From January to April 2026, amid spillover effects from geopolitical conflicts, persistent high-level volatility in global energy markets, and other factors, the difficulty of global economic recovery intensified. China’s national economy continued its trend of innovation-driven, quality-oriented development, with production and supply growing steadily, market sales expanding, and foreign trade resilience remaining evident. China’s technical textiles industry maintained a generally stable development trajectory, with its industrial value added rising steadily.

I. Production and Profitability

In terms of production, output of the industry’s major products remained steady. According to data from the National Bureau of Statistics, the output of nonwovens by above-designated-size enterprises grew by 6.4% year-on-year from January to April, while tire cord fabric output increased by 2% year-on-year, with the growth rate slowing compared to the first quarter.

In terms of economic efficiency, the industry’s key indicators declined, with some subsectors facing significant pressure on profitability. According to data from the National Bureau of Statistics, from January to April, the operating revenue and total profits of above-designated-size enterprises in the technical textiles industry fell by 0.4% and 9.6% year-on-year, respectively. The operating profit margin was 3.4%, down 0.3 percentage points year-on-year.

By sub-sector, the performance of above-designated-size enterprises from January to April was as follows:

— Nonwovens industry: Operating revenue of above-designated-size enterprises decreased by 1% year-on-year, total profits grew by 0.5% year-on-year, and the operating profit margin was 2.5%, essentially flat compared to the same period in 2025.

— Rope, cordage, and cable industry: Operating revenue and total profits of above-designated-size enterprises increased by 6.3% and 1.6% year-on-year, respectively, with an operating profit margin of 3%, down 0.1 percentage points year-on-year.

— Textile belt and tire cord fabric industry: Operating revenue and total profits of above-designated-size enterprises fell by 4.6% and 16% year-on-year, respectively, with an operating profit margin of 3%, down 0.4 percentage points year-on-year.

— Awnings and canvas industry: Operating revenue of above-designated-size enterprises grew by 9.2% year-on-year, while total profits declined by 9.8% year-on-year, with an operating profit margin of 4.1%, down 0.9 percentage points year-on-year.

— Other technical textiles industry (construction textiles, protective textiles, etc.): Operating revenue and total profits of above-designated-size enterprises declined by 2.9% and 16.4% year-on-year, respectively, with an operating profit margin of 5%, down 0.8 percentage points year-on-year.

II. Foreign Trade

In international trade, the industry’s exports grew steadily. According to Chinese customs data (based on 8-digit HS code statistics), China’s technical textiles industry exported US$14.82 billion from January to April 2026, up 4.6% year-on-year. The industry’s imports totaled US$1.81 billion, seeing a marginal year-on-year growth of 3.1%. For export values of other Main Products, see the attached table.

Table: The Exports of Main Products in China’s Technical Textile Industry in Jan.-Apr., 2026

The United States, Vietnam, and Japan ranked as the top three export destinations for China’s technical textiles. From January to April 2026, China exported US$1.75 billion to the United States, down 2.9% year-on-year; US$1.16 billion to Vietnam, up 5.6% year-on-year; and US$730 million to Japan, down 2% year-on-year. During the same period, China exported technical textiles worth US$8.9 billion to Belt and Road Initiative partner countries, up 5.6% year-on-year, accounting for 60% of the industry’s total exports.

Source: CHINA TEXTILE LEADER Express