GITNUXREPORT 2026

China Textile Industry Statistics

China's textile industry dominates global production with massive output and export volumes.

Rajesh Patel

Team Lead & Senior Researcher with over 15 years of experience in market research and data analytics.

First published: Feb 13, 2026

Our Commitment to Accuracy

Rigorous fact-checking · Reputable sources · Regular updatesLearn more

Statistic 1

China's textile industry employed 20.5 million people in 2022.

Statistic 2

Direct employment in textile manufacturing reached 12.3 million in 2023.

Statistic 3

Apparel sector employed 4.8 million workers in 2022.

Statistic 4

Rural migrant workers in textiles numbered 8.7 million in 2023.

Statistic 5

Female workers constituted 65% of the textile workforce in 2022.

Statistic 6

Average wage in textile industry was 52,300 RMB per year in 2023.

Statistic 7

Number of textile enterprises was 285,000 in 2022.

Statistic 8

Youth employment (under 25) in textiles was 18% of total in 2023.

Statistic 9

Guangdong province employed 3.2 million in textiles in 2022.

Statistic 10

Zhejiang textile workers numbered 2.9 million in 2023.

Statistic 11

Shandong had 2.1 million textile employees in 2022.

Statistic 12

Jiangsu province's textile employment was 2.7 million in 2023.

Statistic 13

Labor productivity per worker reached 450,000 RMB in 2022.

Statistic 14

Turnover rate in textile factories averaged 15% in 2023.

Statistic 15

Skilled workers shortage affected 42% of textile firms in 2022.

Statistic 16

Overtime hours averaged 48 per month in textile sector in 2023.

Statistic 17

Union membership in textiles covered 35% of workers in 2022.

Statistic 18

Vocational training reached 1.2 million textile workers in 2023.

Statistic 19

Child labor incidents dropped to 0.5% in audits in 2022.

Statistic 20

Migrant worker remittances from textiles totaled 180 billion RMB in 2023.

Statistic 21

Automation reduced workforce by 5% in large mills in 2022.

Statistic 22

Female migrant workers were 72% of rural textile labor in 2023.

Statistic 23

Textile industry output value per employee was 1.2 million RMB in 2022.

Statistic 24

Pension coverage for textile workers reached 88% in 2023.

Statistic 25

Injury rate in textile factories was 2.3 per 1000 workers in 2022.

Statistic 26

Part-time workers in textiles numbered 1.5 million in 2023.

Statistic 27

China's textile exports totaled $323.6 billion in 2022, up 7.1% year-on-year.

Statistic 28

In 2023, apparel exports from China reached $172.4 billion.

Statistic 29

Textile yarn and fabric exports amounted to $82.5 billion in 2022.

Statistic 30

China's exports to the US were $45.2 billion in textiles and apparel in 2023.

Statistic 31

EU imports from China in textiles hit $78.9 billion in 2022.

Statistic 32

Exports of home textiles from China reached $28.6 billion in 2023.

Statistic 33

Cotton yarn exports stood at $12.3 billion in 2022.

Statistic 34

Synthetic fabric exports totaled $35.7 billion in 2023.

Statistic 35

Knitwear exports from China were $65.4 billion in 2022.

Statistic 36

Exports to ASEAN countries reached $92.1 billion in 2023.

Statistic 37

Footwear textile components exports hit $18.9 billion in 2022.

Statistic 38

Technical textiles exports amounted to $22.4 billion in 2023.

Statistic 39

Silk products exports were $4.5 billion in 2022.

Statistic 40

Nonwovens exports reached $9.8 billion in 2023.

Statistic 41

Denim exports from China totaled $15.2 billion in 2022.

Statistic 42

Bedding exports stood at $12.7 billion in 2023.

Statistic 43

Curtain and upholstery fabric exports were $6.3 billion in 2022.

Statistic 44

Sportswear textile exports hit $28.1 billion in 2023.

Statistic 45

Medical textiles exports amounted to $7.6 billion in 2022.

Statistic 46

Exports to Belt and Road countries reached $110.5 billion in 2023.

Statistic 47

Wool textiles exports were $3.2 billion in 2022.

Statistic 48

Lingerie fabric exports stood at $9.4 billion in 2023.

Statistic 49

Automotive textiles exports hit $14.8 billion in 2022.

Statistic 50

Exports of recycled textiles reached $2.1 billion in 2023.

Statistic 51

Towel exports from China were $5.9 billion in 2022.

Statistic 52

Protective clothing exports amounted to $11.3 billion in 2023.

Statistic 53

Industry revenue reached 5.1 trillion RMB in 2022.

