15 January 2018
by Giulia Taveggia, CSIL Centre for Industrial Studies – Milan, Italy
The mattress industry in China is evolving rapidly. In the last ten years, Chinese people changed their attitudes towards mattresses consumption, primarily due to a fast-increasing purchasing power.
Quality, design, research in new materials and ecological issues play an increasing important role among the attributes in choosing a mattress.
Chinese mattress consumption amounted to 7 billion US$ in 2015 (at production price), increasing on average by over 20% per year in the last decade. In 2005, China accounted for just 7% of world mattress consumption and in 2015 it reached nearly 30%, ranking first in the world. Chinese consumption is expected to grow by 5% in 2017 (at current prices).
Today, thanks to a steady research in product together with an important presence of international mattress companies, there is a wide range of types of mattresses on the Chinese market, both in terms of materials, price ranges, domestic and foreign brands. Latex and natural fibres mattresses increased their importance, comparing to the pocket spring mattresses, which remain the most preferred type among Chinese consumers.
During the last decade, China’s mattress production capacity has been growing very rapidly. Until 2006, Chinese mattress production continued to growth at double-digit rates, reaching the first position in the world. The fast increase in mattress production is also largely driven by exports. The United States are by far the largest market for Chinese mattress exports, absorbing over 40% of China’s export of mattresses.
