Affected by the slowdown in the global market demand for epidemic prevention materials and the high development base in 2020, the main economic indicators of China’s technical textile industry in 2021 saw a significant drop to the normal level before the Covis-19 pandemic. From January to July, the industrial added value of enterprises above designated size in China’s technical textile industry fell by 20.1% year-on-year. However, compared with the same period in 2019, the industrial added value of China’s technical textile industry still grew at an average growth of 13.1% during the past two years.

In terms of production, the output of nonwovens enterprises above designated size from January to July reached about 3.49 million tons, up by 0.3% year-on-year. Its growth rate continued to decline. While the output of cord fabric in tyres was 480,000 tons, increased by 37.0% year-on-year.

In terms of economic benefits, from January to July, the operating income of enterprises above the designated size in China’s technical textile industry totaled CNY 168.41 billion, down by 10.7% year-on-year. The total profits realized CNY 9.38 billion, dropped by 60.9% year-on-year. And the profit rate was 5.6%, declined by 7.2 percentage points year-on-year. By sectors, the operating income and total profits of nonwovens enterprises above designated size from January to July decreased by 21.0% and 72.9% year-on-year, respectively. And its profit rate was 5.7%, declined by 10.9 percentage points year-on-year. The operating income and total profits of twine & rope (cable), ribbon enterprises above designated size increased by 16.3% and 9.8% year-on-year respectively. Their profit margins reached 4.5%, seeing slightly decrease of 0.3% year-on-year. The operating income and total profits of enterprises above designated size for textile belts and cord fabric in tyres surged by 25.4% and 164.8% year-on-year, respectively. The profit rate was 5.7%, up by 3.0 percentage points year-on-year. The operating income and total profits of enterprises above designated size for awnings increased by 33.6% and 30.2% year-on-year, respectively. And the profit rate was 5.8%, declined by 0.2 percentage points year-on-year. While the operating income and total profits of other technical textile enterprises above designated size (incl. medical & hygienic textiles, filtration, geotextiles) decreased by 20.0% and 61.2% year-on-year, respectively. And their profit rate was 5.4%, down 5.8 percentage points year-on-year.

In terms of international trade, from the perspective of major export products, China exported US$ 4.88 billion worth of nonwovens, specialty yarns, twine & rope (cable), ribbon from January to July, seeing a year-on-year increase of 19.9%. Among them, the exports of nonwovens reached US$ 2.73 billion, up by 13.7% year-on-year. And the export volume was 836,000 tons, up by 25.5% year-on-year. The export value of industrial textiles reached US$ 5.05 billion, surged by 41.3% year-on-year. As for the export of anti-epidemic materials, the export of chemical fiber nonwoven protective clothing (including medical protective clothing) was US$ 1.70 billion, dropped by 61.1% year-on-year.

At present, the global pandemic is still evolving. And the domestic epidemic situation in China is also rebounding in many places. China’s economic recovery is still unstable and uneven. Comprehensive costs have increased due to structural labor shortages and increasing raw material prices and shipping fees, making the production and operation of enterprises under pressure. It is expected that the main economic indicators of China’s technical textile industry will face a significant adjustment throughout the year, most of which are in a falling range.