• Login
    • Join
  • Subscribe Free
    • Magazine
    • eNewsletter
    Checkout
    • Magazine
    • News
    • Exclusives
    • Applications
    • Technology
    • Market
    • Other
    • Top 40
    • Buyers Guide
    • Hygiene Directory
    • More
  • Magazine
  • News
  • Exclusives
  • Applications
  • Technology
  • Market
  • Other
  • Top 40
  • Buyers Guide
  • Hygiene Directory
  • Current / Back Issues
    Features
    Editorial
    Columns
    Digital Edition
    Southeast Asia Edition
    eNewsletter Archive
    Editorial Guidelines
    Subscribe Now
    Advertise Now
    eBook
    Top Features
    Fibers Report

    Household Wipes Market

    Sustainable Hygiene Products Gain Ground

    Moist Toilet Wipes Lead 2024 Growth, Baby Wipes Decline, and General-Purpose Wipes Bounce Back

    Dissolvable Wipes. Will They Be the Industry’s Next Big Thing?
    Company Cameo
    Financial News
    Machinery Equipment
    New Products
    Nonwovens News
    Patent Review
    People in the News
    Supplier News
    Top News
    Live From Shows
    Top News
    Ontex Introduces bioSAP in Baby Diapers

    Applecrumby Launches Chlorine-Free Diaper

    Essity Recognized by CDP for Sixth Consecutive Year

    New York to Mandate Diaper Labeling

    Autoneum Develops Adhesive-Free Automotive Carpet
    Nonwovens Insights
    Online Exclusives
    Adult Incontinence
    Absorbent Core
    Antimicrobials
    Apparel
    Automotive and Transportation
    Face Masks
    Chemicals / Adhesives
    Construction
    Contract Services
    Diaper, Baby
    Electronics
    Feminine Hygiene
    Fibers
    Filtration
    Flame Retardance
    Geotextile / Agrotextile
    Home Products
    Hygiene Film/Components
    Industrial / Institutional
    Inspection / Quality Control
    Machinery and Equipment
    Medical
    Wipes

    Video Bite: Technical Absorbents Finds Success in Self Healing Geo Liner Market

    Ontex Introduces bioSAP in Baby Diapers

    Applecrumby Launches Chlorine-Free Diaper

    Autoneum Develops Adhesive-Free Automotive Carpet

    Premier Care Industries Expands Manufacturing Operations
    Air Through Bonding
    Airlaid
    Carded/Carding
    Chemical Bonded
    Composite
    Meltblown
    Needlepunch
    Nanotechnology
    Spunbond
    Spunbond/Spunmelt
    Spunlace
    Thermal Bonded
    Wetlaid

    Softbond, A.Celli Collaborate on Spunbond Line

    Freudenberg to Showcase Advanced Foam Replacement at FOAM Expo

    Reifenhauser Reicofil GmbH & Co.

    Enka Tecnica GmbH / Reifenhauser Heinsberg GmbH

    Sandler Group
    China
    Eastern Europe/Russia
    India
    Middle East/North Africa
    North America
    Pacific Rim
    South/Central America
    Turkey
    Western Europe

    Premier Care Industries Expands Manufacturing Operations

    A Look At Megasoft—Asia's Vertically Integrated Hygiene Producer

    CIDPEX Middle East to be Held in September

    Pelsan Tekstil to Add Films Production in North Carolina

    Citadel J – From Round Wipes Roll to Revenue
    Associations
    Contracts / Awards
    Education
    Facilities / Capacity
    Green / Sustainability
    Legal / Regulatory
    Market Data
    Flushability
    Mergers and Acquisitions
    Product Improvement / Innovation
    R&D/Basic Research
    Shows / Events

    Premier Care Industries Expands Manufacturing Operations

    Nippon Shokubai's U.S. Group Company Acquires ISCC Plus Certification

    Joa to Acquire Cellulose Converting Solutions

    Smithers Predicts Growth for Nonwoven Battery Separators

    CIDPEX Middle East to be Held in September
    Chart
    Companies
    All Companies
    Categories
    Company Profiles
    Add New Company
    International Buyers Guide Companies
    Herrmann Ultrasonics, Inc.

    Valco Melton

    Alliance Machine and Engraving

    Dukane Center of Excellence for Personal Care, Nonwovens and Packaging

    ELSNER
    Brands
    Brand Owners
    • Magazine
      • Current / Back Issues
      • Features
      • Editorial
      • Columns
      • Digital Edition
      • Southeast Asia Edition
      • eNewsletter Archive
      • Editorial Guidelines
      • Subscribe Now
      • Advertise Now
    • Breaking News
    • Buyers Guide
      • All Companies
      • Categories
      • Company Profiles
      • Add Your Company
    • Applications
      • Absorbent Core
      • Adult Incontinence
      • Antimicrobials
      • Apparel
      • Automotive and Transportation
      • Chemicals / Adhesives
      • Construction
      • Contract Services
      • Diaper, Baby
      • Electronics
      • Feminine Hygiene
      • Fibers
      • Filtration
      • Flame Retardance
      • Geotextile / Agrotextile
      • Home Products
      • Hygiene Film/Components
      • Industrial / Institutional
      • Inspection / Quality Control
      • Machinery and Equipment
      • Medical
      • Wipes
      • Face Masks
    • Technology
      • Air Through Bonding
      • Airlaid
      • Carded/Carding
      • Chemical Bonded
      • Composite
      • Meltblown
      • Needlepunch
      • Nanotechnology
      • Spunbond
      • Spunlace
      • Thermal Bonded
      • Wetlaid
      • Spunbond/Spunmelt
    • Market
      • China
      • Eastern Europe/Russia
      • India
      • Middle East/North Africa
      • North America
      • Pacific Rim
      • South/Central America
      • Turkey
      • Western Europe
    • Other
      • Associations
      • Contracts / Awards
      • Education
      • Facilities / Capacity
      • Green / Sustainability
      • Legal / Regulatory
      • Market Data
      • Mergers and Acquisitions
      • Product Improvement / Innovation
      • R&D/Basic Research
      • Shows / Events
      • Flushability
    • Top 40 Companies
      • Chart
      • Companies
    • Online Exclusives
    • Slideshows
    • Hygiene Directory
      • Brands
      • Brand Owners
    • Experts Opinions
    • Videos
    • Podcasts
    • Infographics
    • eBook
    • Whitepapers
    • Events
      • Industry Events
      • Live From Show Events
      • Webinars
      • Live From Asian Connections
    • Jobs
    • Resources
      • Suppliers Gallery
      • Literature Showcase
      • Web Showcase
      • Home Page Showcase
    • About Us
      • About Us
      • Contact Us
      • Advertise With Us
      • Privacy Policy
      • Terms of Use
    Editorial

