Hand Towel Market Report 2025

This Hand Towel market report provides a comprehensive analysis of the market’s characteristics, size, and growth, including segmentation, regional and country-level breakdowns, competitive landscape, market shares, trends, and strategies. It also tracks historical and forecasted market growth across various geographies.

The hand towel market size has grown strongly in recent years. It will grow from $3.06 billion in 2024 to $3.25 billion in 2025 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.2%. The growth in the historic period can be attributed to sanitation awareness, hospitality sector growth, household necessity, industrial and commercial demand, eco-friendly initiatives.

The hand towel market size is expected to see strong growth in the next few years. It will grow to $4.03 billion in 2029 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.5%. The growth in the forecast period can be attributed to customization and personalization, innovation in material science, rising health and hygiene concerns, online retail and e-commerce, changing consumer lifestyles. Major trends in the forecast period include smart textiles and iot integration, sustainable and biodegradable materials, designer and fashionable towels, anti-microbial and anti-viral properties, subscription services.

The expanding consciousness about hygiene globally stands as a pivotal driver fostering growth within the hand towel market. With hygiene being a crucial element in preventing the spread of various infectious diseases like cholera, diarrhea, Ebola, and most recently, the COVID-19, the importance of regular hand-washing, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic, has been underscored. For instance, in May 2023, according to the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF), a US-based United Nations agency, in 2022, 3 out of 4 people globally had access to basic hygiene services. This heightened awareness across nations is anticipated to significantly stimulate the hand towel market.

The burgeoning trend in global tourism is poised to be a catalyst for the hand towel market's expansion. Global tourism, encompassing travel for leisure, business, and diverse purposes across national and international borders, is contributing to escalated demands for hand towels. Hospitality venues, restaurants, airlines, and tourist attractions witness a surge in demand for quality hand towels. Additionally, the vacation rental sector, spas, special events, and wellness centers are also reaping benefits from the burgeoning tourism industry, further boosting the need for hand towels. In June 2022, the World Economic Forum reported a notable 182% upsurge in international tourism during the first quarter of 2022 compared to the previous year, affirming the profound influence of global tourism in propelling the hand towel market's growth.

Manufacturers focusing on the production of forest-friendly paper towels are witnessing an upward trajectory. These towels, derived from a blend of bamboo and sugarcane, are considered environmentally sustainable as they are produced without the use of forest resources. Notably, Who Gives A Crap, specializing in eco-friendly, zero-waste, and plastic-free household products, offers durable 2-ply paper kitchen towels crafted from tree-free materials, providing both eco-friendliness and practicality.

In the competitive landscape of the hand towel market, major companies are actively innovating new products to secure a competitive advantage. An illustration of this is Luxome, a US-based bedding company that, in January 2022, unveiled two distinct towel collections including the Plush Performance and Spa Collections. These offerings boast cutting-edge features, incorporating patented dual-loop technology for accelerated drying and luxurious materials, particularly a composition of 60% bamboo viscose. The Plush Performance line exhibits a 30% faster drying rate compared to cotton towels, while the Spa Collection offers an opulent experience, characterized by enhanced softness and moisture-wicking properties. Both collections hold the OEKO-TEX Standard 100 certification, ensuring freedom from harmful substances.

In December 2022, Marcal Paper Mills, Inc., a US-based manufacturer of recycled and eco-friendly bath, towel, and tissue products, acquired von Drehle Corporation for an undisclosed amount. This acquisition is part of Marcal Paper Mills' strategy to offer sustainable and high-quality paper products while maintaining a strong focus on environmental responsibility. von Drehle Corporation, a US-based manufacturing company, specializes in producing paper products and hygiene solutions for the commercial and industrial markets.

A hand towel is a rectangular piece of absorbent paper made from tissue paper, as opposed to cloth. Paper towels have the ability to absorb water due to their loose weaving, allowing water to move between the sheets even against gravity, a phenomenon known as the capillary effect. They are available in various forms, including individually packed stacks of folded towels or coiled rolls. Paper towels serve similar purposes to traditional towels, such as drying hands, wiping hands or the face, cleaning windows, dusting, and cleaning up spills.

The primary product types of hand towels are rolled paper towels, boxed paper towels, and multifold paper towels. Multifold towels are paper hand towels that are folded into three layers in an accordion shape. Before folding, these 1-ply towels typically measure about 9.2 inches by 9.4 inches in sheet size. Hand towels are distributed through various channels, including supermarkets, hypermarkets, convenience stores, specialty stores, online platforms, and others. They find use in both residential and commercial applications.

The hand towel market research report is one of a series of new reports that provides hand towel market statistics, including hand towel industry global market size, regional shares, competitors with a hand towel market share, detailed hand towel market segments, market trends and opportunities, and any further data you may need to thrive in the hand towel industry. This hand towel market research report delivers a complete perspective of everything you need, with an in-depth analysis of the current and future scenario of the industry.

Major companies operating in the hand towel market include Kimberly-Clark Corporation, The Procter & Gamble Company, Svenska Cellulosa Aktiebolaget SCA, Hengan International Group Company Limited, Vinda International Holdings Limited, Asaleo Care Limited, Sofidel S.p.A., Georgia-Pacific LLC, WEPA Group, Metsä Tissue Corporation, CMPC Tissue S.A., KP Tissue Inc., Cascades Inc., Asia Pulp & Paper Group (APP), Towel Depot Inc., Springs Global US Inc., 1888 Mills LLC, J.R. United Industries Inc., Sunvim Group Co. Ltd., Aldar Tissues, EverShine Textile Co. Ltd., Wausau Paper Corp., Nine Space LLC, Santens NV, Towel Manufacturer USA, GM Exports, Dunroven House Inc., QIANXIANG Textile Co. Ltd., Behrens Group, WHR GmbH, Laguna Beach Textile Company, Dock and Bay Ltd., Koch Industries Inc., Covenant Tex Co. Ltd., Trident Limited, Vardhman Textiles Limited.

Asia-Pacific was the largest region in the hand towel market in 2024. North America was the second largest region in the hand towel market. The regions covered in the hand towel market report are Asia-Pacific, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East, Africa. The countries covered in the hand towel market report are Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Russia, South Korea, UK, USA, Canada, Italy, Spain.

The hand towel market consists of sales cotton, lyocell, linen, and synthetic microfibers. Values in this market are factory gate values, that is the value of goods sold by the manufacturers or creators of the goods, whether to other entities (including downstream manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors, and retailers) or directly to end customers. The value of goods in this market includes related services sold by the creators of the goods.

The market value is defined as the revenues that enterprises gain from the sale of goods and/or services within the specified market and geography through sales, grants, or donations in terms of the currency (in USD, unless otherwise specified).

The revenues for a specified geography are consumption values that are revenues generated by organizations in the specified geography within the market, irrespective of where they are produced. It does not include revenues from resales along the supply chain, either further along the supply chain or as part of other products.

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