Analysis of the Operation of China’s Industrial Textiles Industry in 2025 and Outlook for 2026 (Excerpt)
I. Economic Performance of the Industrial Textiles Industry in 2025
In 2025, the global economy, facing multiple pressures including continued tariff shocks, high uncertainty in trade policies, escalating protectionist measures, and heightened geopolitical tensions, exhibited a “fragile yet resilient” operating characteristic. Facing the complex changes in the domestic and international economic environment, my country’s economy demonstrated a steady progress, vitality towards innovation and improvement, and resilience in the face of pressure, exhibiting characteristics of “increased total volume and new driving forces.” my country’s industrial textiles industry actively responded to the complex external environment and intense industry competition, accelerated its transformation and upgrading, and continued to maintain a good development momentum.
(I) Overall Good Capacity Utilization, Production Maintained Medium-to-High-Speed Growth
In 2025, domestic and international market demand for my country’s industrial textiles industry steadily recovered. Among them, the growth rates of application markets such as wiping products, automotive parts, and wind power generation all exceeded 10%, maintaining a high growth level; demand in environmental protection and infrastructure construction remained stable; and hygiene materials accelerated their development towards high-end and differentiated directions. The sound development of key application areas provided solid support for the high-quality development of the industry.
The overall capacity utilization rate of the industrial textiles industry remained at a good level throughout the year, especially in the second half of the year when the industry’s production index was in a rapid expansion range, and the output of major products maintained medium-to-high-speed growth throughout the year. According to the association’s survey, the capacity utilization rate of sample enterprises in 2025 was 73.5%, with approximately 36% of the sample enterprises having a capacity utilization rate exceeding 80%.
According to the association’s statistics, the total fiber processing volume of my country’s industrial textiles industry reached 22.796 million tons in 2025, a year-on-year increase of 6.6%. As the main raw material for industrial textiles, my country’s nonwoven fabric output was 9.207 million tons, a year-on-year increase of 7.5%.
(II) Industry Profitability Improved, with Significant Differentiation Among Sub-sectors
According to data from the National Bureau of Statistics, in 2025, the operating revenue and total profit of industrial textiles enterprises above designated size (non-full caliber) decreased by 2.4% and 7.0% year-on-year, respectively; the industry’s gross profit margin was 15.1%, an increase of 0.3 percentage points compared to 2024, while the operating profit margin was 4.1%, a decrease of 0.2 percentage points compared to 2024 (as shown in Figure 1). Figure 1. Operating Profit Margin of Enterprises Above Designated Size in my country’s Industrial Textiles Industry (Unit: %)
Source: National Bureau of Statistics, China Industrial Textiles Industry Association
According to data from the National Bureau of Statistics, the main economic indicators of each sub-sector in 2025 are as follows (see Table 1):
The operating revenue and total profit of enterprises above designated size in the nonwoven fabric industry decreased by 1.7% and 7.1% year-on-year, respectively. The gross profit margin was 13.9%, an increase of 0.2 percentage points compared to 2024, while the operating profit margin was 3.3%, a decrease of 0.2 percentage points compared to 2024.
The rope, cable, and cord industry was the only sub-sector in the entire industry to achieve positive revenue growth. The operating revenue of enterprises above designated size increased by 8.5% year-on-year, and the total profit increased slightly by 0.2% year-on-year. The gross profit margin was 12.9%, and the operating profit margin was 3.8%, a decrease of 0.4 and 0.3 percentage points, respectively, compared to 2024.
The textile belt and tire cord fabric industry faced significant operational pressures, with the operating revenue and total profit of enterprises above a designated size decreasing by 11.2% and 11.4% year-on-year, respectively. The gross profit margin was 13.8%, an increase of 0.8 percentage points compared to 2024, while the operating profit margin remained flat at 3.5%.
The tarpaulin and canvas industry saw a 4.7% year-on-year decrease in operating revenue and a 9.3% year-on-year decrease in total profit for enterprises above a designated size. The gross profit margin was 16.8%, an increase of 0.6 percentage points compared to 2024, while the operating profit margin was 4.5%, a decrease of 0.2 percentage points compared to 2024.
The other industrial textiles sector, which includes filter and protective textiles, saw a 0.4% and 5.8% year-on-year decrease in operating revenue and total profit for enterprises above a designated size. The gross profit margin and operating profit margin reached 17.7% and 5.9%, respectively, an increase of 0.1 percentage points and a decrease of 0.3 percentage points compared to 2024, maintaining its leading profitability across the industry.
