On November 6, 2025, the highly anticipated 8th World Textile Merchants Conference officially commenced in Shaoxing's Keqiao District, Zhejiang Province, drawing global attention from the textile industry. Centered on the core theme of “International Cooperation and Competition: Reshaping the New Landscape of the Global Textile Value Chain,” this year's conference gathered over 2,000 participants from more than 50 countries and regions. The attendees included government officials, heads of industry associations, textile industry leaders, experts from research institutions, and representatives from across the supply chain. Together, they launched an international textile summit focused on industry transformation and collaborative development strategies. International dignitaries including former French Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin and Serbian Deputy Prime Minister Aleksandar Mesarović attended the opening ceremony and delivered addresses. Industry leaders such as Sun Ruizhe, President of the China National Textile and Apparel Council, participated in core thematic discussions throughout the event.
A high-caliber lineup gathers to discuss core issues in industry development
As one of the largest and most prestigious international conferences in the global textile fabric sector, this year's World Fabric Conference attracted the most participants in its history. In addition to international dignitaries, leaders from over 30 authoritative global industry organizations—including the U.S. Cotton Association, the European Textile and Apparel Organization, and the Japan Textile Federation—alongside chairmen and CEOs of renowned global textile and apparel enterprises such as Lenzing Group, Hyosung Group, Anta Group, and Jiangnan Buyi, were all in attendance. At the opening ceremony, the Vice Mayor of Shaoxing City stated that as the core area of the “world-class modern textile industry cluster,” Keqiao's hosting of this conference aims to establish a high-end platform for global textile industry exchange and cooperation. This initiative will promote the integration of resources across the entire industrial chain and support the global textile sector in achieving high-quality development.
Authoritative Trend Release: Charting the Course for Industry Growth in 2026
The conference unveiled the groundbreaking report “2026 Global Textile Industry Trend Outlook,” jointly compiled by over 20 leading global research institutions and industry associations. The report analyzes industry development trends from multiple dimensions, including market demand, technological innovation, and green transformation. The report clearly indicates that over the next two years, the global textile fabric market will exhibit three core trends: functionalization, greening, and intelligentization. Among these, niche sectors such as smart thermoregulatory fabrics, antimicrobial medical fabrics, and biodegradable outdoor fabrics are projected to maintain an average annual growth rate exceeding 30%.
Report data reveals that the global functional fabrics market surpassed $80 billion in 2024, marking a 25% year-on-year increase. Market penetration rates for health-focused antimicrobial fabrics and eco-friendly recycled fabrics rose to 42% and 35%, respectively. Addressing this trend, Lenzing Group's Global CEO stated in a keynote speech that the company will increase R&D investment in regenerated cellulose fibers. By 2026, the proportion of regenerated fiber production capacity is projected to rise to 60% to meet global brands' demand for green fabrics.
Keqiao Showcases Its Practices, Demonstrating the Strength of a World-Class Industrial Cluster
At this conference, the achievements in building Keqiao's “world-class modern textile industry cluster” took center stage. According to the Keqiao Textile Industry Development White Paper (2024) released at the event, the China Light Textile City in Shaoxing's Keqiao District recorded a transaction volume of 412 billion yuan in 2024, marking an 8.5% year-on-year increase. Its products are exported to 206 countries and regions worldwide, capturing 28% of the global mid-to-high-end fabric market share. Currently, Keqiao has established a complete industrial chain spanning chemical fiber raw materials, spinning, weaving, dyeing and finishing, to apparel and home textiles. It hosts over 1,200 textile enterprises above designated size, 23 innovation platforms including national-level enterprise technology centers and key laboratories, with annual R&D investment exceeding 5 billion yuan.
To further strengthen its position in the global industrial chain, Keqiao announced during the conference the launch of the “Global Textile Innovation Eco-Valley” project. With a total investment of 5 billion yuan, the project will focus on attracting top international fabric R&D institutions, fashion design centers, and cross-border trade service platforms. Upon completion in 2027, it is projected to generate an additional annual output value of 20 billion yuan and create 15,000 new jobs.
Hot Topics in Focus: AI and Green Technologies Emerge as Transformative Keys
During the three-day conference, topics such as “AI Empowering Textile Production,” “Industrialization of Waterless Dyeing Technology,” and “Building a Regenerative Fabric Supply Chain” sparked multiple high-level dialogues. At a specialized forum, the Dean of Donghua University's School of Textiles noted that AI technology has achieved large-scale application in fabric pattern design, production quality inspection, and supply chain early warning systems. Adopting AI design systems can shorten fabric development cycles by 50% and reduce defect rates by 30%, providing crucial support for enterprises to cut costs and boost efficiency.
Regarding green transformation, a Dutch textile technology company unveiled its latest generation of waterless dyeing technology. This innovation employs supercritical CO₂ dyeing processes that eliminate water consumption, achieve near-zero pollutant emissions during dyeing, and improve dyeing uniformity by 20% compared to traditional methods. Currently piloted at select European fabric manufacturers, the technology reduces production costs by 15% relative to conventional processes and is projected for widespread commercial adoption by 2026.
A wide range of supporting activities will be offered to facilitate business matchmaking.
This year's conference featured over a dozen concurrent events, including the Keqiao Fashion Week, the 2025 Autumn China Light Textile City International Textile Expo, and the Global Fabric Innovation Achievement Exhibition. Among these, the Autumn Textile Expo attracted over 2,000 exhibitors from more than 30 countries and regions, showcasing tens of thousands of innovative products such as smart temperature-regulating fabrics, antibacterial protective fabrics, and bio-based fabrics. On-site orders exceeded 8 billion yuan. Keqiao Fashion Week integrated the latest fabric innovations with fashion design through 20 themed runway shows, facilitating precise connections between fabric manufacturers and apparel brands.
According to the organizing committee, 23 international cooperation projects were signed on the opening day, covering fabric R&D, production capacity collaboration, and cross-border trade, with a total investment of 12 billion yuan. Notable projects include the China-Vietnam Functional Fabric Production Base and the China-Europe Joint R&D Center for Recycled Fibers, injecting substantial momentum into the restructuring of the global textile value chain.
The 8th World Fabric Conference will continue until November 8, featuring special events like the “Global Textile Youth Leaders Forum” and “Fabric Trend Matchmaking Sessions.” Industry insiders note that this conference will further consolidate global textile industry consensus, promote collaborative innovation across the supply chain, and chart a course for sustainable development in the global textile sector amid complex international conditions.