When the three top global wool industry events—the 23rd 'Knitwear Fair', the 10th Textile Intangible Heritage Conference, and the 95th International Wool Conference—opened simultaneously in a single town, it signaled more than a simple exhibition overlap. It marks a shift for a cluster with an annual transaction value exceeding 72 billion yuan, moving from being a 'manufacturing base' to a 'rule-maker'. One out of every five sweaters worldwide comes from here. This figure is backed by over four decades of accumulation in Dalang, Dongguan, and drives its sprint toward a 100-billion-yuan scale.
Data-Backed Industrial Foundation
Dalang's full knitwear industry chain has an annual transaction value exceeding 72 billion yuan, supporting its title as the 'World's Knitwear Capital'. This year's fair is expected to attract over 30,000 visitors globally, reflecting sustained international demand for China's knitwear supply chain. Notably, Dalang operates 150,000 computerized knitting machines, including nearly 10,000 seamless integrated forming machines, achieving high digital coverage in core processes. This hardware foundation delivers a clear efficiency gain: the design-to-delivery cycle for a sweater has been reduced from 7-10 days to 2-3 days, with product pass rates exceeding 99%. For global fast-fashion brands and custom orders, this responsiveness significantly lowers inventory risk.
Three Pillars of Technological Upgrading
Signals from the exhibition indicate that Dalang's technological upgrade is moving from point breakthroughs to systemic restructuring. First, the release of the AI sweater large model is a key milestone. This model can intelligently generate designs, create patterns, and automatically decompose process parameters, essentially converting designer experience into reusable digital assets. For small and medium buyers, this means development tasks that once required expensive designers can now be done at lower cost through digital tools.
Second, functional yarns are no longer just concepts. Nano-grade waterproof, oil-proof, and stain-resistant yarns, cooling and UV-blocking yarns, and heat-generating yarns are transforming sweaters from simple warm garments into functional technical carriers. Dalang develops nearly 10,000 new yarn varieties annually, holding two-thirds of China's fancy yarn patents, indicating that upstream material innovation has formed a regional moat.
Third, the centralized debut of full-process digital management systems marks an extension from 'production intelligence' to 'management digitalization'. The knitwear ERP big data system connects all data nodes—orders, production, warehousing, logistics, and sales—enabling buyers to track production progress and inventory dynamics in real time. This transparency is a trust-building factor for overseas orders requiring strict delivery and quality control.
Chemical Reaction Between Heritage and Manufacturing
Another highlight is the deep integration of textile intangible heritage with knitwear manufacturing. Thirty-six original knitwear pieces incorporating heritage motifs like the Qilin pattern were co-created by local enterprises and designers. This is not mere cultural branding; it transforms traditional patterns into modern design language. From an industry perspective, heritage elements offer a differentiated brand premium. In a global market increasingly driven by price wars, sweaters that tell a cultural story can command higher margins. Dalang's curated heritage fashion shows and the 'Lychee Red' cultural tourism week essentially convert industrial exhibitions into consumption scenes, attracting more international buyers and end consumers.
Regional Strategy with Global Ambition
Dalang's next step is the 'Dalang Knit Valley – Greater Bay Area Woolen Textile Living Room' project. Located at the exit of Metro Line 1's Dalang station, it is positioned as a comprehensive service platform facing the world. Its core building, 'Dalang's Eye', serves as both a landmark and a vehicle for the region's brand globalization. From an industrial cluster perspective, this project will integrate scattered manufacturing resources into a unified display window, reducing matchmaking costs for overseas buyers. Meanwhile, the Dalang Knitwear Global Index released at the 95th International Wool Conference will provide a global benchmark for prices, capacity, and trends, marking a shift from 'being priced' to 'participating in pricing'—a critical step for gaining industry influence.