According to industry statistics, China's textile industry prosperity index reached 52.3 in Q1 2026, up 1.8 points from the previous quarter, remaining above the boom-bust line for three consecutive quarters and showing a steady upward trend.
Strong Export Performance
Total textile and apparel exports reached $68.75 billion in Q1, a year-on-year increase of 8.2%. Textile exports grew 6.8% while apparel exports rose 9.5%. The ASEAN market continued its strong momentum, with exports to Vietnam, Indonesia, and Thailand all exceeding 15% growth.
Notably, exports of high-end functional fabrics grew significantly faster than traditional categories. Waterproof breathable fabrics, stretch sportswear materials, and eco-friendly recycled fabrics all saw export growth exceeding 20%, reflecting significant progress in product upgrading.
Domestic Market Recovery
On the domestic front, above-scale textile enterprises saw revenue grow 5.3% year-on-year with total profits up 7.1%. Technical textiles performed particularly well, benefiting from rapid expansion in healthcare, environmental filtration, and new energy applications, with production volumes up 12.4%.
Industry Outlook
Looking ahead to Q2, industry observers expect the textile sector to maintain steady growth momentum. The spring-summer seasonal demand peak will inject fresh growth impetus. Digital transformation and green manufacturing are becoming the two dominant themes of industry development.