One number demands attention from every textile professional: a single polyester fiber chain technology project has generated over 200 billion RMB in new sales, more than 10 billion RMB in profits and taxes, and 1.8 billion USD in exports. This is the track record of the project 'Green and Smart Manufacturing Key Technologies for the Polyester Fiber Chain,' winner of the 2025 National Science and Technology Progress First Prize.
Background
On July 8, the 2025 National Science and Technology Awards were announced in Beijing. A historic moment arrived for the textile and chemical fiber sector: the project, led by Tongkun Group as the primary unit and jointly developed with Donghua University, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, and nine other institutions, won the first prize. This marks the industry's return to the top honor since the carbon fiber project in 2017 and the bobbin yarn dyeing project in 2014.
Simultaneously, Professor Elsa Reichmanis, Chair of the International Advisory Committee of Donghua University's State Key Laboratory for Advanced Fiber Materials and a member of the US National Academy of Engineering, received the中华人民共和国 International Science and Technology Cooperation Award. Donghua University thus became the only institution to win both major national science and technology honors at this ceremony.
Polyester fiber is known as the 'industrial staple' of the textile industry. China produces 70% of the world's chemical fibers, with polyester fiber ranking first among all types. The breakthrough of this project signifies the near-completion of a self-reliant technical system covering the entire polyester fiber chain, from raw materials to end products and from processes to equipment.
Industry Impact
The project was led by Professor Wang Huaping of Donghua University, with deep involvement from Academician Zhu Meifang of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, after more than a decade of collaborative research. The core breakthroughs focus on three dimensions:
- **Green Manufacturing**: Pioneered a PTA-PET direct-coupling low-carbon production model, developed environmentally friendly titanium-based catalysts, established a full life-cycle green standard, and opened a complete low-carbon production pathway.
- **Smart Manufacturing**: Completed full-process automation equipment upgrades, achieved large-scale localization of DCS control systems, and created a replicable 'China solution.'
- **Service-oriented Manufacturing**: Innovated a 'multi-head multi-tail' series-parallel composite polymerization technology platform, enabling customized production of differentiated polyester fiber products and agile multi-regional collaborative manufacturing.
To date, the project has formed a complete independent intellectual property system including 76 authorized invention patents, 10 software copyrights, and 14 national and industry standards. An expert panel of academicians assessed the overall technology as reaching an international leading level.
From an industrial map perspective, the results have been deployed in industrial bases in Zhejiang, Jiangsu, and Xinjiang, as well as at more than 10 other enterprises. Tongkun Group, leveraging the project's demonstration effect, was selected as one of the first national 'Zero-Waste Enterprise' cases and was awarded 'National Service-oriented Manufacturing Demonstration Enterprise' and 'National Excellent Smart Manufacturing Demonstration Factory.'
What does this mean for downstream buyers and foreign trade companies? As a basic raw material, the stability of polyester fiber's cost, quality, and delivery time directly affects the entire textile supply chain. The maturation of the self-reliant technical system means reduced dependence on imported raw materials and equipment, significantly enhancing supply chain resilience. Moreover, the energy consumption reduction and lower defect rates brought by green smart manufacturing will directly translate into procurement cost advantages.