One out of every five sweaters globally is produced in Dalan, Guangdong. On June 24, this wool textile hub hosted the 95th International Wool Textile Organization (IWTO) Congress. The core message: the wool industry is at a crossroads of green transition and standard restructuring, with China, holding the world's largest processing capacity, seeking a leading role in rule-making.
Industry Scale and Data Anchors
Dalan's wool textile industry, developed over four decades, now boasts a complete ecosystem from raw material processing to finished product design. Public data shows annual garment output exceeds 900 million pieces, with the entire supply chain's annual trade value surpassing 72 billion yuan. This scale reflects the agglomeration of hundreds of enterprises and exports to over 100 countries. Sun Ruizhe, President of the China National Textile and Apparel Council, emphasized that China's textile industry provides stability for global supply—stable supply, coordinated chains, and continuous technological investment.
Green Paper Launch: Claiming Discourse Power
The congress's highlight was the global launch of the IWTO Green Paper. This document is not a mere report but a critical tool for industry transformation. Experts noted that the core challenge is the perceived exaggeration of wool's negative environmental impact in existing data, leading to consumer bias against natural fibers. The Green Paper aims to establish unified carbon footprint accounting standards and verify wool's low-carbon, circular advantages. Subsequent plans include region-specific carbon footprint standards, wool durability standards, and forming a natural fiber industry alliance. This signals a shift from passive response to active narrative construction.
Multi-Stakeholder Dynamics and Policy Synergy
Representatives from over 20 countries participated, reflecting the industry's global nature. Thanawat Tiensin, Assistant Director-General of the FAO, reminded attendees that every wool fiber has a story of farming families, calling for a balance of tradition and innovation. Deng Xiaoding, from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, proposed four pathways: standards as a link, innovation as an engine, green as a foundation, and openness as a path. This aligns with the China National Textile and Apparel Council's call for 'innovation, shared beauty, responsibility, and openness.' For buyers, this means carbon footprint data and traceability systems will become hard requirements in supplier evaluations.
Dalan Model: From OEM to Brand
Dalan's transformation path offers industry reference. Local government explicitly aims to shift from OEM to cultural empowerment and independent branding. Specific measures include empowerment in technology, culture, and green practices. The case of Tibet Zhuopanlin Culture Co., Ltd. demonstrates an alternative: leveraging highland yak down and local wool resources, through a 'platform + workshop + school' model balancing intangible cultural heritage activation with commercial sustainability. This diversity suggests that upgrading is not a single path but a dynamic match between regional resources and global demands.
Youth Power and Industry Heritage
The congress featured a dedicated wool youth program, with dozens of young representatives from different countries introducing themselves. The program aims to help newcomers build networks across borders. Youth representative Jacques Ji noted that wool is not just an ancient craft but a cause worth passing down. This reflects industry concerns about talent gaps—attracting young people to wool amid fast fashion and synthetic fiber competition is a common global challenge.