From Innovation to Sustainability: Unlocking the Power of Circular Fashion in a Changing World
November 20–22, 2024: World Fashion Conference in Humen, China
With the theme “Integration: The Power of Common Development,” the 2024 World Fashion Conference was held in Humen, China. Sun Ruizhe, President of the China National Textile and Apparel Council (CNTAC), attended the event and delivered the keynote address. The full text of his speech is presented here for readers.
Collaboration Creates Value; Integration Shapes the Future
Sun Ruizhe, President of the China National Textile and Apparel Council
November 21, 2024 (Humen, China)
Fashion communicates values. It fosters trust and respect, acting as a dialogue of civilizations. Clothing promotes understanding and cooperation, serving as a language of the times. Throughout history, textile and apparel have linked nations and regions, enabling learning and mutual inspiration while advancing global civilization and human well-being.
Today, the world has entered a new period of turbulence and transformation. As a community with shared interests and destinies, the global textile and apparel industry faces a common test: progress or stagnation. Our gathering in Humen is a collective effort to explore the potential for creating shared global value and advancing harmonious growth worldwide. Here, I share a few key observations:
I. The Steady Growth of the Global Apparel Industry and China’s Positive Contributions
The interconnectedness of industries, markets, and cultures makes the textile and apparel sector an important driver of global cooperation.
- A Foundation for Enhancing Livelihoods
Globally, the annual production of clothing exceeds 100 billion garments, with the 2023 market reaching $1.74 trillion. High-quality and diverse offerings fulfill people’s needs for better living, while wide-ranging development creates substantial socio-economic value. Worldwide, 1 in 8 workers is employed in textile and apparel-related fields.
- In developing countries, the industry plays a key role in poverty alleviation:
Morocco: 1,900 textile firms provide jobs for 175,000 workers.
Bangladesh: Over 4,000 garment factories employ more than 5 million people, with apparel exports comprising 86% of the country’s total exports in 2023.
Vietnam: Textile workers earn an average of $300/month, exceeding the global average of $200/month.
- In China, textile clusters have been instrumental in rural revitalization and minority region development.
2. A Catalyst for Industrial Upgrading
As the “cradle of global industry,” textile and apparel are critical for developing countries to modernize, industrialize, and integrate into globalization. This sector bridges agriculture, industry, and commerce, driving transitions from agricultural to industrial economies and from labor-intensive to technology-intensive operations. Modern apparel systems represent advanced forms of industrialization.
- A single garment integrates innovations in materials, processes, and equipment.
- A successful brand embodies research and development, capital operations, and marketing management.
- More than 90% of the top 50 most valuable apparel brands in the Brand Finance 2024 Global Apparel Rankings are based in developed countries.
The sector’s integration with digital, content, and experience economies has created extended ecosystems. For instance, Saudi Arabia sees fashion as a key to economic diversification.
3. A Key Medium for Integrated Development
Clothing symbolizes diverse civilizations, from Hanfu and saris to Scottish kilts and Arabian robes. It enhances national identity and facilitates cultural exchange. On the Silk Road, textile and apparel trade fostered East-West interactions across religion, politics, society, science, and art.
- In today’s digital age, fashion reflects collective narratives and a blend of diversity and unity.
- Examples include:
Lululemon for healthy lifestyles,
Patagonia for environmental missions,
Bosideng for extreme cold challenges.
Fashion now embodies lifestyles and values, with products influencing cultural recognition and emotional connections. As a medium, apparel strengthens brand-consumer relationships, as demonstrated by Visa’s collaborations with fashion designers to connect with younger audiences.
China is a pivotal force in global development, producing over 700 billion garments annually, enough to provide each person worldwide with approximately 8.75 pieces of clothing.
- In 2023, China’s apparel exports reached $165 billion, accounting for 31.64% of the global total.
- Despite challenges, the sector showed a recovery trend in 2024:
From January to September, industrial output grew 0.4%, a 9.2 percentage point rebound from 2023.
