China's Mask Boom Takes Fabric Away For Nappy Makers

(@FahadShabbir)

China's mask boom takes fabric away for nappy makers

Beijing, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 26th May, 2020 ) :China's ramp-up of mask production to counter the coronavirus outbreak has claimed unlikely victims -- nappies, wet wipes and sanitary towels that are made with the same raw materials.

Manufacturers say textiles such as nonwoven fabric have been in short supply from being diverted to the more lucrative mask business, leaving producers of hygiene products high and dry.

Some firms have been forced to halve production or hike prices, with the industry expressing concern over the future of supply lines.

As the coronavirus pushed China into lockdown after surfacing in the central city of Wuhan in December, leaders embarked on a massive effort to produce enough masks for overwhelmed medical staff and the country's 1.

4 billion people.

But with everyone from carmakers to garment factories switching to mask production to meet demand, the cost of raw materials spiked, with no quick end in sight as the pandemic continues to wreak havoc worldwide.

"It's not that we lack the capacity for production, but the costs are extremely high," said Huang Tenglong, deputy general manager of diaper maker Fujian Time and Tianhe Industrial Co.

"In January, the raw material for our diapers cost around 13,000 Yuan ($1,820 per tonne) but at its peak, it went up to 140,000 or 150,000 yuan," he told AFP, referring to a period late last month as global demand for masks surged.