# Nylon (PA6, PA66): Movement

Sealed bags, because nylon soaks up water

Source page: https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/nylon/movement/

What this tab covers How it moves between countries: share of output traded, physical form and transport, the largest exporters and importers, main routes, India's trade, and handling rules in transit.

#### Trade in 2024 UN Comtrade, HS 390810
 World exports $10.2 bn 83 reporting exporters · about 3.03 m t Largest exporter United States 19.2% of world exports Largest importer Germany 10.8% of world imports India imports $700.0 m
exports $28.3 m #3 importer · #26 exporter

#### Where it is exported from and imported to, 2024

Chart: World map of the largest trade flows
 Exporter (size = share of world exports) Importer (share of world imports) Shipping chokepoint UN Comtrade 2024, HS 390810: shares of reported world exports and imports by value. Country-to-country route lines are not available for this commodity yet. Hover a circle for values.

#### HS 390810: largest exporters

| Country | Share | Value (US$) | Tonnes |
|---|---|---|---|
| **United States** | 19.2% | $1.96 bn | 556k |
| **Germany** | 18% | $1.84 bn | 525k |
| **China** | 16.2% | $1.66 bn | 745k |
| **Italy** | 6.3% | $640.0 m | 195k |
| **France** | 4.6% | $468.7 m | 105k |
| **Netherlands** | 4.2% | $433.2 m | 150k |
| **Spain** | 3.7% | $374.2 m | – |
| **South Korea** | 3.1% | $312.3 m | 109k |

#### HS 390810: largest importers

| Country | Share | Value (US$) | Tonnes |
|---|---|---|---|
| **Germany** | 10.8% | $1.12 bn | 364k |
| **China** | 9.6% | $1.00 bn | 376k |
| **India** | 6.7% | $700.0 m | 318k |
| **Mexico** | 6.4% | $669.4 m | 210k |
| **Italy** | 6.4% | $663.5 m | 232k |
| **South Korea** | 4.8% | $501.8 m | 211k |
| **United States** | 4.6% | $480.2 m | – |
| **Japan** | 3.7% | $386.5 m | 133k |

 UN Comtrade 2024, reported by each country (exports by exporters, imports by importers), all partners. Some countries (for example Russia and Iran) do not report, so their shares are missing. HS codes can be broader than the tile: check the code before reading a share as the whole market.

#### How it moves

| Measure | Figure |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|
| **Share traded** | about 20-30% of output crosses borders as chips and compounds (indicative) |  |  |
| **How it moves** | Dried chips in moisture-proof bags or bulk bags; compounds in bags. Not dangerous goods. Nylon absorbs water, so packaging must be sealed. |  |  |
| **Routes and chokepoints** | China to South and Southeast Asia; Europe and US to Mexico and Asia for auto compounds. |  |  |
| **India** | India imports nylon chips and PA66 compounds mainly from China, Taiwan and Europe (indicative). HS 390810: India imported $700 million (6.7% of world imports, rank 3) and exported $28 million (0.3% of world exports, rank 26) (UN Comtrade 2024). |  |  |
| **Handling in transit** | Not dangerous goods. Upstream HMDA (UN2280, corrosive) and molten caprolactam need special handling. |  |  |

## Other sections

- [Summary](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/nylon/index.md)
- [Overview](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/nylon/overview/index.md)
- [Correlation](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/nylon/correlation/index.md)
- [Production route](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/nylon/routes/index.md)
- [Production](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/nylon/production/index.md)
- [Feedstocks](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/nylon/feedstocks/index.md)
- [Cycles](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/nylon/cycles/index.md)
- [Trading](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/nylon/trading/index.md)
- [Regulation](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/nylon/regulation/index.md)
- [Characteristics](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/nylon/characteristics/index.md)
- [Emissions](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/nylon/emissions/index.md)
- [Relationships](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/nylon/links/index.md)