Fireworks and firecrackers are a kind of folk craft made from gunpowder-based compositions. Through combustion or explosion they produce sound, light, colour and smoke, serving as traditional entertainment that originated in China during the Sui and Tang dynasties. First used to drive away evil spirits and pray for blessings, they later evolved into a folk art for Spring Festival, Lantern Festival and other holidays.

       As a signature Chinese product, fireworks and firecrackers hold an important place in world trade. China supplies 60-70 % of global exports. Customs figures show that in January-October 2025 China shipped 347,000 t of fireworks and firecrackers abroad, up 5.29 % year-on-year, earning US$952 million (+0.96 %). Average export prices fell 5.43 % compared with the same period in 2024.

  Market snapshot  

       The United States remains China’s largest outlet, taking more than 30 % of both volume and value. Within Europe (which holds six of the top-ten country slots), Germany is the second-largest destination, accounting for 12.6 % of export value at an average US$2.55/unit—an important price-sensitive segment—while the UK commands the highest European unit price (US$3.48), signalling a premium, high-value niche.

       Asia’s fireworks-hungry buyers—Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia—cluster in the US$2.10–2.60 price band, offering solid, value-for-money volumes.

Overall, Chinese fireworks exports are concentrated in the US$2–3.50/unit bracket that covers the U.S., Germany and most of Europe and South-East Asia; competition inside this mainstream price corridor is intense.

  Risk alert  

       The industry’s one-third-plus dependence on the U.S. creates a clear concentration risk. Any maintenance or increase of U.S. Section 301 tariffs would push up landed costs, erode competitiveness and squeeze margins, potentially driving order relocation and supply-chain migration over time.

  Bottom line  

       China keeps the global “volume + value” crown. Looking ahead, the sector will lean on three advantages—eco-friendly compositions, electronic ignition systems and cultural-tourism customisation—to retain the triple high ground of quantity, price and technology, remaining the irreplaceable core supplier and cultural-IP exporter in the world’s festival economy.

       As China's first data company, Big Trade Data provides import and export customs data for over 90 countries from 2010 to present. It can accurately analyze market distribution and transaction details of import and export enterprises online, and analyze transaction volumes, prices, and supply cycles. It offers reliable data for foreign trade enterprises and industry consulting firms

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