Post-pandemic, textile exporters take part in big numbers at NYC trade fair
People take part in the 24th China Textile and Apparel Trade Show that opened on Tuesday at the Javits Center in New York. (MINLU ZHANG / CHINA DAILY)
As she placed small Chinese and US flags in front of the camera, Sina Lee, a fabric manufacturer from Guangdong province, conducted a live sales broadcast at a New York trade fair on her phone. Meanwhile, Lee's husband enticed customers.
This year, an increasing number of Chinese textile exporters, like Lee, are returning to the international market after the pandemic.
The three-day 24th China Textile and Apparel Trade Show opened on Tuesday at the Javits Center in New York. It is a platform for the latest industrial trends and for Chinese companies exploring the US market.
The China show is part of Tex-world, the largest show ever held at the sprawling convention center in Manhattan, with about 1,000 companies participating — 80 percent from China.
China has the world's largest and most complete textile industry chain. It is also the largest producer, exporter and consumer of textiles, said Huang Ping, Chinese consul general in New York, at the fair's opening ceremony.
China's highly market-oriented textile industry is deeply integrated into the global supply and value chains of the sector, he said.
"The threads and the needles connect both sides of the Pacific and represent the inseparable economic ties between China and the US.Moreover, they weave the fabric of friendship between the two peoples.
"It is difficult for any country to completely replace China's huge market and strength in the industry," Huang said, adding the interdependence and complementarity between the two countries call for a healthy, stable and sustainable trade relationship.
Huang visited a dozen booths at the fair. At the Ningbo Mondiland Fashion booth, Huang tried on a suit made with a new warp-knitting method.
"Your clothes are very beautiful. You should export more to the US market since the demand here is quite large," Huang said to the company's representatives.
Liu Zhibo, vice-chairman of the Haiyang City Sweater Association, met Huang at the fair. He said Haiyang city in Shandong province is home to about 100,000 sweater workers and about 6,000 merchants.
With an annual export of more than 20 million pieces of clothing, the sweater industry is the pillar of Haiyang's economy, Liu said.
Many companies in Haiyang have never been to the US market before, and they all turned out to participate in this year's exhibition, said Liu, who is also the chairman of Rosa Blu Textile.
Rosa Blu, which has received orders from Japan and South Korea markets, has developed a style specifically tailored for the US market. It employs a woollike material with special fibers that make the finished garments lightweight, Liu said.
Huang also visited Yantai North Home Textile, which specializes in making bedding fabrics for hotels and has an annual export volume of about $100 million. The North American market constitutes about 50 percent of its sales.
Profound changes
Over the past few years, the world has undergone profound changes, and China-US ties have encountered significant challenges, Huang said. However, certain aspects remain unchanged: Economic and trade cooperation between China and the United States is mutually beneficial, and the two countries are highly complementary and interdependent, he said.
"I hope both countries can seize opportunities and strengthen cooperation and contribute to a healthy, stable and sustainable growth of China and US economic and trade relations," he said.
In the aftermath of the pandemic, some Chinese foreign trade companies have been transformed. Some manufacturers have embraced online channels, using live broadcasts and social platforms to promote and receive orders.
"Over the past three years of the pandemic, live broadcasts and social media platforms have allowed us to reach a wider customer base, attracting startup buyers," said Sina Lee, the founder of Gongguan Rainbow Touches Garment.
Rainbow Touches Garment is an export factory specializing in trendy men's clothing, operated by the Lee couple. With annual sales ranging from $5 million to $7 million, the company, which recently exhibited in Australia, is participating in the New York trade fair and has plans to showcase in Los Angeles next week.