Table 1. Growth Rate of Major Economic Indicators of my country’s Industrial Textiles Industry in 2025 (Enterprises Above Designated Size)
Source: National Bureau of Statistics, China Industrial Textiles Industry Association
(III) Industry Investment Willingness Rebounds, and Endogenous Momentum for High-Quality Development Continues to Strengthen
In the past two years, investment in my country’s industrial textiles industry has mainly focused on product quality improvement, capacity structure optimization, and sustainable development. According to the association’s statistics on sample enterprises, investment in new projects by sample enterprises in 2025 rebounded significantly compared to 2024, with approximately 77% of sample enterprises completing the investment implementation or construction of new projects. Regarding capacity investment, taking nonwoven fabric enterprises as an example, according to incomplete statistics, in 2025, my country’s contracted new spunbond and meltblown, spunlace, needle-punched, and thermally bonded nonwoven fabric production lines were approximately 70, 15, 140, and 25 respectively, with a total new production capacity exceeding 700,000 tons.
Regarding investment plans for 2026, the association’s survey shows that the investment intentions of sample enterprises have continued to recover compared to 2025, with over 80% of the sample enterprises planning to invest in or construct new projects in 2026. Among these sample enterprises, the proportion of investment in upgrading and transforming existing equipment and in intelligent transformation has continued to increase compared to 2025, indicating a continued strengthening of the industry’s focus on high-quality investment. Some enterprises with scale advantages are also actively promoting their overseas market strategic layout, with Southeast Asia being a key market of interest.
(IV) Rising Trade Protectionism, Industry Exports Demonstrate Resilience
- Export Situation
According to data from China Customs, in 2025, my country’s industrial textiles exports (based on customs 8-digit HS code statistics) reached US$42.44 billion, a year-on-year increase of 1.2% (see Table 2), maintaining its position as the world’s largest exporter of industrial textiles.
1.1 Major Product Export Situation
In terms of export value, industrial coated fabrics are currently the largest export product in the industry. In 2025, my country’s exports of industrial coated fabrics to overseas markets were valued at US$5.06 billion, a slight decrease of 0.7% year-on-year. Among other major products, exports of cord (cable) textiles, industrial fiberglass products, and packaging textiles all maintained growth, with export values of US$3.26 billion, US$2.21 billion, and US$1.72 billion, respectively, representing year-on-year increases of 2.1%, 3.5%, and 1.6%. Exports of felt and tent products decreased by 8.2% year-on-year to US$3.64 billion, while exports of canvas and leather base fabrics decreased by 2.4% and 0.9% year-on-year, respectively.
The exports of nonwoven fabrics and related products showed different trends. In 2025, overseas demand for Chinese nonwoven fabric rolls remained strong, with exports reaching 1.694 million tons, a year-on-year increase of 11.8%, valued at US$4.25 billion, a year-on-year increase of 5.2%. Exports of disposable hygiene products (diapers, sanitary napkins, etc.) reached US$3.89 billion, a year-on-year increase of 8.3%. Exports of medical dressings such as cotton wool, gauze, and bandages reached US$1.09 billion, basically flat compared to 2024. Exports of wet wipes reached US$1.09 billion, maintaining double-digit growth for three consecutive years. Exports of nonwoven protective clothing (including medical protective clothing) and masks reached US$780 million and US$610 million respectively, both down 0.8% year-on-year.
Table 2: Export Situation of my country’s Industrial Textiles Industry and Major Products in 2025
Source: China Customs, China Industrial Textiles Industry Association
1.2 Export Situation in Major Markets
In 2025, my country’s industrial textile exports to major global markets showed a significant divergence. Asia is my country’s largest export market for industrial textiles, accounting for 50.3% of total exports, with exports to this region increasing by 1.5% year-on-year. Exports to North America, my country’s second-largest export market, decreased by 8.9% year-on-year, and its market share declined by 1.4 percentage points compared to 2024. Exports to the EU and Latin America increased by 3.8% and 5.3% year-on-year, respectively, with market shares increasing by 0.2 and 0.4 percentage points compared to 2024. Africa showed the strongest growth momentum, with exports increasing by 11.6% year-on-year, and its market share growth rate leading all major markets, reaching 7.9%. Exports to Oceania decreased by 1.2% year-on-year, and its market share declined by 0.1 percentage points compared to 2024 (as shown in Figure 2).
