A cluster producing 900 million sweaters annually is turning intangible heritage into wearable cultural assets. On June 24, the 10th Textile Intangible Cultural Heritage Conference, the 23rd China (Dalang) Knitting Products Fair, and the 95th International Wool Conference were launched simultaneously in Dalang, Dongguan. This three-in-one model is unprecedented in China.
Background
Dalang, located at the geometric center of Dongguan with a GDP of 47.37 billion yuan, is a key global hub for wool textiles. Public data shows it produces 900 million sweaters annually, accounting for one-fifth of the world's total. This industrial town, known for the hum of knitting machines, is now trying to transform Lingnan's millennium-old cultural heritage into new momentum for industrial upgrading.
The 10th Textile Intangible Heritage Conference was co-hosted by the China National Textile and Apparel Council and the Dalang Town People's Government, with the theme 'Intangible Heritage Symbiosis, Weaving the Future.' Unlike previous editions, this conference was deeply integrated with a local professional trade fair and an international industry meeting for the first time. Since its inception in 2017, the conference has been held in Zhejiang, Beijing, Yunnan, Liaoning, Guizhou, Hebei, and Sichuan. Its arrival in Dalang capitalizes on the town's unique advantage of deep integration between industry and culture.
Industry Impact
On the opening day, multiple heavyweight cooperation agreements were signed, covering five dimensions: textile heritage standards, innovative integration of heritage and knitting products, quality service system upgrades, brand supply-demand matching, and industrial park investment. The signing of the Textile Heritage Standards and Certification Cooperation marks that heritage products will now have more authoritative and standardized industry guidelines from craftsmanship protection to market circulation. For buyers and brands, this means significantly improved traceability and quality assurance for certified heritage products.
Another notable agreement is the Strategic Cooperation for Textile Heritage and Knitting Product Innovation, involving industry associations, town government, local enterprises, designers, and heritage inheritors. This multi-stakeholder mechanism aims to solve the common pain point in heritage industrialization: 'high craftsmanship but lacking a path to mass production.' Local companies such as Yinxiang Grassland, Tongfa, Xinhongfeng, and Lanmei all participated, reflecting the cluster's collective demand for cultural empowerment.
The highlight of the opening ceremony was the 'Intangible Heritage Symbiosis, Weaving the Future' heritage fashion show. The show was divided into three chapters: 'Qilin Awakening,' 'Qilin Journey,' and 'Qilin Glory.' The core design element was the Lingnan representative intangible heritage Qilin pattern, a patented product by local Dalang artisan Wan Gongxue. From pattern extraction, original design, industrial production, to stage presentation, the entire process adhered to the concept of 'Dalang Design, Dalang Production, Dalang Presentation.' This means heritage elements have moved beyond display cabinets or performances and entered the industrial production chain.
From an industry perspective, the three-in-one model has benchmark significance. The professional fair addresses trade matching, the heritage conference provides cultural added value, and the international wool conference brings global technological perspectives—together, they chart a path for traditional wool textile industry upgrading through 'manufacturing + culture + internationalization.' Other domestic textile clusters should take note of this composite event architecture.
Practical Suggestions
For Buyers - Monitor the standardization trend of certified heritage products and invest early in product lines with cultural added value, as their premium room in European, American, Japanese, and Korean markets is expanding. - Products from Dalang's local designers collaborating with heritage inheritors, combining cultural uniqueness with mass production feasibility, are ideal for differentiated sourcing.
For Foreign Trade Enterprises - Lingnan heritage elements like the Qilin pattern have natural cultural resonance in Southeast Asian and Chinese diaspora markets, making them suitable for regional customization. - The three-in-one event signals Dalang's accelerated internationalization. Foreign trade enterprises should proactively engage with local industry associations and signatory companies to capture early dividends in standard co-building and brand cooperation.
From its first edition in 2017 to the tenth, the Textile Intangible Heritage Conference has evolved from 'showcasing heritage' to deep integration with industry and internationalization. Dalang's attempt may become a landmark moment for cultural empowerment in the textile industry.