From January to April 2025, the global economy continued to diverge, with downward pressures intensifying significantly. The United States’ unilateral trade barriers and geopolitical risks compounded each other, exacerbating uncertainty in the international market. In response, domestic policies remained focused on reducing interest rates and introducing incremental measures to stabilize expectations, thereby demonstrating the resilience of the domestic market. Despite these challenges, China’s technical textile industry remained generally stable, with industrial added value showing year-on-year growth. According to data from the National Bureau of Statistics, nonwoven output by enterprises above the designated size increased by 7.5% year-on-year from January to April. Conversely, the output of cord fabric (used in tyres) decreased by 2.8% year-on-year during the same period.

Figure: Key Economic Indicators Growth Rate of China’s Technical Textile Industry from 2023 to Jan.- Apr. of 2025

Source: National Bureau of Statistics

In terms of economic efficiency, data from the National Bureau of Statistics shows that from January to April, the operating income of enterprises above a designated size in the technical textile industry increased by 6.4% year-on-year, while total profit decreased by 1.1% year-on-year. This reveals a scissors gap trend. The operating profit margin was 3.6%, down 0.2 percentage points year-on-year, continuing to put pressure on the industry’s profitability.

Table 1: Key Economic Indicators of Major Products Above Designated Size of China’s Technical Textile Industry in Jan.-Apr., 2025

Source: China Customs

In terms of international trade, data from China Customs indicates that the export value of China’s technical textile industry totaled US$14.16 billion in the first four months of 2025, representing a 4.5% increase year-on-year (Table 2). Meanwhile, the imports of the industry reached US$1.75 billion, marking a 5.3% rise compared to the previous year.

Table 2: The Exports of Main Products in China’s Technical Textile Industry in Jan.-Apr., 2025

Source: China Customs

From the standpoint of export destinations, the United States, Vietnam, and Japan rank as the top three markets for China’s technical textile exports. In the first four months, exports to these nations amounted to US$1.8 billion, US$1.1 billion, and US$750 million, respectively, showing year-on-year increases of 1.3%, 6%, and 2.6%. During this period, China exported US$8.33 billion worth of technical textiles to countries involved in the “Belt and Road” initiative, marking a year-on-year increase of 5.6%. This represented 58.8% of China’s total technical textile exports.

Source: CHINA TEXTILE LEADER Express