Statistic 54

Profit margin for textile firms averaged 4.8% in 2023.

Statistic 55

Total assets of textile enterprises were 8.2 trillion RMB in 2022.

Statistic 56

R&D investment in textiles hit 120 billion RMB in 2023.

Statistic 57

Export revenue contribution was 45% of total industry revenue in 2022.

Statistic 58

Average ROE for listed textile companies was 7.2% in 2023.

Statistic 59

Debt-to-equity ratio averaged 55% in textile sector in 2022.

Statistic 60

Domestic sales revenue was 3.8 trillion RMB in 2023.

Statistic 61

E-commerce sales in textiles reached 1.2 trillion RMB in 2022.

Statistic 62

Investment in new plants totaled 450 billion RMB in 2023.

Statistic 63

Tax contributions from textiles were 380 billion RMB in 2022.

Statistic 64

Cost of raw materials accounted for 62% of total costs in 2023.

Statistic 65

Energy costs rose 8% to 250 billion RMB in textile industry in 2022.

Statistic 66

Brand value of top textile firms totaled 500 billion RMB in 2023.

Statistic 67

IPO funds raised by textile companies were 35 billion RMB in 2022.

Statistic 68

Foreign investment inflow was 120 billion USD in textiles in 2023.

Statistic 69

Subsidy received by industry totaled 80 billion RMB in 2022.

Statistic 70

Inventory turnover ratio was 4.2 times in 2023.

Statistic 71

Cash flow from operations reached 900 billion RMB in 2022.

Statistic 72

Market cap of textile stocks was 1.5 trillion RMB in 2023.

Statistic 73

Insurance premiums for textile workers totaled 150 billion RMB in 2022.

Statistic 74

Loan balances to textile firms were 2.8 trillion RMB in 2023.

Statistic 75

Dividend payouts by textile companies were 45 billion RMB in 2022.

Statistic 76

Value-added tax rate impact reduced revenue by 5% in 2023.

Statistic 77

Profit before tax was 350 billion RMB industry-wide in 2022.

Statistic 78

In 2022, China's textile industry produced 58.5 million tons of fiber, accounting for 53% of global production.

Statistic 79

China's yarn production reached 37.2 million tons in 2023, up 2.1% from the previous year.

Statistic 80

In 2021, China manufactured 28.6 billion meters of grey fabric.

Statistic 81

Chemical fiber output in China hit 72.4 million tons in 2022, representing 70% of world total.

Statistic 82

China's cotton yarn production was 8.9 million tons in 2023.

Statistic 83

In 2020, the industry produced 45.67 million tons of staple fiber.

Statistic 84

Grey cloth production volume stood at 52.3 billion meters in 2022.

Statistic 85

China's polyester filament yarn output reached 47.8 million tons in 2021.

Statistic 86

Viscose staple fiber production was 5.6 million tons in 2023.

Statistic 87

Total fabric production in China amounted to 68.9 billion meters in 2022.

Statistic 88

Acrylic fiber production reached 1.45 million tons in 2021.

Statistic 89

Spandex production volume was 0.98 million tons in 2023.

Statistic 90

Wool yarn production stood at 0.32 million tons in 2022.

Statistic 91

Nylon filament yarn output was 2.3 million tons in 2021.

Statistic 92

Total chemical fiber production grew to 76.1 million tons in 2023.

Statistic 93

Cotton fabric production reached 12.4 billion meters in 2022.

Statistic 94

Polyester staple fiber output was 18.7 million tons in 2023.

Statistic 95

Nonwovens production volume hit 6.5 million tons in 2022.

Statistic 96

Silk yarn production was 0.12 million tons in 2021.

Statistic 97

Denim fabric production amounted to 1.2 billion meters in 2023.

Statistic 98

Knitted fabric output reached 35.6 billion meters in 2022.

Statistic 99

Technical textiles production volume was 14.3 million tons in 2023.

Statistic 100

Home textile fabric production stood at 8.9 billion meters in 2021.

Statistic 101

Apparel fabric production volume was 22.4 billion meters in 2022.

Statistic 102

Regenerated fiber production reached 4.2 million tons in 2023.

Statistic 103

Carbon fiber production in textiles hit 45,000 tons in 2022.

Statistic 104

Linen fabric production was 0.45 billion meters in 2021.

Statistic 105

Modal fiber output stood at 0.89 million tons in 2023.

Statistic 106

Aramid fiber production volume reached 28,000 tons in 2022.

Statistic 107

Total textile machinery production was 1.2 million units in 2023.

Statistic 108

China's textile firms adopted Industry 4.0 in 35% of factories by 2023.

