The world’s largest textile trade fair, InterTextile, has begun in Shanghai, hosting over 4,000 exhibitors—a record number for the event. This year’s show highlights China's ongoing prominence in the global textile industry, showcasing the latest innovations and trends.
A key highlight is Prutex, an A-share listed Chinese textile manufacturer, introducing its innovative chemical recycling process for nylon. This technology, the first of its kind in China, avoids the yellowing associated with physical recycling methods and allows nylon to be recycled multiple times. Prutex's innovation is set to produce 20,000 tons annually, reflecting the industry's shift towards sustainable practices.
Kevin Shen, Executive Vice President of Prutex Nylon, highlighted that while Southeast Asia draws in labor-intensive, lower-stream sectors, China’s textile industry continues to excel in the middle and upper streams. The majority of Prutex's clients, both domestic and international apparel brands, seek advanced raw materials, reflecting China's competitive edge in higher-value manufacturing.
China’s textile sector, which peaked in 2014, has since transitioned from lower-stream production to more sophisticated, value-added manufacturing. The presence of 1,000 foreign exhibitors at InterTextile 2024 underscores China's role not only as a manufacturing hub but also as a global trading center for textiles.
Despite rising labor and raw material costs, China's textile exports saw a modest 1.5 per cent growth in the first half of the year, signaling the sector's enduring competitiveness.
