In June 2026, Dalang hosted a landmark triple event combining the International Wool Textile Conference, the Knitwear Fair, and the Textile Intangible Cultural Heritage Conference. Over three days, the event generated 3.6 billion yuan in intended orders, attracted 35,000 buyers, and featured nearly 2,000 exhibitors. This marked the first time the global wool industry integrated an international summit, a full-chain exhibition, and a cultural heritage festival.
The buyer mix included top domestic brands like Huimei Fashion, UR, and SHEIN, alongside visitors from over 20 countries including Russia, France, and Poland. Buyer numbers rose 16% year-on-year, and intended order value grew 18.5%, underscoring Dalang's strengthening supply chain appeal. Two dedicated matchmaking sessions yielded immediate results: one secured 30 million yuan in deals, the other 20 million yuan in intended orders. These figures reflect downstream brands' urgent need for agile supply chains.
Functional Fabrics and Smart Manufacturing as Core Drivers
The most striking shift was the concentrated debut of functional knitwear. Waterproof, anti-static, temperature-regulating, and Japan-certified cooling yarns, along with breakthrough fire-resistant techniques, moved from labs to buyers' selection lists. For sourcing teams, this means knitwear is transforming from a seasonal item into year-round functional apparel, extending sales windows and reducing inventory risk.
In smart manufacturing, seamless knitting technology and 3D digital modeling are reshaping production logic. Traditional sample-making is replaced by digital processes, and flexible production lines accommodate small-batch, quick-response orders, making "design-to-product" a reality. For cross-border e-commerce and livestream brands reliant on rapid reorders, this production flexibility directly lowers trial costs. The sight of robotic arms dancing with intangible cultural heritage lion heads on the show floor symbolized the coexistence of craftsmanship and automation.
Intangible Heritage Adds Value
The inclusion of the 10th Textile Intangible Cultural Heritage Conference injected cultural premium into the hardcore industry. Designer Wang Dong collaborated with local companies to embroider Kirin patterns from heritage inheritor Wan Gongxue into 36 original fashion pieces, all produced in Dalang. Special exhibition zones "Weave·Core" and "Weave·Soul" displayed colorful cloud-dragon works made from yarn collage, reviving Lingnan heritage in modern knitting.
This cross-sector integration matters because cultural IP and artisan narratives can differentiate products in a price-competitive market, helping factories and brands escape commoditization. For exporters, knitwear with heritage elements often commands higher margins and longer lifecycles in Western markets.
Green Transition and Industry Synergy
The International Wool Textile Organization's global launch of the Wool Green Paper in Dalang provided a framework from regenerative grazing to traceability systems. Representatives from over 20 countries discussed green transformation and supply chain coordination, signaling that sustainability is moving from rhetoric to actionable roadmaps. Multiple agreements on heritage standards and industrial innovation were signed, indicating Dalang's evolution from a manufacturing base to a standard-setting and collaboration platform.
Looking ahead, Dalang plans to accelerate the "Dalang Knit Valley·Greater Bay Area Wool Textile Living Room" project and the "Industry-to-Industry" renovation of Xiangtou area, targeting a 100-billion-yuan industrial scale. This requires simultaneous advances in digitalization, smart manufacturing, and branding.