Baby Carrier Market Size, Share & Industry Analysis, By Product (Soft Structure Carriers, Wrap/Sling Carriers, Backpack Carriers, and Others), By Sales Channel (Online and Offline), and Regional Forecast, 2024-2032

The global baby carrier market size was valued at USD 2.16 billion in 2023 and is projected to grow from USD 2.26 billion in 2024 to USD 3.07 billion by 2032, exhibiting a CAGR of 3.9% during the forecast period. Asia Pacific dominated the baby carrier market with a market share of 33.8% in 2023.

Parents can safely keep their babies close with wearable carriers. Baby holders are of various types, including wraps, slings, soft-structured carriers, and meh dais. The growing awareness of the benefits of baby safety and convenience products among caretakers accelerates demand for such products.  Furthermore, manufacturers’ provision of products with ergonomic designs to ensure baby comfort and safety drives the baby carrier market growth.

For instance, in October 2022, WildBird, a global provider of luxury linen-based infant slings, launched Aerial Buckle Carrier, consisting of a modern lumbar support system to distribute baby’s weight while using the product effectively.

Baby Carrier Market Trends

Increasing Spending on Baby Care to Amplify Growth

The increasing consumer expenditure on baby care products will drive global baby care market growth over the forecast period (2024-2032). Furthermore, growing awareness of the importance of infant health and development during COVID-19 pandemic influenced parents to invest in baby care products, favoring global product sales. The growing popularity of baby holders designed with proper ergonomic support among health-conscious parents uplifts customers’ spending on such products and create newer market growth opportunities worldwide. During the COVID-19 pandemic, in-person shopping restrictions increased contactless shopping trends among consumers, supporting the infant holders’ online sales growth.

Baby Carrier Market Growth Factors

Growing Baby Births to Increase Product Demand

Post COVID-19 pandemic, the growing number of baby birth rates has increased the product demand across many countries globally. Increasing disposable income and awareness of baby care products featuring enhanced baby care, safety, and comfort accelerated the global market growth. According to the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), the birth rate count at the end of 2021 in the U.S. reached 3.66 million, 1% up over the previous year.

Preference Toward Infant Carriers to Surge Product Demand

Caretakers can flexibly feed babies while wearing baby holders over prams and strollers. Infant carriers are often more portable and easily maneuver than prams and strollers. Increasing parents’ preference for wearing travel-friendly infant carriers to feed babies accelerates product demand. These products allow parents to keep their hands free and their babies close. These products’ hands-free convenience influences parents to buy such products, driving market growth.

RESTRAINING FACTORS

Incidences of Neck Pain Due to Excessive Usage of Baby Carriers to Restrain Growth

Incidences of neck and back pain due to excessive product usage limit the product demand globally. Infant holders exhibit a limited range of weight-holding capacity, providing hindrances to the customers with have healthy babies. This aspect will restrain the global market growth in the coming years.

Baby Carrier Market Segmentation Analysis

By Product Analysis

Significant Demand for Soft Structure Carriers of Ergonomic Designs Boosted Segment Growth

The global baby carrier market analysis can be conducted based on various products, such as soft structure carriers, wrap/sling carriers, backpack carriers, and others.

The soft structure carriers segment exhibited majority market share in 2023. Soft-structured carriers are designed with padded shoulder straps and waist belts and are often made of highly engineered designs. These products are designed with an ergonomic shape that supports the natural position of a baby's hips and spine, promoting a healthy hip & back development of the baby. Higher customers’ preference for the highly-functional and ergonomically designed infant convenience and safety products result significant revenue generation from soft-structured carriers.

Wrap/Sling Carriers segment grow at a faster rate followed by soft structure and backpack product categories during the forecast period of 2024-2032. Carrier wraps enable mothers to practice baby-carrying activity, accelerating first-time mothers’ demand for easy to use baby carriers of wraps/slings carrier category. Increasing customers’ preference for backpack holders while traveling mainly drives backpack carriers’ segmental revenues.

Other carriers, including hip seat carriers, mei-Tai carriers, and wraps, are often designed with ergonomic considerations. These carriers provide proper support to the babies and the wearers, distributing the weight evenly and promoting healthy hip & spine development for the baby. The focus on ergonomic design contributes to their popularity.

By Sales Channel Analysis

Hands-on Experience Provided by Offline Stores Fostered Segment Growth

Based on sales channel, the global market is segregated into offline and online.

The offline segment held a major market share in 2023. Offline retail stores allow customers access and have trials of infant carriers of ergonomic designs and comfort features. Furthermore, offline stores provide an advantage of immediate availability. Consumers who need a child carrier urgently may opt for offline channels to avoid waiting for shipping times associated with online purchases.

