Chitosan Market - Industry Size, Companies & Share

Chitosan Market Performance, Trends and Strategic Recommendations

The global chitosan market size was valued at USD 19.48 billion in 2024. The market is projected to grow from USD 19.48 billion in 2025 to USD 103.21 billion by 2034, exhibiting a CAGR of 20.35% during the forecast period. The growing demand for sustainable and environmentally friendly natural products from various industries is due to their benefits and applications in water treatment, pharmaceutical, biomedical, cosmetics, and food & beverage. 

Key Takeaways

• The Asia Pacific chitosan market dominated the market with the highest revenue share of nearly 46.85% in 2024.the growth of the market in the region is driven by the growing industrial sector and the adoption of sustainable alternatives.
• The North America is expected to have significant growth in the market in the forecast period. The growing cosmetic industry and government initiatives drive the growth of the market.
• By application, the biomedical segment dominated the market share of 33.11% in 2024. The growing use and demand from pharmaceuticals due to its properties for drug delivery and other applications drive the growth.
• By application, the cosmetics segment is expected to grow in the forecast period. The growth of the market is driven by antimicrobial activity and its moisturizing properties in cosmetics formulations

Market Overview

Rising Demand for Natural Materials: Chitosan Market to Expand

Chitosan is a natural polysaccharide, a type of sugar derived from chitin, which is a structural component found in the shells of crustaceans such as crabs and shrimp, as well as the cell walls of fungi. It's created through deacetylation, a process that removes some acetyl groups from the chitin molecule. Chitosan is known for being biodegradable, biocompatible, and antimicrobial. The difference from other naturally occurring polysaccharides is that it's cationic, or positively charged. This makes it useful in various fields, including medical, food, agriculture, and environmental applications. In medicine, chitosan is used for wound healing, delivering drugs, and tissue engineering.

In the food industry, it's used for preserving food, packaging, and creating dietary supplements. In agriculture, it protects plants and amends the soil. And in the environment, it's used for treating water and absorbing metals.

What are the Key Growth Drivers Responsible for the Growth of the Chitosan Market?

The key growth drivers of the market are the rising population and industrialization growing application and demand for chitosan from industries for wastewater treatment for removing microbial contamination, and heavy metals from wastewater, demand from pharmaceutical and biomedical applications due to its biocompatibility and non-toxicity, with increasing research and development to increase its applications and growth of the market.

Growing demand for food stabilizers, preservatives, and clarifying agents from the food and beverage industries, and also in the preparation of functional foods and nutraceuticals, drives the growth of the market. The growing demand for natural and sustainable products due to growing awareness of the use of renewable sources from packaging, agricultural products, and in personal care products drives the demand and also adoption of chitosan from the consumers, which helps in the growth and expansion of the chitosan market. 

Market Trends

• The growing demand for natural and sustainable products due to increasing environmental impact and awareness increases the adoption of sustainable products.
• The advancement in wastewater treatment uses chitosan as an effective agent, which is biodegradable and non-toxic, aligning with sustainability and environmental concerns.
• The increasing expansion of chitosan uses due to its application in various industries like food and beverages, biomedical, and pharmaceuticals drives the growth of the market.
• The growing research and development in production and method improvement, and making a stable formulation for various applications, fuels the growth of the market.

Report Scope

Market Opportunity

What are the Key Growth Opportunities Responsible for the Growth if the Chitosan Market?

The key growth opportunity responsible for the growth of the chitosan market is the growing and increasing demand and adoption of chitosan due to its properties, like a natural and renewable source, biodegradability, sustainability, and biocompatibility drive the demand from various industries like food and beverages, agriculture, pharmaceutical, and biomedical. Cosmetics, personal care, and wastewater treatment are due to their wide applications, which fuel the growth of the market. The growing advancement and research, and developments in new applications exploration, like bio-printing, and also in paints and coatings, further fuel the market. These applications and rising adoption drive the growth of the market and help in its expansion of the market.

Market Challenge

The High Production Cost and Limited Raw Materials Availability Hinder the Growth of the Chitosan Market

The chitosan processing, like extraction and purification, is a complex and expensive process that requires skilled labor and also needs expensive equipment, which adds to the cost of the processing and leads to a higher cost of the final product, which is a challenge in the growth of the market. The limited raw material availability and fluctuation in the raw materials supply chain due to seasonal changes are a challenge to growth. The quality of the raw material also plays a crucial role in the growth of the market, which hinders the adoption due to quality and also leads to a higher cost of the final product and affecting the price-sensitive market and productivity.

Regional Insights

How did Asia Pacific dominate the chitosan market in 2024?

The Asia Pacific chitosan market is expected to increase from USD 9.13 billion in 2025 to USD 48.41 billion by 2034, growing at a CAGR of 20.36% throughout the forecast period from 2025 to 2034. Asia Pacific dominated the chitosan market in 2024. Asia Pacific has seen significant growth in the market, and the growth is driven by rapid industrialization and a growing population, which contributes to the growth of the market. The growth of the market is also driven by factors such as increasing demand for eco-friendly water treatment solutions in the region and government initiatives for purification solutions to improve quality by removing heavy metals. The wide availability of raw materials due to the large and expanding seafood industry in the region also helps in the growth of the market. The growing and expanding pharmaceutical and cosmetics industry in the region increases the demand for chitosan due to its applications and benefits offered by the material. These applications in various industries in the region boost the growth and expansion of the market in the region. 

