Bidirectional Empowerment of Intangible Heritage and Knitting Industry: How Dalang Model Reshapes Textile Cultural Value Chain

One out of every five sweaters worldwide comes from Dalang, Dongguan, a knitting cluster producing 900 million pieces annually. Behind its GDP of 47.37 billion yuan lies an industrial experiment in cultural empowerment. On June 24, the 10th Textile Intangible Heritage Conference opened in Dalang, co-located with the 23rd China (Dalang) Knitting Products Trade Fair and the 95th International Wool Conference. This marks the first deep linkage between the heritage conference, an industry trade show, and an international sector meeting, creating a synergistic effect of 'three events in one'. Dalang is located at the geometric center of Dongguan, with a 2023 GDP of 47.37 billion yuan, and knitting as its core pillar. Annual output of 900 million sweaters means one in five globally originates here. But scale alone no longer sustains growth; the industry needs differentiated value. The fusion of intangible heritage and knitting is not mere cultural decoration. The fashion show, divided into three chapters, transformed Lingnan heritage Qilin patterns into wearable products using modern knitting techniques. The pattern, provided by local artisan Wan Gongxue, is his patented product. From design to production, the entire process adhered to a 'Dalang design, Dalang production, Dalang presentation' philosophy, meaning heritage is no longer a museum exhibit but a standardizable product ready for supply chains. The Textile Intangible Heritage Standards and Certification Agreement signed between CNTAC's Heritage Office and Zhonglian Pinjian provides critical support for this transformation. Standardization is the passport for heritage products to enter the market—without standards, mass production is impossible; without certification, brand trust cannot be built. This agreement marks a substantive step from 'handicraft one-offs' to 'reproducible cultural products'. Multiple agreements cover the entire innovation chain: a strategic cooperation on heritage and knitting product innovation brings together industry associations, town government, enterprises, and designers; a quality service system agreement targets quality upgrades; a brand supply-demand cooperation directly connects to market demand. For buyers, this means future procurement of knitting products with heritage certification and standardized quality control, not just sweaters with a cultural story. For foreign trade enterprises, the 'three events in one' platform offers international visibility, allowing heritage-certified products to enter high-end markets. Connecting with the International Wool Conference provides insights into global wool material trends, enabling the combination of heritage techniques with modern materials.