Segmentation, occasions and improved efficacy drive upgrades in laundry and fabric care.
Zoey Song, Senior Analyst, China Insights
Market Definitions
Laundry and fabric care products: laundry detergents, fabric conditioners/softeners and other laundry aids.
- Laundry detergents: detergents in any format, including liquids, powders, capsules, tablets and soap bars.
- Fabric conditioners and softeners: standard and concentrated conditioners and softeners, in-wash scent boosters and dryer sheets.
- Laundry aids: includes stain removers, ironing aids, bleaches and colour care products.
Excluded:
Sales to professional laundries, self-service laundries and consumer-to-consumer (C2C) sales such as on WeChat commerce and Taobao.
Collapse All
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Executive summary
- Definitions
- What you need to know
- Laundry and fabric care sales show steady growth
- Graph 1: best- and worst-case forecast of total value sales of laundry and fabric care products, 2019-26
- Market factors
- Brand competition and product innovation
- Consumer demand: insights and opportunities
- What we think
-
The market
- Market size and forecast
- Laundry and fabric care sales show steady growth
- Graph 2: best- and worst-case forecast of total value sales of laundry and fabric care products, 2019-26
- Market factors
- Consumer interest in essential houshold care products still strong
- Graph 3: changes in spending on household care products, 2022-25
- Laundry habit stability underpins resilience and growth
- Graph 4: frequency of hand-washing, 2020-25
- Graph 5: frequency of machine-washing, 2020-25
- Usage rates of most laundry products recovering
- Graph 6: usage rate of laundry and fabric care products, 2024-25
- Ecommerce platforms grow their share of low-price sales
- Graph 7: laundry and fabric care product volume sales, by price segment, 2023-25
- Graph 8: laundry and fabric care product volume sales, by price segment, 2023-25
- Push refinements in multi-drum/mini machines to meet complex needs
- Amid strong demand for specialised, convenient products, machine washing of wool and down is new area of focus
- Outdoors trend spurs demand for specialised products for functional apparel
- Graph 9: outdoor activities participation rate, 2022-25
- Market segments
- Fabric care sub-category boosts category growth
- Graph 10: laundry and fabric care category growth rate, 2020-24
- Graph 11: sub-category value sales of laundry and fabric care products, 2020-24
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Companies and brands
- Market share
- Emerging channels enliven the market, as product development balances price with sophisticated fragrances
- Traditional brands use short video to drive sales and share, but also face costs and profitability issues
- Dettol and Vanish drive Reckitt Benckiser market share gains
- Lycocelle refines fragrances to achieve rapid revenue growth
- New product trends
- New hand washing product launches shine bright, while conditioners and softeners lose lustre
- Graph 12: proportion of new launches in the laundry and fabric care category, 2024-25
- Machine washing product launches surge as stain removers and fabric fresheners show renewed vitality
- Graph 13: proportion of new launches in the laundry and fabric care category, June 2022-May 2025
- Machine washing launches: liquids rise, capsules fall as powder makes a comeback
- Graph 14: proportion of new machine washing product launches, June 2022-May 2025
- New machine washing launches: as most claims decline, convenience claims remain common
- Graph 15: proportion of new machine washing product launches, June 2022-May 2025
- New laundry detergent launches: occasion-driven concepts and naturalness narratives
- New capsule launches: multi-chamber formats, concentrated formulas add value
- New laundry powder launches: no prewash, no soak claims spur trading up
- Innovative product formats offer effective cleaning with no prewash
- Hand washing launches: naturalness, convenience claims promote specialisation and trading up
- Graph 16: proportion of new hand washing product launches, June 2022-May 2025
- Hand washing launches: focus on ingredients and an enhanced user experience
- New softener launches: spotlight on fragrance, multifunctional garment care
- Natural, refreshing notes grow as parfumier scents heat up
- Graph 17: proportion of new launches in the laundry and fabric care category, by fragrance, June 2022-May 2025
- Fresh and clean, natural fragrances meet needs for comfort and peace of mind
