As artificial intelligence evolves from a single-point tool to a full-chain infrastructure, the competitive rules of the global textile industry are being rewritten. The 9th World Textile Merchandising Conference, scheduled for November 6 in Keqiao, Zhejiang, under the theme 'Interconnection of Warp and Weft: AI Enlightens the New Future of Global Textiles', arrives at a pivotal moment—the opening year of China's 15th Five-Year Plan. Keqiao, an 'international textile capital' with a 100-billion-yuan industrial scale and a 400-billion-yuan market turnover, has shown robust first-half performance: GDP reached 122 billion yuan (up 7.0%), exports hit 110.34 billion yuan (up 16%), and the China Textile City's turnover rose 9.1% to 268.36 billion yuan. These figures signal a deep restructuring of the traditional textile value chain through digitalization and green initiatives.
Event Background
Since its inception in 2018, the conference has been held eight times, evolving into one of the most influential international platforms in textiles. Keqiao's selection is no coincidence—it is a global textile trading hub and a frontier for smart manufacturing upgrades. Sun Ruizhe, President of the China National Textile and Apparel Council, highlighted three major shifts: industry layout moving from efficiency-first to a balance of security and resilience, AI transitioning from single-point empowerment to full-chain reshaping, and green development evolving from consensus to hard constraints. These shifts imply that the era of cost advantage alone is over; future competitiveness will depend on the depth of digital- AI integration and the ability to set green standards.
Keqiao District Mayor Jing Yao reported that regional GDP growth reached 7.0% in H1, exports rose 16%, and the Textile City's turnover increased 9.1%, all above national averages. This resilience is attributed to Keqiao's 'one project, one mechanism, one pilot, one action' strategy for building a modern international textile capital. Notably, the Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee listed textiles as a key industry for 'optimization and upgrading', providing policy support and elevating the industry's strategic importance.
Industry Impact
A core topic will be how AI reshapes the entire chain. Yan Yan, Vice President of the Council, proposed five dimensions for systematic development: technological innovation, value upgrading, green low-carbon, ecosystem collaboration, and global governance. These directions outline the next five years of transformation—original technology breakthroughs in high-performance fibers, smart textiles, and digital twin manufacturing, while aligning carbon accounting and traceability systems with international standards, directly affecting exporters' compliance costs. For buyers, supplier selection criteria will no longer be limited to price and lead time; digital capabilities and carbon footprint data will become hard requirements.
The conference will release the '2027 World Textile Industry Trend Outlook', widely regarded as a key reference for global market direction. Representatives from over 60 countries and regions, including experts from the US, UK, France, Germany, and Italy, will discuss industrial resilience, low-carbon transition, and digital applications. For local Keqiao enterprises, this is both a showcase and an opportunity to acquire cutting-edge information and international orders. Pan Jianhua, Chairman of China Textile City Group, said future efforts will focus on market branding and intelligent trading, signaling a shift from 'scale competition' to 'value competition'. Buyers will see more high value-added fabrics and digital trading services in Keqiao.