The combination of sheer hollow textures and delicate embroidery patterns is evolving from a niche category into a structural growth driver for the textile industry. In the first half of 2026, this category saw full-scale expansion in Chinese-style womenswear, formalwear, commuter wear, and even home soft furnishings, with both domestic and export markets heating up. The driving force is not a simple fashion cycle but a convergence of eco-friendly base fabric substitution, original pattern copyright protection, and AI-driven flexible production.
Industry Transformation Logic: From Cheap Polyester Mesh to Functional Blends
Keqiao's traditional hollow embroidery fabrics have long been plagued by two weaknesses: base fabrics dominated by polyester mesh, which feel rough and lack drape; and rampant pattern copying, leading to high homogeneity. Cotton-based hollow embroidery also suffers from thread slippage and color fading, lacking functional finishing, making it unsuitable for high-end apparel and gown supply chains. This landscape is now being rewritten.
Multi-fiber eco-friendly blends have become mainstream. Tencel-cotton, cotton-linen, and cupro base fabrics are paired with water-soluble eco-friendly embroidery threads, supported by a full suite of processes including pre-shrinking, cold-pad-batch reactive dyeing, ammonia-free softening and setting, and anti-fray edge finishing. This solves issues of skin irritation, thread slippage, fading, and stiffness. Industry data shows the market share of pure polyester hollow embroidery continues to shrink, while orders for eco-friendly blended fabrics maintain double-digit growth. Functional fabrics such as wrinkle-resistant and UV-protective varieties have seen a surge in orders for overseas resort womenswear, becoming a new highlight for foreign trade.
Original Pattern Pricing Power: Copycat Sales Cool
Product differentiation is shifting from process to design. Companies holding exclusive pattern copyrights—such as Chinese-style, geometric, or floral motifs—command pricing power, while homogeneous fabrics see continuous price declines. One Keqiao embroidery fabric company, Kunxiu Textile, has developed three product series (simple flat hollow, heavy three-dimensional hollow, and laser burnt-out composite embroidery), covering ready-stock, custom, and high-end couture markets, entering multiple mid-to-high-end apparel supply chains. Its cupro three-dimensional hollow fabric secured a 20,000-meter export order at the 2026 Spring-Summer Textile Expo. This indicates that original pattern copyrights are becoming core industry assets. Copycat sales are cooling, forcing suppliers to increase design investment. Meanwhile, green embroidery and dyeing processes are widely adopted, with formaldehyde-free threads, waterless digital embroidery, and cold-pad-batch dyeing becoming common. International eco-certifications are now a hard requirement for export orders.
AI Digital Flexible Production: The Backbone for Small-Order Quick Response
Digital tools are transforming the transaction and production models of the embroidery industry. Through the Keqiao Textile City AI Fabric mini-program, suppliers upload fabric photos and generate 3D digital samples and promotional videos within three minutes, eliminating repeated physical sampling and on-location photography. This significantly shortens sample communication time and reduces content creation costs for both online stores and offline exhibitions, enabling efficient handling of fragmented custom orders. For small and medium suppliers, AI tools directly lower the digital threshold. The platform aggregates a vast library of embroidery fabrics, uses AI to identify materials and processes, and generates virtual garments and promotional materials with one click, connecting design, customer acquisition, and exhibition sales. This digital supporting service is evolving from optional to standard.