China's textile chemical fiber industry has achieved a landmark technological breakthrough. The 2025 National Science and Technology Progress Award First Prize was awarded to the project 'Key Technologies for Green and Intelligent Manufacturing of the Polyester Fiber Industry Chain,' jointly completed by Tongkun Group, Donghua University, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, and seven other institutions. This is the third time the textile industry has won the first prize, following carbon fiber technology in 2017 and yarn dyeing technology in 2014. However, this award carries deeper significance as it covers polyester fiber, the 'industrial staple' of textiles, which accounts for over 70% of China's chemical fiber output.
Industry Impact
Polyester fiber accounts for over 70% of China's chemical fiber production, and China itself produces 70% of the global chemical fiber output. This means technological upgrades in polyester fiber directly impact the competitiveness of the entire textile chain. In the past, breakthroughs were often in high-end fibers or specialty materials, but systematic innovation in the full chain of commodity fibers was lacking. This project fills that gap by building a complete independent technology system across three dimensions: green manufacturing, smart manufacturing, and service-oriented manufacturing.
In green manufacturing, the project pioneered a direct-coupled PTA-PET low-carbon model, replacing traditional heavy metal catalysts with environmentally friendly titanium-based catalysts and establishing a full lifecycle green standard. This could significantly reduce carbon and pollutant emissions during polyester fiber production, directly supporting the 'dual carbon' targets. For buyers, this means access to more environmentally compliant fiber raw materials, reducing green trade barriers in export markets.
In smart manufacturing, the project achieved large-scale domestic replacement of DCS control systems and built an integrated quality control system. Previously, core control systems for chemical fiber production lines were heavily reliant on imports, leading to high costs and maintenance constraints. Domestic substitution not only lowers equipment costs but also enables factories to quickly respond to market changes—when orders require different fiber specifications, the intelligent system can automatically adjust process parameters, reducing downtime for line changes.
Service-oriented manufacturing is perhaps the most transformative aspect. Through a 'multi-head and multi-tail' series-parallel composite polymerization platform, companies can produce customized differentiated polyester fibers and coordinate manufacturing across multiple regions. In simple terms, a single production line can flexibly produce various fiber specifications, replacing the rigid 'one recipe for a year' model. For downstream weaving and apparel companies, this means shorter lead times and more flexible supply chain options.
Data and Deployment
The project has generated 76 authorized invention patents, 10 software copyrights, and 14 national and industry standards. It has cumulatively added over 200 billion yuan in new sales, more than 10 billion yuan in profits and taxes, and earned $1.8 billion in export revenue. These numbers reflect the technology's deployment in industrial bases in Zhejiang, Jiangsu, and Xinjiang. In Xinjiang, a key cotton and chemical fiber production hub, the technology will enhance local polyester fiber supply capacity, reducing reliance on transportation from eastern coastal regions.
Notably, Tongkun Group was selected as a national pilot 'zero-waste enterprise' due to the project's demonstration effect, indicating that waste recycling and resource circularity in polyester fiber production have reached advanced levels. For downstream buyers, sourcing from such companies helps meet brand clients' sustainability audit requirements.
International Collaboration and Talent
The International Science and Technology Cooperation Award was given to Professor Elsa Reichmanis of Lehigh University. She has long collaborated with Donghua University's State Key Laboratory for Advanced Fiber Materials, co-training graduate students and advancing the International Symposium on Advanced Fiber and Polymer Materials into the world's largest fiber-themed academic conference. This signals that China's textile industry's independent innovation is open, absorbing global top-tier intellectual resources. For R&D-focused companies, this suggests that future technological competition hinges not only on equipment but also on building international talent networks.