That dollar amount reflects an average 20.5% gain for all product shippers over the five-year period starting in 2017 when shipments of glass-related commodities were worth $72.1 billion.
Year over year, the value of exported glass and glassware accelerated by 17.7% from $73.8 billion during 2020.
Made principally from silica, glass is a hardened material that is typically transparent but can also be produced in many different colors and textures. Glass-related products include architectural glass, mirrors, stained glass windows, glass tiles, eyeglasses as well as many household items such as bottles, jars and pitchers.
The 5 biggest glass exporters are mainland China, Germany, United States of America, France and Hong Kong. Collectively, that quintet of major exporters generated almost half (48.1%) of overall international sales for glass as a material plus glassware products during 2021.
Among continents, suppliers in Asia sold the highest dollar worth of exported glass and glassware during 2021 with shipments valued at $40.8 billion or 47% of the overall total. In second place were European exporters at 40.9% while another 9.6% of worldwide glass and glassware shipments originated from suppliers in North America.
Smaller percentages came from Africa (1.3%), Latin America (1%) excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean, and Oceania (0.1%) led by Australia and New Zealand.
Main Types of Glass Exports
For research purposes, the 2-digit Harmonized Tariff System code prefix is 70 for glass and glassware. There are many subcategories, but the major types are:
- Glass fibers, glass wool and related articles (16.2% of the overall total)
- Glass containers including bottles, jars, pots, bottles (15.5%)
- Tempered and laminated safety glass (13.3%)
- Sheet glass (13.2%)
- Tableware, kitchenware, bathroom items, indoor glass decorations (11.1%)
- Glass mirrors (9.2%)
- Cast glass, rolled glass (4.7%)
- Miscellaneous glass items (4.4%)
- Insulating units of glass (2.6%)
- Glass beads, imitation pearls or precious stones (2.2%)
- Laboratory or pharmaceutical glassware (1.5%)
The above subcategories represent 93.9% of exported glass and glassware sales in 2021.
Top Glass and Glassware Exports by Country
Below are the 15 countries that exported the highest dollar value worth of glass and glassware during 2021.
- China: US$21.6 billion (24.8% of exported glass/glassware)
- Germany: $7.8 billion (9%)
- United States: $5.6 billion (6.5%)
- France: $3.5 billion (4%)
- Hong Kong: $3.26 billion (3.8%)
- Japan: $3.21 billion (3.7%)
- Italy: $3 billion (3.5%)
- Poland: $2.7 billion (3.1%)
- Belgium: $2.51 billion (2.9%)
- South Korea: $2.2 billion (2.5%)
- Czech Republic: $2.13 billion (2.5%)
- Mexico: $2.09 billion (2.4%)
- Taiwan: $2.06 billion (2.4%)
- Spain: $1.8 billion (2.1%)
- Malaysia: $1.6 billion (1.9%)
By value, the listed 15 countries shipped 75% of global glass/glassware exported in 2021.
Among the top exporters, the fastest-growing glass/glassware exporters since 2020 were: Belgium (up 27.9%), Malaysia (up 26.2%), Poland (up 24.1%) and Spain (up 23.6%).
Only the top supplier Hong Kong posted a decline in its exported glass and glassware via a flatlining drop since 2020.
Countries Earning Greatest Surpluses from Global Glass Trade
The following countries posted the highest positive net exports for glass and glassware during 2021. Investopedia defines net exports as the value of a country’s total exports minus the value of its total imports. Thus, the statistics below present the surplus between the value of each country’s exported glass and glassware and its import purchases for that same commodity.
- China: US$13.7 billion (net export surplus up 30.8% since 2020)
- Germany: $1.7 billion (up 21%)
- Czech Republic: $1.1 billion (up 16.7%)
- Poland: $909.8 million (up 21.6%)
- Hong Kong: $903.7 million (up 12.9%)
- Malaysia: $829 million (up 49.1%)
- Japan: $739.2 million (down -1.2%)
- Italy: $449.3 million (down -23.1%)
- Egypt: $441.6 million (up 50.2%)
- Bulgaria: $423 million (up 5.8%)
- Mexico: $348.9 million (down -2.2%)
- Taiwan: $270.8 million (up 14.4%)
- Turkey: $224 million (up 6.9%)
- Luxembourg: $154.6 million (up 4.8%)
- Belgium: $112.4 million (reversing a -$22.4 million deficit)
Mainland China generated the highest surplus in the international trade of glass and glassware. In turn, this positive cashflow confirms China’s strong competitive advantage for this specific product group.
Countries Causing Largest Deficits from Global Glass Trade
The following countries posted the highest negative net exports for glass and glassware during 2021. Investopedia defines net exports as the value of a country’s total exports minus the value of its total imports. Thus, the statistics below present the deficit between the value of each country’s imported glass and glassware purchases and its exports for that same commodity.
