Sun Ruizhe, President of the China National Textile and Apparel Council (CNTAC), recently pointed out in a policy interpretation that the five-department joint 'Textile and Apparel Excellence Brand Cultivation Action Plan (2026-2028)' provides a clear blueprint for the industry's transition from 'scale leadership' to 'value leadership.' This assessment reflects a structural shift: when manufacturing depth, cultural resources, and market space are all in place, brand building becomes the key variable determining value chain position.
Policy Core: Quantitative Targets and Scientific Measurement
The plan explicitly sets a target of cultivating at least 25 excellent brands within three years, alongside developing an evaluation index system. This figure is not a simple quantitative goal but guides the industry to concentrate high-quality resources on brands with genuine potential and depth. Sun emphasized that the 'quality first, select the best' orientation means brand building will shift from experience-based judgment to scientific measurement, making 'excellence' measurable and traceable. For industrial belt enterprises, this sends a clear signal: over the next three years, policy resources, funding, and market attention will be highly concentrated on top-tier brands.
Industry data shows China's textile and apparel export value has ranked first globally for years, yet brand premium capacity still lags behind international first-tier brands. This plan aggregates industrial policies, talent cultivation, market regulation, communication, and IP protection to build a systematic institutional environment for brand growth. For buyers, this means future domestic quality brands will offer greater recognizability and stability, reducing supply chain risks.
Industry Impact: Triple Drive of Technology, Fashion, and Green
The plan's implementation backdrop is the industry's transformation towards technology, fashion, and green textiles. Sun noted that excellent brand growth requires technological innovation for quality, Eastern aesthetics for cultural depth, and responsible development for brand warmth. This reveals three core dimensions: technical strength, cultural confidence, and sustainability.
For traditional industrial belts like Keqiao, Shengze, and Nantong, the plan brings not only brand cultivation opportunities but also pressure for industrial chain upgrades. SMEs failing to meet evaluation standards in quality, design, or environmental protection may face marginalization. Conversely, companies already investing in functional fabrics, eco-friendly dyeing, or intangible cultural heritage elements will find it easier to secure policy support and capital.
The foreign trade sector also faces changes. International buyers increasingly focus on supplier brand stories and ESG performance, aligning with the plan's emphasis on 'cultural confidence' and 'responsible development.' CNTAC will promote integration of cultural tourism and brand consumption, bringing brands into life scenarios—building a new trade model from product export to cultural export.
Practical Recommendations
For Buyers - Monitor CNTAC's upcoming 'Textile and Apparel Excellent Brand' incubation list, prioritizing long-term cooperation with listed enterprises to reduce supplier screening costs. - Request supplier brand building diagnostic reports or third-party evaluation data, using brand maturity as a reference indicator in procurement decisions. - In niche areas like functional fabrics or eco-certifications, choose brands that have started evaluation index system research, as they typically have stronger technical reserves and compliance capabilities.
For Foreign Trade Enterprises - Proactively engage CNTAC's brand diagnostic services, leveraging professional expertise to identify brand weaknesses, especially in international cultural expression and ESG practices. - Participate in brand story collection and promotion activities, combining product export with cultural output—for example, highlighting Eastern aesthetics or green production processes at overseas exhibitions. - Focus on the plan's talent cultivation component, prioritizing recruitment or training of compound talents with both design skills and international vision to build core teams for global branding.
Brand building is a marathon requiring faith and persistence. The plan sets a three-year window, but true competition has just begun. For all participants, the key is not whether to have a brand, but to find one's own path to 'excellence' under a scientific measurement system.