On July 8, the National Science and Technology Award Conference announced the 2025 awards, marking a historic breakthrough for the textile and chemical fiber sector. The project 'Key Technologies for Green and Intelligent Manufacturing in the Polyester Fiber Industry Chain,' led by Tongkun Group in collaboration with Donghua University and nine other institutions, won the first prize of the National Science and Technology Progress Award. This is the first time that a full-chain polyester fiber technology has achieved this highest honor, signifying that the chemical fiber industry has completed a leap from 'following' to 'leading' in general fiber technology.
Industry Background: The 'Industrial Staple' Status of Polyester Fiber
Polyester fiber is the 'industrial staple' of the textile industry. China's chemical fiber output accounts for 70% of the global total, with polyester fiber ranking first among all types. Upgrading the industry not only alleviates the 'grain-cotton competition' conflict but also stabilizes the domestic industrial chain and prevents relocation risks, supporting downstream product quality improvement, brand cultivation, and energy efficiency upgrades. From 2012 to 2020, the textile sector achieved 28 national science and technology awards, but first prizes were concentrated in niche areas such as special fibers and intelligent equipment—like carbon fiber in 2017 and bobbin yarn dyeing in 2014. This breakthrough in full-chain polyester fiber technology fills the gap for general fibers.
Technological Breakthrough: Restructuring the Chain Across Three Dimensions
The project was led by Donghua University researcher Wang Huaping as the first completer, with deep involvement from Chinese Academy of Sciences academician Zhu Meifang, after over a decade of industry-university-research collaboration. In the green manufacturing dimension, the team pioneered a PTA-PET direct coupling low-carbon model, developed environmentally friendly titanium-based catalysts, and established a full lifecycle green standard, opening up the entire low-carbon production process. The intelligent manufacturing dimension achieved domestic substitution of the DCS control system, forming a replicable 'China solution.' The service-oriented manufacturing dimension created a 'multi-head, multi-tail' polymerization technology platform, enabling customized differentiated products and multi-region agile manufacturing. To date, the project has formed a complete intellectual property system with 76 authorized invention patents, 10 software copyrights, and 14 national and industry standards, with expert evaluation deeming the overall technology at an international leading level.
Industry Impact: The 200 Billion Sales Revolution
The results have been implemented in industrial bases in Zhejiang, Jiangsu, Xinjiang, and at over 10 enterprises, with cumulative new sales exceeding 200 billion yuan, profits and taxes over 10 billion yuan, and export earnings of 1.8 billion US dollars. Tongkun Group was selected as one of the first national 'Zero-Waste Enterprise' typical cases and recognized as a 'National Service-Oriented Manufacturing Demonstration Enterprise.' For buyers and factories, this means significantly improved stability, cost control, and environmental compliance of polyester fiber supply. As a basic raw material for downstream fabrics and apparel, the technological upgrade will directly transmit throughout the entire textile chain, reducing energy consumption and defect rates, and boosting competitiveness for export trade.
International Collaboration: Research Synergy Boosts Global Influence
At this award ceremony, Professor Elsa Reichmanis, chair of the International Advisory Committee of Donghua University's State Key Laboratory for Advanced Fiber Materials, received the International Science and Technology Cooperation Award. She has long promoted US-China scientific exchanges, collaborating with Donghua University on talent cultivation, paper publication, and international conferences, enhancing the global influence of China's fiber discipline. This recognition reflects that China's textile industry is accelerating toward high-quality development through a dual-drive of 'independent innovation plus international collaboration.'