In the first half of 2026, the textile machinery industry delivered a mixed report card: value-added output of large-scale enterprises grew by double digits, while the average growth of the entire textile sector was only 3.3%. This means textile machinery is not just recovering but leading—yet behind the leadership lies a huge gap between segments and a still-impaired profit side.
Structural Divergence Behind the Data
Spinning machinery was the brightest segment. Orders for intelligent complete sets such as ring spinning, air-jet spinning, and rotor spinning surged, driven by two forces: the intelligent upgrade wave among domestic cotton mills and continued capacity expansion in central and western industrial clusters like Xinjiang. The dual demand made spinning equipment the spearhead of this recovery.
Weaving machinery showed clear polarization—high-end air-jet looms and special-fiber weaving equipment were in strong demand, while traditional general models saw declining orders. Chemical fiber machinery, knitting machinery, and printing and dyeing finishing equipment remain in a slow repair phase, with downstream investment cautious. This divergence means customers no longer pay for "usable" but for "efficient, labor-saving, low-carbon."
Export Resilience: Cost-Effectiveness and Localization
In foreign trade, domestic textile machinery continued to show strong resilience. Amid global supply chain restructuring, domestic equipment gained more orders in emerging markets such as Southeast Asia, Central Asia, the Middle East, and Africa, thanks to cost-effectiveness. Spinning and weaving equipment exports performed notably well. Leading enterprises shifted from simply selling machines to technology export and localized supporting services, a model better for locking in long-term customers.
However, high export growth also implies more intense competition with international peers in price and technology. Low prices alone are not sustainable; service capability and rapid response mechanisms must be added.
Profit Pressure and Transformation Paths
Despite order recovery, overall profitability improved only modestly. Fluctuations in raw material prices such as steel and motors directly raised manufacturing costs, price wars in the low-end segment squeezed margins, and downstream textile enterprises were reluctant to expand, making investment decisions more cautious. These factors determine that the "quality" of this recovery still needs verification.
Under pressure, technological innovation became the core path to break through. R&D focuses on high-speed efficiency, digital control, low-carbon energy saving, and flexible equipment adapted to small-batch and quick-response models. Intelligent spinning lines, AGV warehousing and transfer systems, AI online quality inspection, and low-energy dyeing equipment are accelerating deployment, while localization of core components progresses steadily. More notably, some companies have moved beyond single equipment sales to provide integrated solutions of "equipment + software + operation and maintenance," with rising revenue share from technical services.
Long-term Opportunities from Industrial Relocation
The migration of textile capacity to central and western regions released considerable demand for equipment renewal. New production lines need new equipment, while eastern coastal enterprises accelerate the elimination of high-energy-consuming old equipment, opening a new cycle of equipment renewal. This is not only short-term orders but also the fundamental logic for long-term growth of the textile machinery industry.
For the second half of the year, the industry generally expects orders to maintain a recovery trend, but a broad-based rally is unlikely. Market resources will further concentrate among head enterprises with independent R&D, high-end complete solutions, and global service networks. For small and medium machinery makers, rather than competing in the low-end market, it is better to focus on niche segments and go deeper.