What is Estonia known for manufacturing?
Estonia is known for wood, electronics and prefabricated wooden houses. Wood products made up 18.6% of its manufacturing turnover in 2024, second in the EU after Latvia, and made-up textiles such as bed linen 1.07%, the highest share in the EU (Eurostat). Electrical equipment was the largest export group in 2025, at 15% of goods exports.
What are Estonia's main manufacturing industries?
Wood, food and electronics. In 2024 wood products other than furniture brought EUR 3.21 billion of net turnover, 18.6% of Estonian manufacturing, and food products EUR 2.87 billion, 16.6% (Statistics Estonia). Computer, electronic and optical products added EUR 1.38 billion, 8.0%. Wood's share is the second highest in the EU after Latvia (Eurostat).
| Branch | Enterprises | Net turnover | Share of manufacturing | Estonia in the EU |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wood and wood products, except furniture (C16) | 1,233 | EUR 3.21 billion | 18.6% | 2nd in the EU, after Latvia (EU 1.67%) |
| Food products (C10) | 915 | EUR 2.87 billion | 16.6% | EU average 13.93% |
| Computer, electronic and optical products | Not given here | EUR 1.38 billion | 8.0% | Not compared here |
| Furniture (C31) | 893 | EUR 604 million | 3.50% | 2nd in the EU, after Lithuania |
| Made-up textile articles (bed linen, towels, curtains) (C13.92) | 212 | EUR 185 million | 1.07% | Highest share in the EU (EU 0.18%) |
| Perfumes and toilet preparations (cosmetics) (C20.42) | 71 | EUR 43 million | Not compared here | Lowest cosmetics turnover of the five countries |
| Soap, detergents and cleaning preparations (C20.41) | 25 | EUR 59 million | Not compared here | Most turnover of the three Baltic states |
Manufacturing output was EUR 15.55 billion in 2024, below the 2022 peak of EUR 17.44 billion. About 59.6% of manufacturing sales went to buyers outside Estonia, our division of Statistics Estonia's EUR 10.15 billion of sales to non-residents by EUR 17.02 billion of sales in all.
What does Estonia export most?
Electrical equipment. Estonia exported goods worth EUR 18.6 billion in 2025, 7% more than in 2024; electrical equipment made up 15%, agricultural products and food preparations 13%, wood and articles of wood 11%, and transport equipment 10%. Statistics Estonia adds that "exports of goods of Estonian origin were up by 4% from 2024."
| Product group | Exports 2025, EUR million | Share of exports | Change on 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical equipment | 2,749 | 15% | +3% |
| Agricultural products and food preparations | 2,333 | 13% | +9% |
| Wood and articles of wood | 2,036 | 11% | +5% |
| Transport equipment | 1,873 | 10% | +12% |
| Mineral products | 1,588 | 8% | +15% |
| Machinery and mechanical appliances | 1,557 | 8% | +1% |
| Base metals and articles of base metals | 1,456 | 8% | +2% |
Goods of Estonian origin were 63% of the total; the rest were re-exports, which grew 14%. By single product, the Statistics Estonia data portal lists communication equipment (EUR 1.03 billion) and cars (EUR 929 million) first, both including re-exports, and wood carpentry (EUR 406 million) and prefabricated buildings (EUR 404 million) among the five largest.
How big is Estonia's wooden-house industry?
Prefabricated buildings brought EUR 404 million of Estonian exports in 2025, according to the Statistics Estonia data portal. Trade with Estonia, the trade-promotion brand of the Estonian Business and Innovation Agency, calls Estonia the "#1 exporter of prefabricated wooden houses in Europe". That ranking is the agency's own claim; no source opened for this page compares Europe's exporters.
The Estonian Wooden Houses export cluster, supported by the European Regional Development Fund through Enterprise Estonia, says export value was EUR 539 million in 2022 and that over 90% of production is exported (woodhouse.ee). On the buying side, the Swedish wood and furniture association TMF names Estonia first among Sweden's suppliers of prefabricated wooden houses in 2025: "De största importländerna är Estland, Litauen och Finland" (the largest import countries are Estonia, Lithuania and Finland).
Which product groups do Estonian manufacturers make for other brands?
NordSourced lists 66 manufacturers in Estonia whose own websites say they make products for other brands. By group they make food supplements (19), cosmetics (15), furniture and interior products (15), food and beverages (11), home textiles (7), household and cleaning products (2). A company that makes more than one kind of product counts in each of its groups.
