China’s Foam Mattress Exports Hit Record High in 2025
PUdaily | Updated: March 10, 2026
China’s Foam Mattress Exports Reach Record High in 2025 amid Global Demand Recovery
In 2025, China exported 158,696 tons of foam mattresses, a 3% increase from 154,040 tons in 2024, extending the recovery trajectory observed over the past three years. Exports rose from roughly 132,000 tons in 2023 to above 150,000 tons in 2024 as global demand recovered, and continued to grow steadily in 2025 on that elevated base. This marks a structural shift in China’s foam mattress export sector from post-pandemic recovery toward a more stable, higher plateau .
Source: GACC – China Sponge Mattress Export Volume (Tons), 2023–2025
China’s foam mattress exports exhibited a pronounced V-shaped seasonal pattern on a monthly basis in 2025. Exports reached an annual low of 7,604 tonnes in February, followed by a swift rebound in March. Momentum strengthened significantly from Q3 onward: volumes remained consistently within the 14,800-15,200-tonne range during August-October, peaking at 15,231 tons in October—the highest monthly figure recorded in the past three years. Year-on-year comparisons reveal that nearly all months in 2025 registered substantial growth relative to 2023; however, growth versus 2024 was comparatively muted, indicating normalization of overseas inventory levels and diminishing restocking impulses.
Source: GACC – China Sponge Mattress Export Volume (Tons), 2025
By destination, China’s foam mattress exports follow a “dual-core, multi-regional support” structure. The United States (23,698 tons) and Japan (22,759 tons) remained the two largest markets. US demand expanded notably from Q3 onward—consistent with concentrated retail restocking activity in the latter half of the year—while Japanese demand remained relatively stable. Within Europe, Germany (13,597 tons), France (8,634 tons), and the United Kingdom (7,585 tons) constituted the core consumption cluster, though growth momentum remained subdued.
Asia-Pacific and emerging markets have evolved into critical supplementary channels. Australia (11,316 tonnes) demonstrated notable resilience; South Korea (7,195 tonnes) maintained moderate growth; and Mexico (8,277 tonnes) posted robust performance, reflecting enhanced regional absorption capacity in Latin America, partly driven by North American supply-chain diversification initiatives. Smaller markets such as Poland and Thailand sustained steady import volumes. “Others” collectively accounted for 47,631 tonnes (about 30% of total exports), underscoring an ongoing structural shift away from overreliance on traditional Western markets toward a more geographically diversified export portfolio.
From a value-chain perspective, flexible polyurethane (PU) foam serves as the principal raw material for foam mattresses. It is typically produced by reacting polyether polyols with toluene diisocyanate (TDI), yielding a lightweight, resilient, breathable, and durable material widely employed in mattresses, upholstered furniture, and automotive seating. Owing to these functional attributes, polyurethane-based materials are incorporated in over 70% of globally produced mattresses. The rapid adoption of vacuum-compressed (rolled) mattresses via e-commerce platforms in Europe and North America has further elevated the strategic importance of PU foam products in China’s export mix, given advantages in compressibility and logistics costs. Concurrently, TDI price volatility continues to exert measurable influence on manufacturers’ input costs and their export competitiveness.
At the end-consumer level, mattress demand reflects long-term macroeconomic and demographic drivers—including housing market activity, household formation trends, and upgrading of home consumption standards. In mature markets such as the US and Europe, average mattress replacement cycles span 8-10 years, resulting in broadly stable underlying demand—though cyclical upticks often coincide with improvements in housing sales or consumer sentiment. Meanwhile, the rapid expansion of online mattress sales has benefited Chinese exporters, whose vertically integrated manufacturing capabilities and responsive supply chains position them advantageously to capture e-commerce opportunities.
China’s foam mattress exports are projected to remain stable in the near to medium term, but the underlying growth drivers are undergoing structural change. First, demand in mature Western markets is expected to grow moderately, increasingly propelled by product innovation and brand differentiation rather than volume expansion. Second, the main incremental demand is expected to come from emerging regions—Southeast Asia, the Middle East and parts of Latin America—where rising incomes and accelerated urbanization are expanding home-furnishing consumption.
Furthermore, product upgrading will be a central strategic priority for the industry. In recent years, memory-foam mattresses, low-VOC polyurethane materials, and recyclable foam manufacturing technologies have garnered increasing attention. As international environmental regulations tighten and consumers place heightened emphasis on healthy indoor environments, future flexible PU products will be evaluated increasingly on environmental performance, ergonomic comfort, and durability. Chinese manufacturers must therefore complement cost competitiveness with sustained investment in technology and product innovation.
In summary, China’s foam mattress export sector progressed through three distinct phases between 2023 and 2025: post-pandemicrecovery (2023), rapid expansion (2024), and consolidation (2025). Surpassing the 150,000-tonne threshold in 2025 signifies that the industry has established a structurally resilient export platform. While Chinese firms are expected to retain strong global market presence, competitive intensity is set to increase. Firms that proactively expand into high-potential emerging markets, accelerate product upgrades and build internationally recognized brands will be best positioned to secure leadership in the next phase of industry evolution.
