The 2025 National Science and Technology Progress Award's first prize was awarded to a polyester fiber industry chain project, marking the highest recognition for the textile chemical fiber sector in the general fiber field. Led by Tongkun Group and involving ten units including Donghua University, the 'Green and Intelligent Manufacturing Key Technologies for Polyester Fiber Industry Chain' project, after more than a decade of collaborative research, built a fully independent technology system from PTA raw materials to differentiated polyester fiber products. The project generated over 200 billion yuan in new sales, over 10 billion yuan in profits and taxes, and $1.8 billion in export earnings, while significantly reducing energy consumption and defect rates.
Dual Drive of Green and Intelligent Manufacturing
Polyester fiber accounts for the largest share of China's chemical fiber output, with 70% of global production coming from China. The project achieved breakthroughs in three dimensions: green manufacturing, intelligent manufacturing, and service-oriented manufacturing. In green manufacturing, it pioneered a PTA-PET direct coupling low-carbon model, developed environmentally friendly titanium-based catalysts and crude oil-based fiber oils, and established a full lifecycle green standard. In intelligent manufacturing, it completed full-process automation upgrades and localized DCS control systems. In service-oriented manufacturing, it created a 'multi-head multi-tail' series-parallel composite polymerization platform for customized production.
This means that polyester fiber production, once reliant on imported equipment and processes, now has a fully independent 'China solution.' For downstream fabric and garment enterprises, the upstream green intelligent upgrade will directly enhance supply chain stability and cost advantages. Buyers should prioritize chemical fiber suppliers with this technology background for better energy efficiency and product consistency.
Decade-Long Industry-Academia Collaboration
Led by Donghua University researcher Wang Huaping and deeply involved by Academician Zhu Meifang, the project leveraged the State Key Laboratory of Advanced Fiber Materials and industry leader Tongkun Group. It resulted in 76 authorized invention patents, 10 software copyrights, and 14 national/industry standards. Expert panels rated the overall technology as world-leading. The achievements have been deployed in industrial bases in Zhejiang, Jiangsu, Xinjiang, and over ten other units, with Tongkun Group being named a national 'Zero-Waste Enterprise' model.
The conversion efficiency from lab to market is key. With over 200 billion yuan in new sales, the project proves technology can translate into real competitiveness. Textile clusters like Keqiao, Shengze, and Nantong can learn from this collaborative model to shorten R&D-to-production cycles.
International Cooperation Award Boosts Global Fiber Influence
The same day, the International Science and Technology Cooperation Award was given to Professor Elsa Reichmanis of Lehigh University, USA. She has long collaborated with Donghua's State Key Laboratory, promoting Sino-US fiber materials exchanges, training national talent, and chairing international fiber conferences. This signals China's rising recognition in global fiber academia and paves way for future tech imports and talent partnerships.
For foreign trade firms, deeper international cooperation means more frontier technologies can be commercialized domestically. Exporters should monitor these developments and prepare green fiber products to meet stringent EU environmental standards.