When policy shifts from 'encouragement' to 'quantitative assessment', the textile and apparel industry faces a window for brand value reconstruction.
Policy Landing: 25 Excellence Brands in Three Years, the Underlying Logic of the Indicator System
The 'Textile and Apparel Excellence Brand Cultivation Action Plan (2026-2028)' jointly issued by five ministries sets a clear quantitative target for the first time: cultivate at least 25 excellence brands in three years. This is no mere numbers game. Sun Ruizhe, President of CNTAC, emphasized in his interpretation that the simultaneous construction of an evaluation index system will push brand building from 'empirical judgment' to 'scientific measurement'.
For fabric suppliers and OEM factories, this means the screening criteria for future orders will fundamentally change. In the past, buyers focused on price and delivery time; in the future, 'brand power' will be broken down into measurable indicators directly linked to supply chain access. The plan's underlying logic is 'quality first, select the best among the strong', with premium resources flowing to brands with technological depth and cultural carrying capacity.
Industry Impact: The Transmission Chain from Manufacturing to Consumption
The plan outlines six key directions, including establishing a brand incubation mechanism, conducting brand diagnostics, and building public service platforms. These actions will directly impact midstream links in the supply chain—fabric suppliers and contract manufacturers. For instance, the brand incubation mechanism means top-tier brands will receive policy support, imposing higher requirements on their upstream fabric sourcing: not just price, but technical certifications, sustainable traceability, and embedded cultural elements.
Sun Ruizhe noted that the industry is accelerating its transformation towards tech textile, fashion textile, and green textile. The growth of excellence brands precisely requires technological innovation to solidify quality foundations, Eastern aesthetics to enrich cultural heritage, and responsible development to enhance brand warmth. For fabric enterprises in industrial clusters like Shengze, Keqiao, and Nantong, this presents both pressure and opportunity—suppliers offering differentiated, high-value-added products will gain premium space in the brand upgrade.
Practical Recommendations
For Fabric Suppliers - Engage early with the brand incubation list: Monitor CNTAC's published list and proactively become a preferred fabric partner for excellence brands, rather than passively waiting for orders. - Build a technical certification system: Obtain certifications like OEKO-TEX or GRS in advance, as 'green transformation' will carry significant weight in brand evaluation indicators. - Strengthen cultural element development: Collaborate with design agencies to develop fabric collections featuring Eastern aesthetics, meeting brands' need to implement 'cultural confidence'.
For Foreign Trade Enterprises - Adjust quoting strategy: Include additional information such as 'sustainability metrics' and 'technical patents' in quotations, rather than solely showing price advantages, to align with new procurement logic of brand clients. - Monitor the brand diagnostic service window: Utilize public service platforms built by CNTAC to apply for free or low-cost brand diagnostics, identifying weaknesses early. - Participate in brand story collection: By telling stories of factory technological innovation or cultural heritage, enhance brand recognition among international buyers, rather than relying solely on trade show booths.
Brand building is a long-distance race, but policy has now provided a clear timer and finish line. For every player in the textile and apparel industry, this three-year window offers a choice: upgrade actively or be eliminated passively.