Figure 2. Major Export Regions of my country’s Industrial Textiles in 2025
Source: China Customs, China Industrial Textiles Industry Association
- Import Situation
According to data from China Customs, in 2025, my country’s imports of industrial textiles (based on customs 8-digit HS code statistics) amounted to US$5.51 billion, a year-on-year increase of 3.8%, marking the first positive growth since 2021.
Looking at major imported products, my country’s imports of industrial fiberglass products increased by 36.8% in value and 38.8% in price year-on-year; imports of nonwoven fabrics in 2025 amounted to US$800 million, a year-on-year decrease of 1.9%; imports of structural reinforcement textiles and cord (cable) textiles increased by 8.4% and 7.8% year-on-year, respectively; and imports of industrial coated fabrics and airbags decreased by 2.6% and 18.5% respectively in 2025 (see Table 3).
Table 3. Import Situation of my country’s Industrial Textiles Industry and Major Products in 2025
Note: Other industrial textiles mainly include PMP hollow fiber membranes, special coated fabrics, filter materials, semiconductor industrial polishing materials, and other industrial fabrics.
Source: China Customs, China Industrial Textiles Industry Association
II. Development Outlook of the Industrial Textiles Industry in 2026
2026 is the opening year of the 15th Five-Year Plan and a crucial year for comprehensively advancing the construction of a strong nation and the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation through Chinese-style modernization. my country’s industrial textiles industry is about to enter a critical period of transformation, upgrading, and quality improvement, with strategic opportunities and risks coexisting.
From an external perspective, the global economic recovery remains arduous and tortuous under the continued impact of multiple shocks. The uncertainties and instabilities brought about by escalating geopolitical conflicts, rising trade protectionism, and the regional restructuring of global supply chains will persist. In particular, the recent escalation of the conflict between the US, Israel, and Iran has not only directly exacerbated regional geopolitical instability but also exerted a comprehensive impact on the global oil supply and demand pattern and the international shipping system. This means that my country’s industrial textiles exports face challenges such as increased trade barriers, intensified competition from peers in emerging markets, and narrowing bargaining power for traditional products. They also need to guard against systemic risks such as significant fluctuations in raw material prices and obstacles to export fulfillment. At the same time, the deep integration of RCEP regional cooperation and the high-quality joint construction of the Belt and Road Initiative has opened up incremental space in emerging markets for the industry. Long-term trends such as changes in the global energy landscape, upgrades to public health systems, and deepening ecological governance will also bring continuous and stable export opportunities for high-performance industrial textiles.
From a domestic perspective, the accelerated implementation of various national top-level designs in the first year of the 15th Five-Year Plan will inject strong momentum into the high-quality development of my country’s industrial textiles industry. The deepening of new industrialization and the construction of a manufacturing powerhouse are driving the continuous release of high-end demand in fields such as new energy, infrastructure construction, biomedicine, and aerospace, effectively addressing the structural contradictions between supply and demand in the industry. A series of policies supporting technological innovation, green and low-carbon development, and the private sector continue to take effect, accelerating the industry’s digital transformation and green transition, driving enterprises to shift their development model from scale expansion to quality and efficiency improvement, continuously consolidating the advantages of a complete industrial chain, and constantly enhancing the industry’s resilience and global core competitiveness.
From the perspective of the industry’s own development, the industrial textiles industry in my country is currently in a recovery phase, with enterprises maintaining high production loads and improved operating performance. However, the industry’s growth momentum still needs to be consolidated, the structural contradictions between supply and demand have not been fundamentally resolved, and deep-seated problems such as the continued decline in finished product prices and “increased revenue but not increased profits” in some areas remain to be addressed. In the long term, the industry’s accumulated advantages in a complete industrial chain, its continuously iterating technological innovation system, and the strategic support of its massive domestic market will become more prominent, continuously strengthening the industry’s resilience and risk resistance.
It is projected that my country’s industrial textiles industry will maintain stable operation in 2026, with major economic indicators achieving medium-to-low growth and continued improvement in development quality and efficiency. Fixed asset investment in the industry will continue to focus on high-quality investments such as equipment upgrades, intelligent transformation, and green manufacturing, while investment in capacity expansion will remain cautious.
(Source: China Industrial Textiles Industry Association)