China's textile and garment industry is undergoing a top-level redesign of brand building. The 'Textile and Garment Premium Brand Cultivation Action Plan (2026-2028)', jointly issued by five ministries, sets a clear timeline and quantitative target: cultivate at least 25 premium brands in three years, while simultaneously developing a brand evaluation index system.
Policy Logic Behind the Action
This initiative comes as the industry's long-standing 'scale dividend' approaches its ceiling. Although China's textile exports remain the world's largest, low value-added and weak brand premium capabilities are increasingly problematic. The joint ministerial document elevates brand building from a corporate voluntary action to a national strategy, systematically integrating policy resources, talent training, market regulation, and intellectual property protection.
The target of 25 brands is not merely quantitative. Industry data shows that fewer than 20 textile and garment brands in China have annual revenues exceeding 10 billion yuan, and truly globally influential brands are rare. Cultivating 25 premium brands essentially means selecting 'seed players' that can represent national manufacturing prowess and cultural confidence, guiding capital, talent, and channels to concentrate on them.
Technology, Fashion, and Sustainability: Three Pillars
Policy direction is clear on three dimensions: technology to solidify quality, Eastern aesthetics to enrich cultural depth, and responsible development to enhance brand warmth. Future premium brands must demonstrate quantifiable competitiveness in R&D, design innovation, and sustainability.
Customs data shows that exports of functional fabrics and green fibers have grown faster than traditional categories, indicating rising international acceptance of 'technology plus eco-friendliness' premiums. The parallel development of evaluation systems means brands will have a 'yardstick' for improvement, and local governments will have criteria for support.
Impact on Industrial Clusters
For clusters like Keqiao, Shengsze, and Nantong, this policy brings both opportunities and challenges. The linkage between regional and individual brand identities will be amplified. For instance, Keqiao's grey fabric cluster may need tighter collaborative innovation with downstream apparel brands, while Shengsze's functional fabric firms can leverage the policy window to transform from 'fabric suppliers' to 'brand solution providers'.
The China National Textile and Apparel Council has outlined six implementation steps: establishing a cultivation database, conducting brand diagnostics, collecting brand stories, building public service platforms, promoting cultural-tourism integration, and strengthening talent development. Brand diagnostics and public platforms directly address SMEs' pain points—lack of professional brand management and market access.