Natural products are closely connected to the ecosystems they come from. At Kunsheng Shell, we believe that respecting natural resources and supporting sustainable development are essential not only for protecting the environment, but also for building a business that can operate responsibly for the long term.
As a direct processor and supplier of abalone shells, we therefore believe it is important to be transparent about where our shells come from and how they enter our supply chain.
Our abalone shells mainly come from two sourcing systems: farmed abalone from China and imported New Zealand and Australian abalone used by China’s premium seafood, restaurant and hotel industries. Although their origins are different, they share an important principle: our shells come from established and legally regulated abalone industries rather than from unknown or illegal harvesting sources.
Chinese Abalone Shells: From Fujian’s Farming Industry
Fujian is the center of our Chinese abalone shell supply and one of the most important abalone farming regions in China.
According to the Fujian Provincial Department of Ocean and Fisheries, Fujian produced approximately 200,000 metric tons of farmed abalone in 2024, accounting for around 80% of China’s total production and ranking first in the country.
This large farming industry creates a stable supply of abalone for the food market. After the abalone meat is removed for consumption, the natural shell remains as a by-product that can be collected and put to further use.
This is the main source of the Chinese abalone shells supplied by Kunsheng Shell.
Two Main Farmed Abalone Types in Our Chinese Shell Range
Our Chinese abalone shell range mainly comes from two farmed abalone types, which differ in growth characteristics and the shell sizes they typically produce.
Our Mini and Small shells, approximately 3–8 cm, mainly come from Haliotis discus hannai, commonly known as Pacific abalone. This has long been an important farmed abalone species in Fujian and generally produces the smaller shell sizes found in this part of our range.
Our Medium and Large Chinese shells, approximately 8–13 cm, mainly come from a cultivated hybrid known in China as Lüpan Abalone (绿盘鲍). This variety was developed by a research team at Xiamen University and was officially approved as a new aquaculture variety in China. 
Our Micro 1–2 cm abalone shells also come from the juvenile stage of the same Lüpan Abalone hybrid. In other words, the Micro shells and our larger hybrid Chinese shells are not different species—the Micro shells are simply shells from the early growth stage of the same cultivated hybrid.
Lüpan Abalone is the F1 hybrid of female Haliotis discus hannai and male Haliotis fulgens:
♀ Haliotis discus hannai × ♂ Haliotis fulgens
The variety was developed for characteristics including faster growth, better heat tolerance and the ability to reach substantially larger sizes than traditional farmed Haliotis discus hannai. These characteristics are also why the larger Chinese shells in our supply are typically associated with this hybrid variety.
The exact species, origin and source information for each size range is also listed directly on our individual product pages.
From a sourcing perspective, the key point is simple: our Chinese abalone shells originate from an established aquaculture industry, not from the harvesting of wild abalone for their shells.
New Zealand Paua and Australian Abalone Shells
Our New Zealand Paua and Australian abalone shells mainly come from premium seafood, restaurant and hotel channels in China.
These large abalone are imported into China as high-value seafood products. After the abalone meat is consumed, the shells become one of our sources of abalone shells.
Our New Zealand shells are Blackfoot Paua (Haliotis iris), while our Australian shells are Blacklip Abalone (Haliotis rubra). Our Australian range also includes Greenlip abalone (Haliotis laevigata) shells in the 8–10 cm size range.
Abalone harvesting in New Zealand and Australia is regulated, including minimum legal size requirements. Abalone must reach the required size before they can legally enter commercial harvest and sale channels. The large shells in our supply come from mature abalone that have entered established commercial seafood channels.
For us, the important point is simple: these shells are recovered from established premium seafood, restaurant and hotel channels in China after the abalone has been used as food, rather than being obtained through unknown or illegal harvesting.
Clear Sources, Responsible Sourcing
Whether from Fujian’s established abalone farming industry or from New Zealand and Australian abalone used by premium seafood, restaurant and hotel channels in China, the principle behind our sourcing is simple: we know where our shells come from, and we source them through established and legitimate supply channels.
For us, this is an important part of responsible sourcing and long-term wholesale supply.
Explore our Abalone Shell Wholesale Collection to view our current range of Chinese natural abalone shells, New Zealand Paua shells and Australian Blacklip Abalone shells.
For wholesale quantities, available sizes or current stock, please contact Kunsheng Shell directly.