From January to August, geopolitical conflicts, rising tariffs, and further fragmentation of supply chains impacted global growth. China’s economy maintained a stable yet somewhat slower pace: industrial output again exceeded GDP, while retail sales and consumer confidence declined. Exports stayed positive but faced new challenges. In the technical textiles sector, value-added growth slowed, keeping the industry mainly stable.

In terms of production, data from the National Bureau of Statistics show that from January to August, the output of nonwoven by enterprises above a designated size increased by 4.5% year-on-year, while the production of cord fabric (in tyres) decreased by 5.6% year-on-year.

According to data from the National Bureau of Statistics, the operating income of enterprises above a designated size in the technical textiles industry increased by 1.6% year-on-year from January to August, while total profit declined by 1.7%, with the profit decline narrowing for two consecutive months. The operating profit margin was 3.7%, down 0.1 percentage points year-on-year.

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

Source: National Bureau of Statistics

Figure: Growth Rate of Key Economic Indicators of China’s Technical Textiles Industry in January-August 2025

Source: National Bureau of Statistics

In terms of international trade, according to China Customs data (Customs 8-digit HS code statistics), China’s technical textiles exports in January-August totaled US$28.41 billion, up 2.5% year-on-year; imports reached US$3.59 billion, increasing by 3.5% year-on-year.

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

Source: China Customs

From the view of export destinations, the United States, Vietnam, and Japan are currently China’s top three markets for technical textiles. From January to August, China’s exports to the United States totaled US$3.32 billion, a decline of 7.4% compared to the previous year. The export values to Vietnam and Japan were US$2.14 billion and US$150 million, respectively, with year-on-year increases of 3.1% and 1.7%. In the first eight months, China’s exports of technical textiles to countries along the “Belt and Road” reached US$17.08 billion, a 5.3% increase year-on-year, representing 60.1% of China’s total technical textile exports.

Source: CHINA TEXTILE LEADER Express