChinaAustralia$268.0M+4.5%
4ChinaSingapore$262.5M+35.9%
5ChinaJapan$243.8M-8.2%
6MexicoUnited States$209.1M+11.8%
7ChinaUnited Kingdom$180.8M+1.1%
8ChinaCanada$179.0M-2.3%

Showing top 8 of 10 corridors with available data for 2024.

Go deeper

Get the full intelligence picture

Interactive charts, AI-powered opportunity scoring, competitor benchmarking, and real-time alerts for plastics: household articles and hygienic or toilet articles. Free to start — no credit card required.

Sources, definitions & methodology

Data source

OECD Bilateral International Merchandise Trade Statistics (BIMTS). Aggregated from 312M+ reported trade records across 200+ countries and 5,300+ HS6 product codes. Coverage: 19952024.

Key indicators

HHI (Herfindahl-Hirschman Index): market concentration, 0 = fully diversified, 1 = single player. CAGR: compound annual growth rate over a stated period. Volatility score: trade value variability, 0–100 scale.

How this page is made

All statistical content on this page is data-driven, composed programmatically from live OECD trade records. No generic AI-generated prose is used. Analytical paragraphs combine real data points with factual interpretation. This page was last refreshed on 2026-07-17.