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Analysis and Studies - Products analysis

Candles: import and export

By SkyMinder Sales Enablement Team June 13th 2024

Candles have been used as a source of light for thousands of years. Their history dates back to Ancient Egypt, where reeds soaked in melted animal fat were used as rushlights: however, it was the Romans who developed the wick candle, made from tallow or beeswax. During the Middle Ages, beeswax candles became popular for ceremonies due to their cleaner burn. But in Asia candles were produced from other materials, such as whale fat or cinnamon wax.

Over the centuries, different materials were used, making these products cheaper and more affordable. In the 19th century the electric light replaced candles as the primary source of illumination: therefore, they began to be used mainly for their fragrance as decorative items for relaxation and for ceremonial purposes.

In 2022, candles were the world's 545th most traded product, with a total trade of $5.29B. Between 2021 and 2022 the exports of Candles grew by 12.6%, from $4.7B to $5.29B.

In 2022 the country which exported candles the most was China, with a trade of $1.27B, ahead of Poland ($987M), Vietnam ($615M), United States ($257M), and Germany ($225M). Whereas as regards the top importers United States takes the first place with a trade of $1.08B, followed by Germany ($681M), United Kingdom ($373M), Netherlands ($311M), and France ($189M).

We can observe that every top exporter country has a distinct primary market but is also well diversified: these varying strategies highlight geographical proximity.

 

 

Germany and Poland are a perfect example, as their portfolios show mostly European countries as destinations. In contrast, China has a balanced portfolio, reflecting its global reach, whereas Vietnam relies heavily on the United States. The United States primarily exports to Canada, showing preference for nearby markets, but also includes a wide range of international destinations, indicating a broad global customer base.

  1. China (24%): 8.92% United States, 8.88% United Kingdom, 7.27% Germany, 6.85% Hong Kong, 5.47% Netherlands, 4.63% Poland, 4.45% Australia, 4.25% France, 2.46% Canada
  2. Poland (18.7%): 35% Germany, 9.38% Netherlands, 5.67% Belgium, 4.51% United Kingdom, 2.29% United States, 1.73% France, 1.4% Austria, 0.4% Canada
  3. Vietnam (11.6%):77.9% United States, 6.26% United Kingdom, 5.79% Canada, 2.57% Germany, 1.83% Japan,1.07% Netherlands
  4. United States (4.86%): 36.6% Canada, 13.7% United Kingdom, 8.93% United Arab Emirates, 6.29% Netherlands, 4.02% South Korea, 2.95% Australia, 1.89% Mexico, 1.05% Germany, 0.28% France
  5. Germany (4.25%): 26.1% Austria, 11.1% Switzerland, 8.62% Poland, 5.98% France, 5.6% Netherlands, 2.66% United Kingdom, 2.18% United States

The graphic highlights the importance of regional trade ties and strategic economic relationships in the global candle market.

 

 

The United States predominantly imports from Vietnam and the neighboring countries (like Canada). Germany and the Netherlands focus on intra-European trade, though while Germany imports half of the percentage of candles from Poland, whereas the Netherlands have more diverse range of international markets. Both United Kingdom and France primarily rely on European suppliers while also having China as major source.

  1. United States (20.4%): 44.5% Vietnam, 17.5% Canada, 10.5% China, 6.09% Mexico, 5.05% India, 2.1% Poland, 0.45% Germany
  2. Germany (12.9%): 51.3% Poland, 13.6% China, 9.34% Netherlands, 4.92% Hungary, 3.69% Belgium, 1.61% Czechia, 0.4% United States
  3. United Kingdom (7.06%): 30.2% China, 11.9% Poland, 11.1% Czechia, 10.3% Vietnam, 9.46% United States, 7.8% Belgium, 4.08% India, 1.73% Netherlands, 1.6% Germany
  4. Netherlands (5.87%): 29.8% Poland, 22.4% China, 20.5% Belgium, 5.21% United States, 4.53% Czechia, 4.05% Germany, 2.12% Vietnam, 0.6% India
  5. France (3.57%): 28.6% China, 17.4% Netherlands, 11.5% Belgium, 10.4% Italy, 9.04% Poland, 7.12% Germany, 1.07% Czechia, , 0.38% United States, 0.14% Vietnam

Between 2021 and 2022, the country that saw a fastest growth in exports was China with an increase of $404M, ahead of Poland ($186M), Belgium ($34.2M), France ($22M), and Germany ($19.6M).

 

 

  1. China: from $866M to $1.27B
  2. Poland: from $801M to $987M
  3. Belgium: from $139M to $174M
  4. France: from $119M to $141M
  5. Germany: from $205M to $225M

Whereas as regards the imports, Germany takes the first place with an increase of $106M, followed by Hong Kong ($81.3M), Netherlands ($43.5M), Hungary ($39.7M), and Thailand ($34.4M).

 

 

  1. Germany: from $575M to $681M
  2. Hong Kong: from $15.9M to $97.2M
  3. Netherlands: from $267M to $311M
  4. Hungary: from $40.4M to $80.1M
  5. Thailand: from $7.48M to $41.9M

Sources:

https://oec.world/en