An industrial event is pushing intangible cultural heritage from display cases into workshops, leveraging it to transform a cluster producing 900 million sweaters annually. On June 24, the 10th Textile Intangible Cultural Heritage Conference launched simultaneously with the 23rd China (Dalang) Knitting Products Fair and the 95th International Wool Conference in Dalang, Dongguan, creating a 'three-in-one' synergy effect.
Industrial Foundation and Cultural Resonance
Dalang, located at Dongguan's geometric center, has a GDP of 47.37 billion yuan and produces 900 million sweaters annually—one in five sweaters globally originates here. This data reflects a strong manufacturing base but also signals an inevitable shift from scale-driven to value-driven growth. Sun Ruizhe, president of the China National Textile and Apparel Council, noted at the opening that the industry faces systemic changes, with consumers increasingly prioritizing health, self-expression, and emotional connection. This means relying solely on output is no longer sustainable; cultural added value has become a new growth engine.
The conference, themed 'Intangible Heritage Coexists, Weaving the Future,' focuses on exploring a two-way empowerment path between heritage culture and traditional industries. Dalang Party Secretary Dong Tie stated the goal is to infuse wool textile products with cultural depth through ancient dyeing and embroidery techniques, creating 'wearable cultural assets.' This judgment directly addresses the urgent demand from foreign buyers and brands for differentiated products—when fast-fashion supply chain efficiency hits a ceiling, products with cultural narratives and manual craftsmanship often command higher premiums.
Standardization and Multi-Party Collaboration
The multiple agreements signed at the ceremony turned the abstract concept of cultural empowerment into executable industry rules. The 'Textile Intangible Heritage Standards and Certification Cooperation' is particularly critical—signed by CNTAC's Intangible Heritage Office and China Link Testing, it establishes authoritative industry standards and certification systems for heritage products. Standardization is a passport for heritage products to enter markets and international trade; for buyers, it means quantifiable assurance of product quality and authenticity.
Meanwhile, the 'Strategic Cooperation on Intangible Heritage and Knitting Product Innovation Development' brought together industry associations, town government, leading local enterprises like Impression Grassland, Xinhongfeng, Tongfa, and Lanmei, as well as top Chinese fashion designer Wang Dong and heritage inheritor Wan Gongxue. This five-party collaboration model of government, association, enterprises, designers, and inheritors aims to bridge the entire chain from heritage creativity extraction, original design development, to industrialized precision manufacturing. Additionally, agreements like the 'Dalang Knitting Industry Quality Service System Co-building Strategic Cooperation' and 'Brand Supply-Demand Service Cooperation' further strengthen the closed loop from quality control to market matching.
Heritage Fashion Show and Cultural Tourism Integration Signals
The most eye-catching event at the opening was the 'Intangible Heritage Coexists, Weaving the Future' heritage fashion show. Divided into three chapters—'Lin Qi,' 'Lin Xing,' and 'Lin Yao'—the show was jointly presented by local enterprises including Impression Grassland, Tongfa, Xinhongfeng, and Lanmei. The core design symbol was the Lingnan intangible heritage Qilin pattern, provided by Mountain Flower Award winner Wan Gongxue. The entire show followed the concept of 'Dalang design, Dalang production, Dalang presentation,' showcasing the possibilities of integrating heritage techniques with modern knitting, from stage to workshop.
The concurrently launched 'Lychee is Red·2026' Dalang Cultural Tourism Consumption Week linked professional exhibitions, cultural events, and tourism experiences. This cultural tourism integration model is not merely about consumption stimulation but creates new scenarios and touchpoints for the industry—when buyers and consumers visit heritage displays, tour factory floors, and experience rural heritage activities, they gain not just product information but deep recognition of brand cultural connotations.