Revenue increased 1.02%, with profit decline narrowing to 2.62%.
Exports totaled $118.38 billion, down 1.3%, but the rate of decline improved by 7.5 percentage points.
China’s affordable intermediates, advanced equipment, and technical expertise bolster global ecosystems:
- Yarn and fabric exports reached $77.9 billion in 2023, 6.7 times 2001 levels.
- Textile machinery exports amounted to $4.543 billion across 202 regions.
- Industrial sewing machine exports totaled 4.32 million units.
Technological spillovers are evident, as seen in Benin’s cotton modernization efforts supported by Chinese advancements. China’s apparel sector drives the UN Sustainable Development Goals by reducing poverty and safeguarding human rights.
II. Grasping the Key Variables Facing the Global Apparel Industry
The global apparel industry currently faces a multitude of challenges. Weak economic recovery momentum and suppressed consumer expectations have become prominent concerns. In October, the WTO revised its forecast for global merchandise trade growth in 2025, lowering it by 0.3 percentage points. The 28th ITMF survey identified weak demand as the industry’s primary challenge. Bain & Company has predicted that the global luxury goods market will experience its first slowdown in 15 years in 2024, declining by 2% year-on-year.
Geopolitical tensions are deepening, unilateralism and protectionism are spreading, and the fragmentation of the global economy is accelerating. The manufacturing landscape is diversifying with offshore, reshored, nearshored, and friend-shored production models. Meanwhile, cutting-edge technologies and emerging industries are rapidly reshaping competitive advantages, creating disruptive impacts. To navigate these turbulent times, it is essential to analyze the structural changes, address major contradictions, and grasp critical variables to maximize the comprehensive value of the industry’s functional contributions.
1. Market Landscape: The Spatial Variable of Industry Development
In the global apparel import market, the share held by the top ten countries, including eight developed nations, declined from 88.7% in 2005 to 67.2% in 2023. Meanwhile, the Global South is rising rapidly, leading to a more diverse market. China’s share of global apparel imports has increased from 0.6% to 1.8%, and Chinese consumers now account for one-quarter of the world’s duty-free luxury consumption.
From a demographic perspective, global population growth continues to drive market potential. By the mid-2080s, the global population is expected to reach 10.3 billion. Trends such as declining birth rates, aging populations, and accelerating urbanization are reshaping consumption structures. In advanced economies like the U.S., U.K., and Japan, the silver economy accounts for over 30% of GDP. Emerging markets hold immense potential, with 75% of consumers in these regions projected to be aged between 15 and 34 by 2030. Africa’s apparel market, for instance, is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 16.46% between 2022 and 2025.
The evolution of consumption groups and concepts is driving changes in consumption structures and behaviors. The development of the digital economy is creating a more transparent and globalized market. Global e-commerce sales are forecast to exceed $6 trillion in 2024, growing by 12% year-on-year, while cross-border e-commerce is expected to reach $1.976 trillion. Rapid information flow, efficient logistics coordination, and highly flexible supply chains are shortening fashion cycles and accelerating product iterations. However, these dynamics also intensify homogenization. Innovations in products tailored to different values, lifestyles, and scenarios are opening up new market opportunities. Health-conscious, green, cultural, and experiential consumption trends are flourishing.
According to Euromonitor, the global sportswear market is forecast to grow from $395.5 billion in 2023 to $544 billion by 2028, with a compound annual growth rate of 7%. Luxury brands are accelerating their adaptations to emerging trends. Loro Piana, for example, launched the “Into the Wild” capsule collection emphasizing outdoor functionality, while Louis Vuitton and Dior introduced ski collections catering to the winter sports economy.
The market landscape represents a spatial variable for industry development. To succeed, the industry must thoughtfully position its products, brands, and value propositions. Enhancing adaptability in diverse and fast-changing markets while balancing “exploration and expansion” with “refinement and cultivation” will help identify breakthrough opportunities.
