Abstract: 2026 marks the first year of China’s 15th Five-Year Plan period, and the country’s denim fabric industry has entered an important stage of transformation, upgrading, and development of a modern industrial system. Based on survey data from the China Cotton Textile Association, this paper reviews the development history, production capacity, and regional distribution of China’s denim fabric industry, and summarizes its development characteristics in terms of capacity structure, digital and intelligent transformation, green transition, and the development of “variety, quality, and brand”. It also analyzes major challenges arising from changes in the domestic and international economic environment, technological innovation and green transformation, structural talent shortages, and insufficient leadership of fashion brands. On this basis, four pathways for high-quality industry development are proposed: strengthening the dual circulation of domestic and international markets, promoting coordinated technological innovation and green transformation, improving the talent development system, and empowering the industry through fashion and branding. The study provides a reference for the transformation and upgrading of China’s denim fabric industry.

Key words: denim fabric industry; high-quality development; digital and intelligent transformation; green transformation; “Three Upgrades” initiative