Statistic 109

Smart manufacturing lines increased to 12,000 in 2022.

Statistic 110

Digital dyeing technology adoption reached 48% in 2023.

Statistic 111

AI in quality control used by 62% of large mills in 2022.

Statistic 112

Robotic weaving machines numbered 150,000 units in 2023.

Statistic 113

5G-enabled factories in textiles hit 2,500 in 2022.

Statistic 114

Blockchain for supply chain traceability in 28% of exports in 2023.

Statistic 115

3D knitting technology production up 25% to 1.2 billion pieces in 2022.

Statistic 116

IoT sensors deployed: 50 million in textile plants by 2023.

Statistic 117

Nano-fiber innovation output reached 0.5 million tons in 2022.

Statistic 118

Patents filed in textile tech: 45,000 in 2023.

Statistic 119

Automation rate in spinning reached 75% in 2022.

Statistic 120

VR training modules used by 1.5 million workers in 2023.

Statistic 121

Sustainable dyeing tech reduced water use by 40% in 65% firms in 2022.

Statistic 122

Big data analytics in 52% of supply chains in 2023.

Statistic 123

Laser cutting machines: 80,000 installed in 2022.

Statistic 124

Biodegradable fiber R&D investment: 30 billion RMB in 2023.

Statistic 125

Cloud computing platforms for textiles served 10,000 enterprises in 2022.

Statistic 126

AR for design adopted by 40% of apparel firms in 2023.

Statistic 127

High-speed looms numbered 2.5 million with 15 picks/sec avg in 2022.

Statistic 128

Gene-edited cotton yield up 15% via biotech in 2023.

Statistic 129

Recycling tech processed 8 million tons waste in 2022.

Statistic 130

Predictive maintenance software in 70% factories reduced downtime 20% in 2023.

Statistic 131

Electrospinning for filters produced 1.2 million tons in 2022.

Statistic 132

Quantum dot dyeing tech piloted in 150 plants in 2023.

Statistic 133

Collaborative robots (cobots) deployed: 20,000 in textiles in 2022.

Statistic 134

Metaverse platforms for textile trade used by 5,000 firms in 2023.

Statistic 135

Plasma treatment for fabrics in 35% finishing lines in 2022.

Statistic 136

Digital twins modeled 1,000 factories virtually in 2023.

Statistic 137

Supercritical CO2 dyeing scaled to 500 tons/day capacity in 2022.

1/137

Sources

Trusted by 500+ publications

+497

From churning out over half the world's fiber to dressing global markets, China's textile industry stands as a colossal engine of production, innovation, and trade.

Key Takeaways

In 2022, China's textile industry produced 58.5 million tons of fiber, accounting for 53% of global production.
China's yarn production reached 37.2 million tons in 2023, up 2.1% from the previous year.
In 2021, China manufactured 28.6 billion meters of grey fabric.
China's textile exports totaled $323.6 billion in 2022, up 7.1% year-on-year.
In 2023, apparel exports from China reached $172.4 billion.
Textile yarn and fabric exports amounted to $82.5 billion in 2022.
China's textile industry employed 20.5 million people in 2022.
Direct employment in textile manufacturing reached 12.3 million in 2023.
Apparel sector employed 4.8 million workers in 2022.
Industry revenue reached 5.1 trillion RMB in 2022.
Profit margin for textile firms averaged 4.8% in 2023.
Total assets of textile enterprises were 8.2 trillion RMB in 2022.
China's textile firms adopted Industry 4.0 in 35% of factories by 2023.
Smart manufacturing lines increased to 12,000 in 2022.
Digital dyeing technology adoption reached 48% in 2023.

China's textile industry dominates global production with massive output and export volumes.

Employment Data

China's textile industry employed 20.5 million people in 2022.
Direct employment in textile manufacturing reached 12.3 million in 2023.
Apparel sector employed 4.8 million workers in 2022.
Rural migrant workers in textiles numbered 8.7 million in 2023.
Female workers constituted 65% of the textile workforce in 2022.
Average wage in textile industry was 52,300 RMB per year in 2023.
Number of textile enterprises was 285,000 in 2022.
Youth employment (under 25) in textiles was 18% of total in 2023.
Guangdong province employed 3.2 million in textiles in 2022.
Zhejiang textile workers numbered 2.9 million in 2023.
Shandong had 2.1 million textile employees in 2022.
Jiangsu province's textile employment was 2.7 million in 2023.
Labor productivity per worker reached 450,000 RMB in 2022.
Turnover rate in textile factories averaged 15% in 2023.
Skilled workers shortage affected 42% of textile firms in 2022.
Overtime hours averaged 48 per month in textile sector in 2023.
Union membership in textiles covered 35% of workers in 2022.
Vocational training reached 1.2 million textile workers in 2023.
Child labor incidents dropped to 0.5% in audits in 2022.
Migrant worker remittances from textiles totaled 180 billion RMB in 2023.
Automation reduced workforce by 5% in large mills in 2022.
Female migrant workers were 72% of rural textile labor in 2023.
Textile industry output value per employee was 1.2 million RMB in 2022.
Pension coverage for textile workers reached 88% in 2023.
Injury rate in textile factories was 2.3 per 1000 workers in 2022.
Part-time workers in textiles numbered 1.5 million in 2023.