Eurostat counts every enterprise in a branch and NordSourced only those that offer private label or contract manufacturing, so the two sets of numbers measure different things and should not be compared one to one.
| Product group | Manufacturers listed | Ranked list |
|---|---|---|
| Food supplements | 19 | Estonian supplement manufacturers |
| Cosmetics | 15 | Estonian cosmetics manufacturers |
| Furniture & interior | 15 | Estonian furniture manufacturers |
| Food & beverages | 11 | Estonian food and beverage manufacturers |
| Home textiles | 7 | Estonian home textile manufacturers |
| Household & cleaning | 2 | Fewer than five listed, no list page yet |
How much does manufacturing labour cost in Estonia?
EUR 19.5 an hour in 2025, the highest of the three Baltic states, less than half of Finland's EUR 43.6 and about 56% of the EU average of EUR 35.0 (Eurostat, manufacturing; our division). Labour is one part of a unit price, so a gap in labour cost is not the same gap per unit.
| Country | EUR per hour |
|---|---|
| Latvia | 14.9 |
| Lithuania | 16.4 |
| Estonia | 19.5 |
| Finland | 43.6 |
| Sweden | 47.2 |
| EU average (27 countries) | 35.0 |
Total hourly labour costs in Estonia rose 5.2% in the year to the fourth quarter of 2025, against 3.7% in the EU, according to Eurostat's release of 19 March 2026; that figure covers the whole economy. The labour cost guide compares the five countries.
Which Estonian manufacturers publish their minimum order?
8 of the 66 manufacturers listed in Estonia state a minimum order on their own website. They are below in alphabetical order, with the quantity in their own unit; the order is not a ranking. Compare a quantity only with one in the same unit and for the same service, as the minimum order guide explains.
| Manufacturer | Country | Product groups | Published minimum order |
|---|---|---|---|
| BioCC | Estonia | Food supplements | 30,000 capsules |
| HYPERPHARM (Client) | Estonia | Food supplements | 100 units (ready-made formula) |
| Lami Super Booster | Estonia | Cosmetics | 100 kg |
| Merywood | Estonia | Cosmetics, Food supplements, Pet | 2,500 units (White Label) |
| MUSHEEZ | Estonia | Food supplements | 48 bottles (100ml liquid extracts) |
| PharmaEstica | Estonia | Food supplements | 1,000 packs |
| Skarvin | Estonia | Furniture & interior | 10 sets |
| Wings2fashion | Estonia | Home textiles | 50 pieces |
How do I check an Estonian manufacturer?
Start with the e-Business Register. Search by the registry code (registrikood), 8 digits. The name and registered address there should match the quotation and the contract. Then work through how to check a private label manufacturer: proof that it makes for other brands, where your product will be made, and certificates.
Questions and answers
Is Estonia in the EU and the euro area?
Yes. Estonia has been an EU member state since 1 May 2004 and a member of the euro area since 1 January 2011, according to the European Union's country page. Goods made in Estonia move to other EU countries without customs duties and are usually invoiced in euro; a buyer outside the EU imports them under its own country's rules.
What is Estonia's biggest export?
Electrical equipment: EUR 2,749 million in 2025, 15% of goods exports (Statistics Estonia). The largest single product line was communication equipment at EUR 1.03 billion, but that line, like cars, includes re-exports. Wood carpentry (EUR 406 million) and prefabricated buildings (EUR 404 million) were also among the five largest export products of 2025.
Does Estonia make furniture for other brands?
Yes. Eurostat counted 893 furniture enterprises with 6,530 people and EUR 604 million of turnover in 2024, 3.50% of Estonian manufacturing, the second highest share in the EU after Lithuania. NordSourced lists 15 Estonian furniture and interior manufacturers whose websites say they make for other brands; see the Estonian furniture list.
Does Estonia make cosmetics?
On a small scale. Eurostat counted 71 cosmetics enterprises in Estonia in 2024 with EUR 43 million of turnover, the lowest cosmetics turnover of the five countries. Soap, detergent and cleaning products bring more turnover: 25 enterprises and EUR 59 million. NordSourced lists 15 Estonian cosmetics manufacturers that make for other brands; see the Estonian cosmetics list.
Does Estonia make home textiles?
Yes, and no EU country leans on them more. Made-up textile articles such as bed linen, towels and curtains are 1.07% of Estonian manufacturing, against 0.18% in the EU, with 212 enterprises, 2,335 people and EUR 185 million of turnover in 2024 (Eurostat). NordSourced lists 7 Estonian home textile manufacturers that make for other brands.