REGIONAL INSIGHTS

The global infant carrier market has been split into Asia Pacific, North America, Europe, South America, and the Middle East & Africa on the basis of geography.

Asia Pacific market size stood at USD 0.73 billion in 2023. Asia Pacific exhibited a major global baby carrier industry share in 2023 due to significant customer spending on baby care products in China, India, and Japan. Furthermore, a growing number of middle-income households preferring comfortable and affordable baby care products favor the region’s market growth. Increasing manufacturers’ provision of innovative baby care products in Japan and Southeast Asia also drives product demand in the region. For instance, in July 2023, according to a published report by Trade and Investment Queensland (TIQ), entrepreneurs in Japan have been focusing on launching fan-cooled baby carriers to help babies stay safe and comfortable in extreme heat.

Market growth in North America is driven by the increasing spending of U.S. and Canadian customers on premium-priced infant carriers with minimalistic design features. Furthermore, increasing disposable income of the households in the U.S. and Mexico supports to the product demand.  According to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, in November 2023, disposable personal income in the U.S. rose to USD 20,510.37 billion, up from USD 20,438.45 billion in October 2023.

In Europe, parents have increasingly recognized the benefits of keeping their babies close, promoting bonding and facilitating hands-free caregiving. This cultural acceptance will drive the product demand in Europe during the forecast period of 2024-2032. Furthermore, increasing customer spending on travel-friendly backpacks and evolving outdoor recreational trends accelerate backpack carriers’ revenue in the region. According to the European Union (EU), from 2020 to 2023, the number of trips in Europe increased by 51%. Furthermore, from 2021 to 2023, the number of trips in the region increased by 23%.

Rising adoption of online shopping of baby care products among parental households in Brazil and Argentina mainly drives South American market growth. The growing number of supermarket establishments in South Africa and Saudi Arabia drives the Middle East & African market growth.

List of Key Companies in Baby Carrier Market

Manufacturers Provision of Smart Technology-based Infant Carriers to Uplift Market Growth

Continual manufacturers’ development of smart technology into infant carriers enables them to increase product sales and build market positions globally. For instance, in September 2020, Studio Volpi Srl, an Italy-based smart product designer, introduced the ‘Baby First Smart Carrier’, a smart infant carrier made of technologically advanced features to provide maximum safety and comfort to babies.

LIST OF KEY COMPANIES PROFILED

• ERGObaby Carrier Inc. (U.S.)


• Infantino LLC (U.S.)


• BabyBjörn AB (Sweden)


• Combi Corp (Japan)


• Tomy Co.Ltd (Japan)


• Tula Baby Carriers (U.S.)


• Boba Inc. (U.S.)


• Beco Baby Carrier (U.S.)


• Moby Wrap (U.S.)


• Goodbaby International Holdings Limited (China)

KEY INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENTS

• March 2023 –BabyBjörn, a Swedish baby products company, introduced a new color variant for two highly sought-after products, presenting them in a stylish dark purple hue. The newly offered dark purple versions include the Baby Carrier Mini and Bouncer Bliss, both crafted from cotton.


• October 2022: Wildbird, a renowned producer of premium linen baby slings and various baby products, introduced the Aerial Buckle Carrier. This innovative carrier is available in two size ranges (XS-XL and L-4XL) and is specifically designed to carry infants up to 45 lbs from birth comfortably.


• July 2022 –Ergobaby, a leading baby care company, partnered with AllThingsBaby.com, an online marketplace dedicated to curating mother and child products. This noteworthy collaboration is anticipated to expand the company's offerings, incorporating a diverse range of top-quality, genuine, and finely crafted baby items sourced from over 50 global brands.


• April 2021: Ergobaby, a leading baby care company, introduced the Tula Linen Baby Carrier. The product is crafted from French Flax and combed cotton, imparting a unique texture and visual appeal to its solid color design. Furthermore, the fabric is derived from plant-based sources and is naturally hypoallergenic and breathable, making it well-suited for warmer climates.


• March 2021 –Baby K'tan, a popular baby products company, collaborated with HEIQ Materials Swiss AG, a Swedish material supplier, to introduce a novel infant holder incorporating advanced fabric equipped with V-Block Antimicrobial technology.

REPORT COVERAGE

The baby carrier market research report analyzes the market in-depth and highlights crucial aspects such as key players’ business overview, products, and sales channel areas. Besides this, the market report provides insights into the market trends and highlights significant industry developments. In addition to the aspects mentioned earlier, the report on the baby carrier market outlooks several factors contributing to the market's growth over recent years.

Report Scope & Segmentation