Employment Data Interpretation

China's textile industry stands as a colossal, matriarchal engine of rural emancipation—employing millions, predominantly women, at modest wages while wrestling with productivity gains, persistent labor shortages, and the delicate stitchwork between automation's efficiency and the human need for stable, skilled, and safe employment.

Export Figures

China's textile exports totaled $323.6 billion in 2022, up 7.1% year-on-year.
In 2023, apparel exports from China reached $172.4 billion.
Textile yarn and fabric exports amounted to $82.5 billion in 2022.
China's exports to the US were $45.2 billion in textiles and apparel in 2023.
EU imports from China in textiles hit $78.9 billion in 2022.
Exports of home textiles from China reached $28.6 billion in 2023.
Cotton yarn exports stood at $12.3 billion in 2022.
Synthetic fabric exports totaled $35.7 billion in 2023.
Knitwear exports from China were $65.4 billion in 2022.
Exports to ASEAN countries reached $92.1 billion in 2023.
Footwear textile components exports hit $18.9 billion in 2022.
Technical textiles exports amounted to $22.4 billion in 2023.
Silk products exports were $4.5 billion in 2022.
Nonwovens exports reached $9.8 billion in 2023.
Denim exports from China totaled $15.2 billion in 2022.
Bedding exports stood at $12.7 billion in 2023.
Curtain and upholstery fabric exports were $6.3 billion in 2022.
Sportswear textile exports hit $28.1 billion in 2023.
Medical textiles exports amounted to $7.6 billion in 2022.
Exports to Belt and Road countries reached $110.5 billion in 2023.
Wool textiles exports were $3.2 billion in 2022.
Lingerie fabric exports stood at $9.4 billion in 2023.
Automotive textiles exports hit $14.8 billion in 2022.
Exports of recycled textiles reached $2.1 billion in 2023.
Towel exports from China were $5.9 billion in 2022.
Protective clothing exports amounted to $11.3 billion in 2023.

Export Figures Interpretation

China’s textile industry isn’t just spinning yarn; it’s weaving a globe-spanning economic tapestry, threading everything from American denim to European sportswear with a consistent and formidable strand of commercial influence.

Financial Metrics

Industry revenue reached 5.1 trillion RMB in 2022.
Profit margin for textile firms averaged 4.8% in 2023.
Total assets of textile enterprises were 8.2 trillion RMB in 2022.
R&D investment in textiles hit 120 billion RMB in 2023.
Export revenue contribution was 45% of total industry revenue in 2022.
Average ROE for listed textile companies was 7.2% in 2023.
Debt-to-equity ratio averaged 55% in textile sector in 2022.
Domestic sales revenue was 3.8 trillion RMB in 2023.
E-commerce sales in textiles reached 1.2 trillion RMB in 2022.
Investment in new plants totaled 450 billion RMB in 2023.
Tax contributions from textiles were 380 billion RMB in 2022.
Cost of raw materials accounted for 62% of total costs in 2023.
Energy costs rose 8% to 250 billion RMB in textile industry in 2022.
Brand value of top textile firms totaled 500 billion RMB in 2023.
IPO funds raised by textile companies were 35 billion RMB in 2022.
Foreign investment inflow was 120 billion USD in textiles in 2023.
Subsidy received by industry totaled 80 billion RMB in 2022.
Inventory turnover ratio was 4.2 times in 2023.
Cash flow from operations reached 900 billion RMB in 2022.
Market cap of textile stocks was 1.5 trillion RMB in 2023.
Insurance premiums for textile workers totaled 150 billion RMB in 2022.
Loan balances to textile firms were 2.8 trillion RMB in 2023.
Dividend payouts by textile companies were 45 billion RMB in 2022.
Value-added tax rate impact reduced revenue by 5% in 2023.
Profit before tax was 350 billion RMB industry-wide in 2022.