How big is Estonia's food industry?
Food products brought EUR 2.87 billion of turnover in 2024, 16.6% of Estonian manufacturing, and agricultural products and food preparations were EUR 2,333 million of exports in 2025, up 9%. The Estonian Food Industry Association writes that "our union has 66 member companies and two professional associations"; it says its members cover 85% of the industry's production.
Is manufacturing in Estonia cheaper than in Finland?
Labour is, by more than half. An hour of manufacturing labour cost EUR 19.5 in Estonia in 2025, against EUR 43.6 in Finland and EUR 47.2 in Sweden; Latvia (EUR 14.9) and Lithuania (EUR 16.4) were lower still (Eurostat). The unit price also depends on materials, packaging, batch size and who develops the product, so compare quotations for the same brief.
How many private label manufacturers are there in Estonia?
NordSourced lists 66, each because its own website says it makes products for other brands; 8 of them publish a minimum order. That is not every manufacturer in Estonia: companies that offer the service without saying so on their website are not counted. The ranked lists are on the Estonia page.
Which Estonian manufacturers take a small first order?
4 of the 8 Estonian manufacturers that publish a minimum order state 500 or fewer finished units, for example HYPERPHARM (Client), MUSHEEZ, Skarvin, Wings2fashion. Each figure belongs to one service, often a ready-made product rather than your own formula, so read what it covers on the manufacturer's profile before comparing; the minimum order guide explains how.
Does Estonia make food supplements for other brands?
Yes. NordSourced lists 19 Estonian food supplement manufacturers whose websites say they make for other brands; see the Estonian supplement list. Eurostat has no separate branch for food supplements, so there is no official count of supplement producers to set beside it, and no Estonian export figure for supplements was found.
Which product group has the most Estonian manufacturers on NordSourced?
Food supplements, with 19 of the 66 Estonian manufacturers listed, followed by cosmetics with 15. The count includes only companies whose own website says they make products for other brands, and a company that makes more than one kind of product counts in each of its groups.
Does Estonia's trade agency help foreign buyers find a manufacturer?
Yes. Trade with Estonia offers "a free company-specific and extensive sourcing service": a buyer fills in an enquiry form and receives a list of potential Estonian partners to contact directly or through the agency. Its sourcing page names "flexible, small-scale precision production and private label production solutions" among what Estonian suppliers offer.
Does Estonia make electronics?
Yes, though electronics is not one of the six groups NordSourced covers. Computer, electronic and optical products brought EUR 1.38 billion of turnover in 2024, 8.0% of Estonian manufacturing (Statistics Estonia), and electrical equipment was the largest export group in 2025. Trade with Estonia's promotional page says over 94% of electronics output is exported.
Where to go next
Sources
- Eurostat, Enterprise statistics by size class and NACE Rev. 2 activity (sbs_ovw_act), reference year 2024, Eurostat. Checked 12 Oct 2026.
- Eurostat, Labour cost levels by NACE Rev. 2 activity (lc_lci_lev), manufacturing, 2025, Eurostat. Checked 12 Oct 2026.
- 2025: exports of goods increased by 7% and imports by 8%, Statistics Estonia. Checked 13 Oct 2026.
- Estonia country profile, exports in 2025, Statistics Estonia data portal. Checked 13 Oct 2026.
- Industry (statistics theme), Statistics Estonia. Checked 12 Oct 2026.
- Sectors, Trade with Estonia, Estonian Business and Innovation Agency. Checked 12 Oct 2026.
- Sourcing for foreign enterprises, Trade with Estonia, Estonian Business and Innovation Agency. Checked 13 Oct 2026.
- Estonian Wooden Houses export cluster, Estonian Wooden Houses cluster (woodhouse.ee). Checked 13 Oct 2026.
- TMF i siffror, nr 1, April 2026, Trä- och Möbelföretagen (TMF), Statistics Sweden figures. Checked 13 Oct 2026.
- Estonian Food Industry Association, Eesti Toiduainetööstuse Liit. Checked 13 Oct 2026.
- Labour cost index, fourth quarter of 2025 (euro indicators, 19 March 2026), Eurostat. Checked 13 Oct 2026.
- Estonia: country profile, European Union. Checked 13 Oct 2026.
Directory figures are counted from the manufacturers listed on NordSourced, each listed because its own website says it makes products for other brands; see how we check. This page is general information, not legal advice. Found a mistake? Tell us.