The port city of Dalian in China will boost its garment manufacturing industry by creating six development centers. The six innovation centers are the core of the overall upgrade strategy of Dalian’s garment industry. These development centers would deliver better design services and improved testing facilities for quality control of exports.

Dalian will frame policies to reduce administrative burdens, improve technical innovation and help developments in the local petrochemical industry to benefit textile industry customers.

Exports will also benefit from the Dalian garment inspection and testing center. It will offer reduced cost international-standard testing of factors such as ecological impact, atomic absorption, flammability, colour fastness, covering hundreds of testing standards. Other centers will provide training, school uniform research, work wear development and industry integration.

Part of the plan is to make Dalian a brand in its own right for clothing, especially suits. In the next three to five years, the centers will strengthen Dalian’s current suit brands and continuously expand the range of brands with this substantial increase in research and development capabilities, further establishing the status of Dalian-made suit brands at home and overseas.

Dalian has major producers, processors and exporters of apparels with a focus on men’s business suits. These companies supply retailers and brands such as Macy’s, DKNY and Banana Republic.