Beijing (TDI): China’s textile sector recorded moderate growth in the first four months of the year, despite ongoing global uncertainties and domestic headwinds, according to official figures released Monday.
Between January and April, textile companies with annual core revenues exceeding 20 million yuan (around $2.8 million) saw their value-added output rise by 4.2 percent compared to the same period last year, data from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology showed.
Overall revenue for the sector during this stretch stood at 1.49 trillion yuan, a slight dip of 0.5 percent from the previous year.
Retail activity, however, showed more positive signs. Leading textile and apparel retailers in China posted combined sales of 6.4 trillion yuan, up 5.9 percent year on year.
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From January to April, China sold roughly US$90.5 billion in textiles and clothing abroad, about 1.1 percent more than in the opening four months of 2024.
With its massive workforce and strong consumer demand, it continues to anchor both economic output and employment.
Despite choppy markets overseas and some challenges at home, most observers still regard textiles as one of the country’s industrial cornerstones, given its sheer scale and the millions of livelihoods it sustains.
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Facing shifting international dynamics, a growing number of Chinese textile companies are putting resources into developing advanced fabrics and technology.
Many are aiming to compete at the higher end of the global supply chain, according to people familiar with industry trends.
Farkhund Yousafzai is an Associate Editor at The Diplomatic Insight.
