When the textile industry is no longer satisfied with the label of 'world factory', a policy-driven brand upgrade battle has begun. The 'Textile and Apparel Excellence Brand Cultivation Action Plan (2026-2028)', jointly issued by five Chinese ministries, sets quantified targets for the first time to force industrial transformation: cultivate at least 25 premium brands in three years, with a simultaneous evaluation index system. This is not just a race for brand numbers, but a deep restructuring from a manufacturing gene to a brand gene.
Policy Anchor: From Scale to Value
The core of the plan lies in the orientation of 'quality first, selecting the best among the strong'. Sun Ruizhe emphasized that the target of 25 brands is not a simple number, but a guide for the industry to concentrate high-quality resources on brands with true potential, heritage, and responsibility. This means that the growth model relying on capacity expansion and price competition will accelerate its exit, replaced by value competition supported by technological innovation, cultural empowerment, and responsible development.
The simultaneous construction of an evaluation index system is another key breakthrough. It means brand building will move from vague empirical judgment to scientific measurement. Which dimensions define 'excellence'? Number of technology patents, cultural IP conversion rate, or supply chain carbon reduction data? This system will directly reshape corporate resource allocation logic, forcing systematic investment in R&D, design, and green production.
Industry Transformation: Technology, Fashion, Green
The plan anchors the growth path of premium brands in three transformation directions: 'technology textile, fashion textile, green textile'. For fabric companies, this means functional fabrics and smart textiles will gain more policy dividends; for apparel brands, contemporary expressions of Eastern aesthetics will become core carriers of cultural confidence; and green supply chain management capabilities will directly determine whether a brand can enter high-end international channels.
This transformation is not empty talk. Sun noted that the textile and apparel industry, as a pillar of the national economy, has deep manufacturing heritage and vast market space. But the pain point of 'having manufacturing but no brand' has persisted. This plan integrates industrial policy, talent cultivation, market regulation, communication, and intellectual property protection into a systematic institutional environment for brand growth.
Industry Organization: Six Measures for Implementation
The China National Textile and Apparel Council will act as a 'booster'. Sun announced six specific measures, with the most practical being the establishment of a 'Textile and Apparel Excellence Brand' incubation mechanism, creating a tiered, dynamically managed brand incubation system. This means eligible brands will receive priority diagnostic services and resource allocation.
Additionally, the council will organize professional teams for brand diagnostic services to help companies identify weaknesses, and build public service platforms integrating design, technology, and channel resources. For small and medium-sized textile enterprises, these measures lower the threshold for brand building—the high consulting costs and channel development costs previously borne alone can now be alleviated through platform sharing.