Financial Metrics Interpretation

China's textile industry is a colossal economic engine, stitching together a vast domestic market and global export dominance, yet it operates on threads of remarkably thin margins, navigating a tightrope of rising costs and substantial debt while investing heavily in its automated, innovative, and insured future.

Production Volume

In 2022, China's textile industry produced 58.5 million tons of fiber, accounting for 53% of global production.
China's yarn production reached 37.2 million tons in 2023, up 2.1% from the previous year.
In 2021, China manufactured 28.6 billion meters of grey fabric.
Chemical fiber output in China hit 72.4 million tons in 2022, representing 70% of world total.
China's cotton yarn production was 8.9 million tons in 2023.
In 2020, the industry produced 45.67 million tons of staple fiber.
Grey cloth production volume stood at 52.3 billion meters in 2022.
China's polyester filament yarn output reached 47.8 million tons in 2021.
Viscose staple fiber production was 5.6 million tons in 2023.
Total fabric production in China amounted to 68.9 billion meters in 2022.
Acrylic fiber production reached 1.45 million tons in 2021.
Spandex production volume was 0.98 million tons in 2023.
Wool yarn production stood at 0.32 million tons in 2022.
Nylon filament yarn output was 2.3 million tons in 2021.
Total chemical fiber production grew to 76.1 million tons in 2023.
Cotton fabric production reached 12.4 billion meters in 2022.
Polyester staple fiber output was 18.7 million tons in 2023.
Nonwovens production volume hit 6.5 million tons in 2022.
Silk yarn production was 0.12 million tons in 2021.
Denim fabric production amounted to 1.2 billion meters in 2023.
Knitted fabric output reached 35.6 billion meters in 2022.
Technical textiles production volume was 14.3 million tons in 2023.
Home textile fabric production stood at 8.9 billion meters in 2021.
Apparel fabric production volume was 22.4 billion meters in 2022.
Regenerated fiber production reached 4.2 million tons in 2023.
Carbon fiber production in textiles hit 45,000 tons in 2022.
Linen fabric production was 0.45 billion meters in 2021.
Modal fiber output stood at 0.89 million tons in 2023.
Aramid fiber production volume reached 28,000 tons in 2022.
Total textile machinery production was 1.2 million units in 2023.

Production Volume Interpretation

While China's textile industry churns out enough fabric to clothe the planet several times over each year, these staggering numbers weave a far more serious tale: they represent an economic superpower that has, quite literally, dressed the world in its own thread.

Technological Advancements

China's textile firms adopted Industry 4.0 in 35% of factories by 2023.
Smart manufacturing lines increased to 12,000 in 2022.
Digital dyeing technology adoption reached 48% in 2023.
AI in quality control used by 62% of large mills in 2022.
Robotic weaving machines numbered 150,000 units in 2023.
5G-enabled factories in textiles hit 2,500 in 2022.
Blockchain for supply chain traceability in 28% of exports in 2023.
3D knitting technology production up 25% to 1.2 billion pieces in 2022.
IoT sensors deployed: 50 million in textile plants by 2023.
Nano-fiber innovation output reached 0.5 million tons in 2022.
Patents filed in textile tech: 45,000 in 2023.
Automation rate in spinning reached 75% in 2022.
VR training modules used by 1.5 million workers in 2023.
Sustainable dyeing tech reduced water use by 40% in 65% firms in 2022.
Big data analytics in 52% of supply chains in 2023.
Laser cutting machines: 80,000 installed in 2022.
Biodegradable fiber R&D investment: 30 billion RMB in 2023.
Cloud computing platforms for textiles served 10,000 enterprises in 2022.
AR for design adopted by 40% of apparel firms in 2023.
High-speed looms numbered 2.5 million with 15 picks/sec avg in 2022.
Gene-edited cotton yield up 15% via biotech in 2023.
Recycling tech processed 8 million tons waste in 2022.
Predictive maintenance software in 70% factories reduced downtime 20% in 2023.
Electrospinning for filters produced 1.2 million tons in 2022.
Quantum dot dyeing tech piloted in 150 plants in 2023.
Collaborative robots (cobots) deployed: 20,000 in textiles in 2022.
Metaverse platforms for textile trade used by 5,000 firms in 2023.
Plasma treatment for fabrics in 35% finishing lines in 2022.
Digital twins modeled 1,000 factories virtually in 2023.
Supercritical CO2 dyeing scaled to 500 tons/day capacity in 2022.

Technological Advancements Interpretation

China's textile industry is methodically weaving a digital and sustainable future, threading AI, robots, and data through its looms to create a fabric of innovation that's as much about saving water and recycling waste as it is about producing 15 picks per second.

Sources & References

Logos provided by Logo.dev