The strengthening of regional economic cooperation is injecting strong impetus into the global fabric trade and reshaping the development pattern of the industry.
In the field of China-EU trade, the China-EU supply chain has shown strong resilience, with continuously improving logistics and trade facilitation, establishing a smooth channel for Chinese fabric and apparel products to enter the European market. The European market has stable demand for consumer goods and a sustained need for various fabrics and garments. Relying on an efficient logistics system, Chinese fabric products can reach all parts of Europe quickly and on time, reducing transportation time and costs. At the same time, measures such as simplified trade procedures and optimized tariffs have further lowered trade barriers, making Chinese fabric enterprises more competitive in the European market. In May 2025, China’s exports of textiles and apparel to the EU reached 4.22 billion US dollars, a year-on-year increase of 19.4%. Among them, the export performance of knitted and woven garments was particularly prominent, with export value reaching 2.68 billion US dollars, a year-on-year increase of 29.2%, export volume increasing by 21.4%, and export unit price also rising by 6.5%. From January to May, China’s cumulative exports of textiles and apparel to the EU reached 15.3 billion US dollars, a year-on-year increase of 9.8%. These figures fully demonstrate the role of China-EU regional economic cooperation in promoting fabric trade.
The in-depth advancement of the “Belt and Road” Initiative has opened up a broader market space for Chinese fabric enterprises. The “Belt and Road” covers many countries with different development levels and resource endowments, providing rich opportunities and diverse demands for fabric trade. China and countries along the route have promoted trade liberalization and facilitation by signing free trade agreements, reducing tariffs, and simplifying customs clearance procedures, creating a favorable policy environment for fabric enterprises to “go global”.
Southeast Asian countries, with abundant labor resources, are important bases for garment processing and have a huge demand for textile raw materials and fabrics. Chinese fabric enterprises can leverage their technological and industrial supporting advantages to provide high-quality fabric products to these regions. Central Asian countries are rich in high-quality raw materials such as cotton. Chinese enterprises can cooperate with local partners to obtain high-quality raw materials and sell processed fabric products to local and surrounding areas. From January to May 2025, China’s exports of fabrics and apparel to “Belt and Road” partner countries reached 67.54 billion US dollars, a year-on-year increase of 0.3%, accounting for 57.9% of total exports. This indicates that the “Belt and Road” market has become an important pillar of China’s fabric and apparel exports.
In addition, the “Belt and Road” Initiative has promoted cultural exchanges and integration between different countries and regions, bringing new opportunities to fabric trade. For example, Muslim clothing in the Middle East carries profound cultural and religious connotations. Chinese fabric enterprises can gain a deep understanding of local culture and consumer demand, combine traditional Chinese craftsmanship with local cultural characteristics, and design and produce fabric products that meet the aesthetic and needs of local consumers. Like Aidewen Garment in Shantou, Guangdong, it successfully transformed from denim OEM to the field of Muslim clothing with the help of the “Belt and Road” Initiative, and its products are exported to Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, Dubai and other countries and regions.
In conclusion, both regional economic cooperation between China and the EU and international cooperation under the “Belt and Road” Initiative have effectively promoted the development of fabric trade through various means such as improving logistics and trade facilitation, promoting resource complementarity, and advancing cultural exchanges. They have made positive contributions to the prosperity of the global fabric industry and brought more development opportunities and broader space for related enterprises.
Post time: Jul-28-2025