- United States: -US$3.9 billion (net export deficit up 52.9% since 2020)
- Canada: -$2.1 billion (up 16.5%)
- United Kingdom: -$1.3 billion (up 37.4%)
- Australia: -$773.2 million (up 19.2%)
- France: -$754.3 million (up 71.8%)
- Singapore: -$749.3 million (up 1.4%)
- South Korea: -$709.5 million (up 106.8%)
- Switzerland: -$570.5 million (up 1.9%)
- Netherlands: -$482 million (up 18.7%)
- Sweden: -$439.3 million (up 8.2%)
- Brazil: -$430.1 million (up 30.8%)
- Vietnam: -$420.4 million (down -31.6%)
- Romania: -$416.9 million (up 17%)
- Israel: -$412.1 million (up 46.4%)
- Norway: -$384.7 million (up 19.7%)
The United States of America incurred the highest deficit in the international trade of glass and glassware. In turn, this negative cashflow highlights America’s competitive disadvantage for this specific product category but also signals opportunities for glass and glassware-supplying countries that help satisfy the powerful demand.
Glass-Related Export Companies
Below are global producers that represent established players engaged in the international trade of glass and glassware ranging from crystal glassware, glass ceramics, tempered glass and Venetian glass. Shown within parenthesis is the home country where the headquarters is located.
- AGC Inc. (Japan)
- Barovier & Toso (Italy)
- Corning Incorporated (United States)
- Duralex (France)
- Fuyao Glass Industry Group (China)
- Moser AS (Poland)
- Schott AG (Germany)
- Val Saint Lambert (Belgium)
According to global trading platform Alibaba, the following suppliers are examples of companies engaged in the international trade of glass sheets. The home-country location for each business is shown within parentheses.
- Emerge Glass India Private Ltd. (India)
- MP Ventures (United States)
- Rheix Italia SRL (Italy)
- Sun Aluminium Holdings (Hong Kong)
- Sungil Innotech (South Korea)
- Tsy Fong Glass Co. (Taiwan)
- Wakodo Co. (Japan)
- Zouping Daixi Industry And Trade Co. (China)
Searchable List of Glass and Glassware Exporters in 2021
In the automated database below, the 100 key nations that export glass and glassware account for 99.96% of related exports by value during 2021.
| Rank | Exporter | Glass Exports (US$) | 2020-1 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | China | $21,550,080,000 | +17.5% |
| 2. | Germany | $7,806,736,000 | +17.9% |
| 3. | United States | $5,634,457,000 | +13.8% |
| 4. | France | $3,500,331,000 | +16% |
| 5. | Hong Kong | $3,258,893,000 | -0.9% |
| 6. | Japan | $3,205,925,000 | +7.7% |
| 7. | Italy | $3,016,349,000 | +20% |
| 8. | Poland | $2,673,887,000 | +24.1% |
| 9. | Belgium | $2,514,293,000 | +27.9% |
| 10. | South Korea | $2,196,190,000 | +11% |
| 11. | Czech Republic | $2,134,101,000 | +17.6% |
| 12. | Mexico | $2,089,513,000 | +20.5% |
| 13. | Taiwan | $2,061,011,000 | +7.8% |
| 14. | Spain | $1,810,004,000 | +23.6% |
| 15. | Malaysia | $1,630,972,000 | +26.2% |
| 16. | Netherlands | $1,593,424,000 | +29.3% |
| 17. | Turkey | $1,357,757,000 | +29% |
| 18. | United Kingdom | $1,293,637,000 | +11.8% |
| 19. | Vietnam | $1,221,376,000 | +38.6% |
| 20. | Austria | $1,078,271,000 | +22.6% |
| 21. | India | $1,039,176,000 | +36.4% |
| 22. | Russia | $932,099,000 | +32.7% |
| 23. | Hungary | $881,435,000 | +12% |
| 24. | Thailand | $819,169,000 | +18.4% |
| 25. | Portugal | $688,973,000 | +18.4% |
| 26. | Canada | $638,984,000 | +14.2% |
| 27. | Bulgaria | $621,154,000 | +12.8% |
| 28. | Slovakia | $612,894,000 | +9.7% |
| 29. | Egypt | $598,323,000 | +40.7% |
| 30. | Switzerland | $554,245,000 | +29.8% |
| 31. | Singapore | $553,272,000 | +38.7% |
| 32. | Sweden | $507,767,000 | +19.3% |
| 33. | Saudi Arabia | $443,790,000 | +110.7% |
| 34. | United Arab Emirates | $386,055,000 | -22.2% |
| 35. | Denmark | $378,206,000 | +9.4% |
| 36. | Indonesia | $310,195,000 | +11.4% |
| 37. | Romania | $277,859,000 | +36.2% |
| 38. | Luxembourg | $277,414,000 | +11.5% |