    The next great frontier

    ...

    Karen McIntyre, Editor03.02.18
    Some of the world’s keenest observers of the global baby diaper market were surprised by the Chinese consumers’ thirst for ultra-premium, soft baby diapers. Many of the major multinational brands entered the market with value offerings, thinking that the way to the Chinese consumers’ heart was their pocketbooks, and they were wrong. Chinese consumers rejected these products, opting instead for premium Japanese diapers forcing many companies to rethink their strategy on China.

    Japan’s Kao Corporation, the maker of Merries diapers, was probably the first success story in the Chinese diaper market. After Chinese tourists in Japan were stuffing their suitcases full of premium diapers, Kao launched them in Chinese baby shops. Other Japanese companies like Unicharm and Daio followed suit, replacing Chinese-made diapers with Japanese-made ones, and finding success.

    Western companies like P&G and Kimberly-Clark were a little slower to the change but most feel like they have finally cracked the market. In a recent earnings call, P&G said the launch of premium designs had helped it grow sales and marketshare in the country and executives remain optimistic for growth prospects.

    But should they?

    According to industry observers, there are already some rumblings of marketshare gains from local manufacturers who have the advantages of local manufacturing on their side. Also, the reversal of China’s one-child policy has not led to the baby, and subsequent, diaper boom, expected. In fact, many Chinese couples are intimidated by the thought of more than one child, both economically and emotionally. This is a generation of people who know no siblings, who were raised by a set of parents and two sets of grandparents so the thought of raising multiple children is daunting.

    So what is the next great frontier for baby diapers?

    Many say that it will be India; that is not a question of it but a matter of when. Unicharm has already invested heavily in the subcontinent and is currently adding its third plant there in an effort to catch market leader P&G and has been steadily gaining marketshare. On the supply side, new nonwovens operations from Toray and Avgol, both strong suppliers to multinational hygiene companies, should indicate that growth is expected in the near term. However, there are many local producers already operating in India, who understand the highly fragmented market, and it is too soon to say what Indian consumers will want—an ultra-premium diaper like the Chinese or a value-priced option like the many that have paved the way in many other developing markets. Surely, everyone doing business in diapers is trying to figure this one out.


    Karen McIntyre
    Editor
    Related Searches
    • Avgol
    • products
    • suppliers
    • Hygiene
    Suggested For You
    Right at Your Fingertips Right at Your Fingertips
    Spunmelt Still Sells Spunmelt Still Sells
    Bust or Boom? Bust or Boom?
    Kimberly-Clark (K-C) Kimberly-Clark (K-C)
    Turning Trash into Treasure Turning Trash into Treasure
    There’s Something About China There’s Something About China
    Kao Corporation Kao Corporation
    2017: The Year That Was 2017: The Year That Was
    Not Your Mother’s Product Not Your Mother’s Product
    K-C Earns Perfect Score on 2018 Corporate Equality Index K-C Earns Perfect Score on 2018 Corporate Equality Index
    Unicharm To Add Third Plant in India Unicharm To Add Third Plant in India
    Technavio Identifies Top Trends in Baby Wipes Technavio Identifies Top Trends in Baby Wipes
    Unicharm Strong in India Unicharm Strong in India
    Giving Diapers a Second Chance Giving Diapers a Second Chance
    Let’s Play Nice Let’s Play Nice

    Related Editorial

    • Right at Your Fingertips

      ...
      Karen McIntyre, Editor 03.02.18

    • Adult Incontinence | Diaper, Baby | Meltblown | Spunbond/Spunmelt
      Spunmelt Still Sells

      Spunmelt Still Sells

      Technology remains the clear choice in many applications.
      Karen McIntyre, Editor 02.02.18

    • Bust or Boom?

      ...
      Karen McIntyre, Editor 02.02.18


    • Kimberly-Clark (K-C)

      Kimberly-Clark (K-C)

      ...
      01.12.18

    • Diaper, Baby | Green/Sustainability
      Turning Trash into Treasure

      Turning Trash into Treasure

      Unicharm, P&G, K-C lead efforts in diaper recycling around the world
      Karen McIntyre, Editor 01.05.18

    Loading, Please Wait..
    Breaking News
    • Radienz Living Adds to Board
    • Premiere Care Expands Operations in Texas
    • Ontex Introduces bioSAP in Baby Diapers
    • Ahlstrom Receives Offer for Abrasives Business From Munksjö
    • Applecrumby Launches Chlorine-Free Diaper
    View Breaking News >
    CURRENT ISSUE

    June 2025

    • Fibers Report
    • Household Wipes Market
    • Sustainable Hygiene Products Gain Ground
    • Hygiene Goods Continue to Drive Expansion in Fluff Pulp
    • View More >