A charity pool exceeding 7 billion yuan is flowing from the textile industry into education, poverty alleviation, healthcare, and cultural preservation. On September 1, the Ministry of Civil Affairs announced the 13th China Charity Award list, where the textile sector secured four spots—this is not just an honor roll but a health report on the industry's wealth philosophy and sense of responsibility.
The Industrial Underpinnings of Charitable Giving
Among this year's honorees, Xu Lianjie, former vice chairman of Hengan International, was posthumously awarded the "Charity Model" title, with personal donations exceeding 1.1 billion yuan and corporate donations over 2.1 billion yuan. Bosideng and its foundation have donated a total of 1.55 billion yuan, covering 600 counties across 30 provinces. Li Guilian, chairman of Dayang Group, has led the company to invest over 150 million yuan. Yang Xun, vice chairman of Xu Ri Group, has overseen charitable donations exceeding 3.5 billion Hong Kong dollars. Combined, these exceed 7 billion yuan in RMB.
These figures are backed by over four decades of industrial accumulation in the textile and apparel sector. Xu Lianjie started with a labor protection clothing factory in 1979, Li Guilian has deep roots in garment manufacturing, and Yang Xun's Xu Ri Group is built on textile and garment foundations—the scale of charitable investment essentially mirrors a company's ability to climb from manufacturing to branding. When a township factory grows into an industry leader, its philanthropic reach expands from local communities to national and even international arenas.
Philanthropic Models Reflect Industrial Transformation
Notably, textile enterprises are shifting from simple monetary donations to a composite model of "products plus services." Bosideng's "Warm China" initiative, now in its 20th year, donated high-quality cold-proof clothing worth over 26.5 million yuan in the 2024/25 fiscal year alone—this provides material support to people in cold regions and serves as a natural testing ground for product performance in extreme conditions.
Yang Xun's philosophy of "cultivate oneself in poverty, benefit the world in success" is embodied in Xu Ri Group's sustained investment in youth talent development and industry education. This approach of converting industrial capability into social value implies that charity is no longer a simple redistribution of profits but an extension of core competitiveness. For buyers, partnering with companies that have mature social responsibility systems often means a more stable supply chain and more reliable product quality.
Lessons for Small and Medium Enterprises
The charity list offers a coordinate system for SMEs still struggling to survive: social responsibility is not exclusive to large enterprises but can be a long-term investment starting from small entry points. When Li Guilian established her charity fund in 2008, Dayang Group had already been operating for nearly three decades. Hengan did not engage in large-scale donations at its founding in 1985 but gradually increased contributions as the company grew.
This rhythm of "strengthen first, then give" is more relevant for most SMEs—charitable investment should match cash flow and strategic stage, not blindly compete with giants. Meanwhile, the labor-intensive nature of the textile industry means that investments in employee assistance and skills training can generate more direct social benefits, areas where SMEs can more easily make an impact.
Charity as Brand Asset
From an industrial competition perspective, charity is becoming an intangible asset for textile and apparel brands. Bosideng's philanthropic footprint covers 600 counties nationwide, many of which are also potential markets for its cold-proof clothing. Hengan has long focused on maternal and child hygiene products, and its charity projects highly overlap with its product audience. While fulfilling social responsibility, charitable acts quietly strengthen consumer awareness and trust in the brand.
For export-oriented textile companies, international buyers increasingly scrutinize the social responsibility performance of supply chains. Xu Ri Group's systematic investments in poverty alleviation and education have objectively earned long-term trust from international clients. This means that charity records are becoming another competitive dimension alongside quality and delivery.