2. Green Value: The Constraint Variable of Industry Development
A United Nations report indicates that only 17% of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals are progressing as planned. Resource and environmental pressures are becoming undeniable challenges, exacerbated by new energy and water consumption issues linked to artificial intelligence development.
The scope and intensity of green trade regulations continue to expand. According to the Green Tax Tracking Report, more than 66 countries or regions have implemented over 2,000 sustainability incentive policies, 3,000 green tax or exemption measures, and 70 carbon pricing mechanisms. Green consumption potential is being unleashed, with 78% of survey respondents expressing a willingness to purchase environmentally sustainable products. Chinese consumers are reportedly willing to pay a premium of 9% to 15% for sustainable products. A Global Data report predicts that by 2024, second-hand apparel will account for 10% of the fashion market.
Resources are increasingly being converted into assets. The global carbon market’s trading volume reached €881 billion in 2023. The ongoing COP29 conference is actively discussing global carbon trading frameworks, signaling the formation of new value spaces.
Amid pressures and opportunities, the green transition has become a key focus for the apparel industry. In 2024, BASF restructured its business around green principles, establishing a renewable materials division. H&M announced plans to phase out virgin down by the end of 2025. However, the transition remains challenging. Green markets need cultivation, technologies require maturation, and regulations need refinement. Practical challenges such as a lack of standards and the misuse of concepts frequently lead to “greenwashing” issues, with high-risk cases increasing by over 30% globally between June 2023 and June 2024.
The backlash against ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) initiatives is intensifying. In 2023, more than two-thirds of U.S. legislatures proposed anti-ESG bills. Meanwhile, green development has become a focal point for industrial competition and interest negotiation. Countries such as India, South Africa, and Poland have voiced concerns about the EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), questioning its impact and fairness. In the context of geopolitical competition, green trade barriers have become more covert and flexible.
Green value serves as a constraint variable for industry development. From the perspectives of resource efficiency and value creation, it is crucial to define the boundaries and degree of development. Navigating the currents of green transformation requires upholding the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities, building consensus, and promoting consistent, comprehensive, and fair evaluations and practices.
3. Artificial Intelligence: The Disruptive Variable of Industry Development
AI is intensifying the technological substitution of human cognition, creating “technological singularities” and “economic singularities.” In just two years, the amount of data generated by AI has surpassed the total created by humans over the past 150 years. Over a quarter of Google’s new computer code is now AI-generated. Breakthroughs like AlphaFold 3’s atomic-level protein predictions and GNoME’s discovery of 2.2 million new crystals represent knowledge accumulation equivalent to nearly 800 years of human history.
By integrating various scientific discovery paradigms, AI demonstrates innovation potential in increasingly complex scenarios. It is enabling manufacturing systems with autonomous sensing, learning, decision-making, and execution capabilities. Embodied and spatial intelligence are transforming human-machine interactions and collaboration. Tesla’s Optimus robot has rapidly expanded its functional range, performing tasks in factory settings. McKinsey predicts that by 2030, AI and robotics will perform over 20% of manufacturing tasks. Digital lighthouse factories employing AI solutions have achieved an average productivity increase of 50%. According to Boston Consulting Group, AI and automation technologies could reduce U.S. manufacturing costs by 18% by 2025.
Future industrial competitiveness will hinge on the combined strengths of human talent and computing power. The gaps in AI capabilities are translating into disparities in industrial capabilities. Key drivers include algorithms, data, and computational resources, areas where developed economies have already secured a lead.
At the same time, the advent of a “Silicon Curtain” seems imminent. AI raises new challenges such as copyright ownership, echo chambers, data security, algorithmic biases, misinformation, and widening development gaps. In critical sectors like military and financial systems, its applications could pose catastrophic risks.
As a disruptive variable, AI requires a forward-looking perspective and a responsible approach to manage the systemic changes and risks it brings. Guiding AI’s integration into industry applications will be essential for stability and progress.