| 39. | Croatia | $261,250,000 | +24.8% |
| 40. | Slovenia | $254,390,000 | +23.4% |
| 41. | Finland | $249,992,000 | +8.8% |
| 42. | Brazil | $245,186,000 | +27.8% |
| 43. | Ukraine | $244,627,000 | +17.1% |
| 44. | Ireland | $208,222,000 | +78.2% |
| 45. | Latvia | $202,173,000 | +23.8% |
| 46. | Lithuania | $188,156,000 | +7.3% |
| 47. | Belarus | $174,813,000 | -21.3% |
| 48. | Colombia | $166,726,000 | +23% |
| 49. | Estonia | $161,371,000 | +24.5% |
| 50. | Bahrain | $157,784,000 | +67.5% |
| 51. | Iran | $154,754,000 | -38.4% |
| 52. | South Africa | $153,388,000 | +35% |
| 53. | Morocco | $145,969,000 | +35.3% |
| 54. | Serbia | $117,276,000 | +39.5% |
| 55. | Costa Rica | $111,676,000 | +67.7% |
| 56. | Peru | $99,227,000 | +31.3% |
| 57. | Kyrgyzstan | $90,246,000 | +212.2% |
| 58. | Chile | $89,792,000 | +38.6% |
| 59. | Guatemala | $85,134,000 | +12.2% |
| 60. | Norway | $83,209,000 | +13% |
| 61. | Moldova | $75,661,000 | +40.6% |
| 62. | Philippines | $75,454,000 | +12.6% |
| 63. | Australia | $65,857,000 | +14.8% |
| 64. | Tunisia | $65,803,000 | +36.5% |
| 65. | Greece | $55,482,000 | +43.2% |
| 66. | Nigeria | $55,007,000 | +18670% |
| 67. | Argentina | $53,657,000 | +10.7% |
| 68. | Tanzania | $44,206,000 | +20.3% |
| 69. | Laos | $40,931,000 | +4014% |
| 70. | Pakistan | $34,211,000 | +64.4% |
| 71. | Algeria | $33,601,000 | +38.8% |
| 72. | Uzbekistan | $30,423,000 | +48.3% |
| 73. | Israel | $29,805,000 | -16% |
| 74. | North Macedonia | $27,993,000 | +53.3% |
| 75. | Bosnia/Herzegovina | $27,262,000 | +25.2% |
| 76. | New Zealand | $26,449,000 | +34.6% |
| 77. | Kuwait | $26,125,000 | -56% |
| 78. | Oman | $25,289,000 | -25.4% |
| 79. | Sri Lanka | $20,328,000 | +19.3% |
| 80. | Kenya | $15,340,000 | +13.1% |
| 81. | Armenia | $14,830,000 | +15.7% |
| 82. | Bangladesh | $13,716,000 | +44.4% |
| 83. | Azerbaijan | $13,277,000 | +1395% |
| 84. | Paraguay | $11,216,000 | +5.7% |
| 85. | Myanmar | $10,663,000 | +76.1% |
| 86. | Trinidad/Tobago | $9,659,000 | -26.5% |
| 87. | Turkmenistan | $8,806,000 | +38.4% |
| 88. | Ecuador | $8,164,000 | -37.4% |
| 89. | Angola | $8,035,000 | +169.1% |
| 90. | Cambodia | $7,607,000 | -3.6% |
| 91. | Dominican Republic | $7,274,000 | +116% |
| 92. | Malta | $6,795,000 | +16.9% |
| 93. | Ethiopia | $6,051,000 | +168.9% |
| 94. | Venezuela | $5,910,000 | +276.7% |
| 95. | Kazakhstan | $5,714,000 | +9.1% |
| 96. | Tokelau | $5,217,000 | +1078% |
| 97. | Lebanon | $4,586,000 | -14.6% |
| 98. | Panama | $4,402,000 | -73.2% |
| 99. | Albania | $2,942,000 | -35.3% |
| 100. | Sierra Leone | $2,771,000 | +117.8% |
Focusing our analysis on the 100 biggest exporters of glass and items made from glass, the fastest growers were Laos (up 4,014% from 2020), Nigeria (up 1,870%), Azerbaijan (up 1,395%), Tokelau (up 1,078%) and Venezuela (up 276.7%).
Leading the year-over-year decliners were Panama (down ¬-73.2%), Kuwait (down -56%), Iran (down -38.4%), Ecuador (down -37.4%) and Albania (down -35.3%).
You can change the presentation order by clicking the triangle icon at the top of the columns above. An entry of 0% in the right-most column means that no 2020 data was available.
See also Top Sunglasses Exporters by Country, Cement Exports by Country, Top Sand Exporters by Country, Top Nickel Exporters by Country and Iron Ore Exports by Country
Research Sources:
Alibaba, Supplier showroom for glass sheets. Accessed on June 25, 2022
Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook Field Listing: Exports – Commodities. Accessed on June 25, 2022
Forbes Global 2000 rankings, The World’s Biggest Public Companies. Accessed on June 25, 2022
International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on June 25, 2022
Investopedia, Net Exports Definition. Accessed on June 25, 2022
Wikipedia, Category:Glassmaking companies by country. Accessed on June 25, 2022
Wikipedia, Glass. Accessed on June 25, 2022
