One out of every five sweaters worldwide comes from Dalan, Dongguan, a wool textile town with an annual transaction volume exceeding 72 billion yuan. On June 24, the 95th International Wool Textile Conference convened here, signaling that the traditional textile industry stands at a crossroads, shifting from a 'manufacturing scale' paradigm to dual paradigms of 'smart and experience economies'. The conference redefined wool—an ancient natural fiber—as a carrier for digital health lifestyles.
Industry Fundamentals: Resilience Amid Divergence
Sun Ruizhe, President of the China National Textile and Apparel Council, disclosed key data: from January to April 2025, revenue of large-scale textile enterprises fell 0.3% year-on-year, but total profit surged 19.3%, with profit margin recovering to 2.9%. This indicates the industry is repairing profitability while shrinking in volume.
However, investment divergence is stark. From January to May 2025, fixed asset investment in the textile sector grew 10.8%, while apparel and chemical fiber sectors dropped 10.3% and 14.5% respectively. Capital is shifting from downstream garment manufacturing to midstream fabrics and yarns. China's textile exports have exceeded USD 300 billion for six consecutive years, with textile exports up 1.7% and apparel exports down 1.6%—confirming a structural shift from 'world garment factory' to 'global fabric supply center'.
Technology Variable: AI is Rewriting Cost Structures
The conference theme 'Smart Weaving the Future' is not empty talk. Data shows China's textile industry has a digitalization rate of 63.2% in key links, above the manufacturing average. But the real game-changer is AI penetration. For example, Jiangsu Yueda Textile's 'Lighthouse Factory' reduced labor per 10,000 spindles by 70%, boosted labor productivity fourfold, cut energy consumption by 15%, and lowered processing costs by 26%. Semir's AI-assisted design system improved design efficiency by 35% and pattern design by over 200%. Bosideng's 'AI Aesthetic Brain' reduced sample development costs by more than 60%.
What do these figures mean for buyers? The traditional decision model of 'visit factories, see samples, compare prices' is becoming obsolete. The core competitiveness indicator will no longer be 'production capacity' but 'data assets' and 'computing power deployment'. Anoky's move from dye production to AI computing, building a full-chain ecosystem from 'dyes to ink to digital printing to AI design to IP cultural creativity', is a typical signal.
Market Logic: From 'Efficiency First' to 'Experience First'
Consumers are segmenting. The conference noted that health, emotional connection, and self-expression are core demands, with social media accelerating information generation and dissemination. This means textile value is no longer determined solely by 'material + craftsmanship', but by 'story + data + experience'. Wool, as a natural fiber, aligns perfectly with the 'health' and 'sustainability' trend, but must be made traceable and interactive through digital technology.
The global AI market reached USD 757.58 billion in 2025, and is expected to exceed USD 900 billion by 2026. Meanwhile, the IMF has downgraded global economic growth forecasts for 2026 to 3.1%. Squeezed between low growth and high-frequency volatility, textile enterprises must find new value anchors. The conference's answer: shift from 'selling fabric' to 'selling data-driven healthy lifestyle solutions'.