III. New Practices in China’s Apparel Industry
The Chinese apparel industry is rapidly fostering systemic innovation under the pillars of technology, fashion, and sustainability, forming a foundation for new productive forces.
1. Technology-Driven: Creating Cutting-Edge Products
Using new materials and processes, the industry is building a portfolio of cost-effective, multifunctional, high-performance, intelligent, and sustainable products. Advanced materials such as graphene, bio-based fibers, carbon fibers, aramid, and flexible fiber batteries enhance capabilities in UV protection, flame retardancy, wear resistance, conductivity, antibacterial properties, color-changing, and chemical resistance.
- GaoFan: With 161 patents, the company leverages material textures, thermal linings, sealed processes, and antibacterial technology to produce top-notch items, dominating major e-commerce platforms for three consecutive years during Singles’ Day.
- Anta Group: Selected for Forbes China Innovation Enterprises 2024, Anta’s storm jackets equipped with the “Aerovent Anta Membrane” demonstrate exceptional waterproofing, breathability, and softness.
The intelligent wearables sector is growing rapidly. Report Linker predicts that the global smart textiles market will reach $9.3 billion by 2026. Chinese patents already account for 45% of this market. Intelligent temperature-regulating fabrics, shape-memory textiles, and color-changing materials are finding applications in health monitoring, comprehensive protection, precision treatment, and rehabilitation. For example, Donghua University developed an integrated thermal therapy and monitoring wearable device.
2. Scene-Driven: Building Diverse Product Categories
Exploring and extending application scenarios spurs product innovation. Emerging categories such as sun-protective clothing, loungewear, sweat-proof apparel, and sharkskin pants emphasize functionality and aesthetics.
- Ubras focuses on women’s intimate clothing with innovations like sizeless designs and soft-support innerwear, garnering consumer praise.
- Segments like hiking, camping, and cycling are becoming niche markets. For instance:
KAILAS developed professional outdoor gear for activities like mountaineering and climbing, achieving a 90% year-on-year sales increase in 2023.
Biemlfdlkk Golf Apparel has grown revenue fivefold over a decade with a gross profit margin of 79.08%.
Additionally, the boundaries between outdoor wear and urban attire are blurring. Tennis skirts emerged as a fashion hit this summer, while GXG showcased relaxed business wear for men. Innovations also extend to occupational clothing, such as medical protective suits, racing suits, and radiation-proof apparel.
3. Quality and Efficiency-Driven: Advancing Manufacturing
Smart, green, and integrated advanced manufacturing is a core direction for the industry.
- Intelligent manufacturing: New equipment like fully-fashioned knitting machines and digital printing machines significantly boosts production efficiency.
For instance, Dayang Group’s industrial internet platform for custom apparel enables a delivery cycle as short as three days.
Xtep’s smart factory in Anhui has digitized 100% of garment production processes, improving efficiency by 20–25%, boosting output by 30%, and reducing labor needs by 50%.
Green transformation across the product lifecycle is accelerating:
- HLA (Heilan Home) collaborates with KaiSai Bio to produce green fibers.
- GRACER processes tens of thousands of tons of second-hand clothing annually, supplying over 660 million garments worldwide.
Future manufacturing technologies — such as biomanufacturing, additive manufacturing, and laser manufacturing — are gaining momentum. Donghua University has developed genetically modified silkworms that spin high-strength spider silk for bulletproof clothing, while MISUITY integrates 3D printing for complex garment designs.
4. Feature-Driven: Strengthening Chinese Aesthetics
Chinese culture, design, materials, and craftsmanship are transforming into unique fashion aesthetics.
- Examples include:
Inner Mongolia’s Erdos Cashmere empowers herdsmen.
Yida Textile promotes the benefits of Xinjiang’s long-staple cotton.
Nanchong Silk revitalizes rural communities.
Contemporary Chinese styles, such as hanfu and Song brocade, are becoming global trends.
- Shangjiukai showcased Song brocade craftsmanship through its couture collection Zhuang Zhou’s Butterfly Dream.