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The consumer
- Laundry needs hold steady as product variety grows
- High frequency laundry is the norm, while hand washing is here to stay
- Graph 18: laundry frequency, 2025
- Hand and machine washing coexist with convenience, delicate care demands
- Graph 19: consumers’ laundry and fabric care habits, 2025
- Laundry frequency depends on family structure, as households with children launder more often
- Graph 20: frequency of machine washing, by age and living situation, 2025
- Graph 21: frequency of hand washing, by age and living situation, 2025
- Use of traditional laundry products remains stable, demand for delicate care rebounds
- Use of traditional laundry products remains stable, demand for specialisede care products rebounds
- Graph 22: usage of laundry detergents, 2024-25
- Usage of fabric care products rebounds, scent boosters impress
- Graph 23: usage of laundry and fabric care products, 2024-25
- High frequency users look for high-efficiency, specialised care products, potential of low frequency users yet to be tapped
- Graph 24: usage of laundry and fabric care products, by frequency of machine washing, 2025
- Differentiate demand, expand use occasions to drive product innovation, upgrades
- Demand for functional benefits drives innovation, amid widespread use of advanced products
- Graph 25: laundry and fabric care product preferences, 2025
- Graph 26: laundry and fabric care habits, 2025
- Scenario-based demand evolves from basic cleaning to encompass specialised care
- Graph 27: usage rate of laundry and fabric care products, by occasion, 2024-25
- Conditioners & softeners: daily, seasonal occasions lead, with room for further segmentation
- Graph 28: usage occasions for fabric conditioners/softeners, 2025
- Germicide liquids: most used after going out, but domestic sanitisation also shows potential
- Graph 29: usage occasions for germicide liquid, 2025
- In-wash scent boosters: high penetration in sports occasions, lifestyle concepts encourage daily use
- Graph 30: usage occasions for in-wash scent boosters, 2025
- Basic cleaning and fabric care pain points drive product upgrades
- Core cleaning issues remain unresolved as demand diversifies
- Graph 31: laundry and fabric care pain points, 2025
- Consumers focus on quality of post-laundry care products
- Graph 32: laundry and fabric care pain points (net), 2025
- Users of softening agents want softness, with room for refined upgrades
- Graph 33: not soft enough after washing pain point, by usage of softeners/laundry capsules, 2025
- Multigeneration households care about odour, gentle claims valued by pet owners, people with sensitive skin
- Graph 34: ‘clothes after drying cause skin irritation’ pain point, by profile, 2025
- Graph 35: ‘unable to completely remove odours’ pain point, by profile, 2025
-
Issues and insights
- User upgrades: high frequency consumers focus on fabric care while low frequency users urgently need cultivating
- Stratification intensifies, with high frequency users likely to trade up and low frequency users a key target
- Target high frequency users with added convenience and functionality
- Innovative products extend the lifespan of clothing
- Popularise value of clothing care among low frequency consumers, encourage habitual use
- Use occasions drive product development as emotional engagement lifts quality of life
- Occasions drive upgrades, penetration in fabric care products
- All-in-one products for rainy days show seasonal marketing potential
- Highlight common odour removal benefits of in-wash scent boosters
- Focus on home textile care occasions to meet quality-of-life expectations
- Segment fragrances by emotional scenario to unleash potential for trading up
- Diversify product focus with upgraded integration of features
- Fabric care pain points are diverse and complex, as segmented demand, fabric innovations drive product upgrades
- Diversified fabric care needs drive ongoing optimisation of product features
- Segment by cause of odour to address diverse odour removal scenarios
- Pet-owning households balance cleanliness and gentleness, expand functions to open up new segments
- Active innovation in functional fabrics means new opportunities for convenient products, solutions
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APPENDIX – MARKET SIZE AND FORECAST, RESEARCH METHODOLOGY AND ABBREVIATIONS
- Market size and forecast
- Methodology
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