India has Seen a Steady and Significant Growth in the Market Due to a Shift Towards Sustainability

The growth of the chitosan market in India is driven by the rising disposable income and population, which demand for sustainable and eco-friendly products for cosmetics and other products due to shift towards sustainable and eco-friendly environment amid rising environmental concerns in the country an also due to changing preferences in adoption of the products by the consumers which fuels the growth of the market in the country. The growth is also seen due to rapid industrialization and the development of various industrial infrastructures, and the adoption of sustainable practices in the industries fuels the growth. Supportive government policies for the practice of eco-friendly and sustainability solutions further boost the growth of the market in the country and also support expansion.

• India shipped out 339 chitosan shipments from Oct 2023 to Sept 2024 (TTM). The exports done by by 49 Indian exporters to 116 buyers, with a growth rate of 10% over the previous 1 year.(Source: Volza)
• Globally China, India, and Iceland are the top three exporters of Materials Composite. China is the global leader in chitosan exports with 1830 shipments, India with 1360 shipments, and Iceland with 471 shipments.(Source: Volza) 

North America Has Seen a Steady Growth in the Market, Which Is Driven By The Growing Cosmetic Industry in the Region

North America is expected to experience significant growth in the chitosan market during the forecast period. The growing and changing references of the consumers for the use of safe, sustainable, and eco-friendly alternatives to the traditional cosmetics products, which have harmful chemical formulations, drive the demand for natural and sustainable solutions which resulting in the growth of the market in the region. Rising and expanding cosmetic industry in the region and innovation and research in the field further boost the growth of the market and also support the expansion of the market in the region. 

The United States has Seen a Strong Growth in the Market Due to Rising Wastewater Treatment Initiatives

The rising demand for wastewater management and growing governmental initiatives in municipal wastewater treatment, and growing investments for the use of bio-chemical for sustainable alternatives amid rising environmental concerns, fuel the growth of the market in the country. The demand and adoption of sustainable and effective solutions for water purification through sustainable and eco-friendly practices boosts the growth of the market in the country and also supports the expansion of the market in the country.

• The United States shipped out 296 chitosan shipments. These exports were handled by 120 Indian exporters to 147 buyers.(Source: Volza) 

Segmental Insights

Application Insights

How did the Biomedical Segment Dominate The Chitosan Market in 2024?

The biomedical segment dominated the chitosan market in 2024. Chitosan is a versatile biopolymer and is biocompatible and biodegradable. The growth of the market is driven by the growing application in biomedical fields like drug delivery, peptides, proteins, and genes, in wound healing to reduce inflammation, tissue engineering due to its biocompatibility, in cell adhesion and growth, for antimicrobial applications for biomedical devices, and wound dressing, these applications fuel the growth and adoption of the market. Chitosan also finds use in areas like gene therapy, cancer therapy, bioimaging, and as a hemostatic agent, which fuels the growth of the market. Advancements in technology, like the processing of nanoparticles, hydrogels, and nanocomposites, and the enhancement of biomedical applications, drive the growth of the market and also help in its expansion of the market. 

The cosmetics segment expects significant growth in the market during the forecast period. Chitosan is a natural polysaccharide and is used in cosmetics due to its benefits and properties for skin and hair, due to its moisturizing, film-forming, and antimicrobial properties, which make it a versatile component in cosmetics due to its safety profile and its properties, which drive the demand for the market. The growth of the market is driven by its application in skin hydration, reducing inflammation, and strengthening the skin's natural barriers by conditioning, which also attracts consumers due to its natural origin and safety. This increases adoption and fuels the growth of the market. It is also widely used in minimizing the effect and appearance of scars by promoting skin repair, and is also used in preventing infection. These application sad properties drive the growth of the market and support the expansion of the market.

Recent Developments

• In August 2024, Dyson, a well-known brand known for its innovations in hair care devices, took a significant step into the hair styling products market with the launch of its Dyson Chitosan formulations. This range signals Dyson’s entry into ingredient-driven innovation, extending its expertise beyond hardware into high-performance formulation science. At the core of the new line is a sustainably sourced chitosan, derived from oyster mushrooms and enhanced with Dyson’s proprietary Triodetic technology. The result is a flexible, long-lasting hold that maintains natural movement, free from the stiffness and crunch typical of conventional styling products.(Source: businesstoday.in) 

Top Companies List

• Qingdao Yunzhou Biochemistry Co.
• Panvo Organics Pvt. Ltd.
• Advanced Biopolymers AS
• Meron Biopolymers
• Biophrame Technologies
• United Chitotechnologies Inc.
• Heppe Medical Chitosan GmbH
• KitoZyme S.A.
• Foodchem International Corporation
• Chitosanlab
• FMC Corporation
• Golden-Shell Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd.
• Primex EHF
• Nano3Bio
• Koyo World (Hong Kong) Co. Ltd.
• Dainichiseika Color & Chemicals Mfg. Co. Ltd.
• KYTOSAN LLC

Segments Covered 

By Application 

• Water Treatment
• Pharmaceutical
• Biomedical
• Cosmetics
• Food & Beverage
• Others

By Region 

• North America 
  • U.S.
  • Canada
• Europe 
  • Germany
  • UK
  • France
  • Italy
  • Spain
  • Sweden
  • Denmark
  • Norway
• Asia Pacific 
  • China
  • Japan
  • India
  • South Korea
  • Thailand
• Latin America 
  • Brazil
  • Mexico
  • Argentina
• Middle East and Africa (MEA) 
  • South Africa
  • UAE
  • Saudi Arabia
  • Kuwait