- Li Ning integrated porcelain-inspired motifs into its 2024 Fall/Winter outdoor series.
Cultural and creative industries like film, literature, and gaming are driving new fashion traffic. For instance, the game Ru Yuan merges clothing, content, and tourism.
5. Channel-Driven: Expanding Brand Ecosystems
Fashion communication has shifted, with social media becoming a hub for trends. E-commerce platforms facilitate broader connectivity.
- China’s cross-border e-commerce apparel exports surged from ¥145.5 billion in 2019 to ¥487 billion in 2023.
- Localization innovation has deepened:
Bosideng and Anta are accelerating global acquisitions.
Shein is promoting its “500 Chinese Cities Industrial Belt Expansion Plan.”
Fashion weeks, such as the China International Fashion Week and regional showcases in Beijing and Shanghai, have grown in scale, fostering global supply chain innovation and brand exposure.
Conclusion: Collaborative Efforts for a Harmonious Global Textile Industry
Humanity shares a collective destiny, and addressing global opportunities and challenges requires integration, connectivity, and mutual understanding. Only through peace, harmony, and collaboration can we achieve shared prosperity. As we reflect on this conference, we should channel collective wisdom and effort to harness the power of fashion to advance global initiatives and shape a brighter future.
Key Directions for Action:
- Pragmatic Cooperation to Drive Industry Prosperity
By integrating global resources and sharing developmental opportunities, we can foster seamless connections across products, capacities, brands, and capital. This will establish a more resilient and higher-quality global textile ecosystem. Leveraging comparative advantages, we must build diverse and rich industrial ecosystems tailored to local contexts. Platforms such as conferences, exhibitions, and shows should serve as avenues for deepening international fashion exchanges and collaborations. - Innovative Development to Elevate Industrial Capabilities
Innovation should lead the way for high-end industry upgrades, enhancing advanced manufacturing competencies. By merging technology and culture, we can uncover diverse needs and scenarios, paving the way for new materials, products, and categories. AI-driven fashion design should simultaneously highlight local characteristics and embrace inclusivity, enriching the fashion narrative through mutual learning. - Open and Inclusive Approaches to Establish Shared Values
Strengthening cooperation in social responsibility and ESG domains can amplify the industry’s contribution to global sustainability goals. Recognizing unique industrial features, development stages, and interests, we must construct a global collaboration framework grounded in equal rights, opportunities, and rules under the principle of shared but differentiated responsibilities.
“Single threads do not form a threadline; solitary trees cannot form a forest.” Togetherness, mutual communication, and symbiotic growth are the cornerstones of our collective progress. The Chinese textile and apparel industry, alongside global partners, is committed to navigating the challenges and opportunities of the future.
The Perspective of the Second-Hand Clothing Industry:
The second-hand clothing sector forms an integral part of the broader apparel industry, playing a vital role in managing the full lifecycle of a garment. It originates from the creation of new garments and extends through reuse and repurposing, eventually returning to the market or the environment in an eco-friendly manner. Over the years, the world has focused heavily on fast production cycles driven by a material abundance era. However, as extreme global weather patterns become increasingly frequent, the resultant damages serve as stark reminders of the pressing need for sustainability and environmental protection.
As defenders of high standards and healthy growth in the second-hand clothing industry, DoDoBird Used Clothing is encouraged by the growing emphasis on reuse and sustainability across the fashion industry. The company hopes more businesses and brands recognize the critical role of circular fashion, which maximizes the value of garments while minimizing environmental and energy impacts.
DoDoBird Used Clothing extends an open invitation to like-minded partners worldwide who share a vision for a sustainable future. Together, we can contribute to monumental efforts for humanity, fostering progress that endures for generations to come.
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- #SustainableApparel
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- #SecondHandClothing
- #CircularEconomy
- #EcoFriendlyFashion
- #AIInTextiles
- #FutureOfFashion
- #GreenManufacturing
- #FashionLeadership
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