Models showcases the latest fashion collections at the opening ceremony of the 4th China Chaoshan Textile and Garment Exhibition (CTGE), on March 18, 2025. Photo: Courtesy of CTGE

Colourfully knit fabrics shimmered under the lights as neatly arranged fashion samples attracted buyers from across China and abroad. The 4th Chaoshan Textile Garment Exhibition opened on March 18 in Shantou, South China's Guangdong Province, and the venue buzzed with activity. Buyers and trade representatives from over 40 countries and regions packed the venue, with some booths attracting long queues and lively business talks echoing throughout the hall.

"This is my third year attending the expo, and each time we see changes and highlights," said Anna Dubrovina, CEO of Xiamen-based Greenlight Trading Co, a Russian entrepreneur who was busy discussing new product lines with suppliers. 

"Made-in-China products offer great value, and services are becoming increasingly professional and international. The maturity of the supply chain gives us strong confidence in our future cooperation," she said.

Since China's reform and opening-up policy was initiated in the late 1970s, Shantou's textile and garment industry has flourished. In 2024, total investment in the city's textile and garment sector reached 21.32 billion yuan ($3.05 billion), accounting for 31.27 percent of Shantou's total industrial investment — a growth of 35.7 percent year-on-year.

Shantou's textile and garment products are rapidly expanding into the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) markets, with their exports reaching markets from Southeast Asia to the Middle East and Africa. As a top export hub in Guangdong, the city is stepping confidently onto the global stage, showcasing the strength of "Made in China."

High-quality products

"We're primarily sourcing underwear products that are made in China, leveraging Chinese technology to ensure high quality at affordable prices," Dubrovina told the Global Times on Sunday, adding that most of her company's loungewear products are made in China.

"Based in Xiamen, our company exports a range of products—including T-shirts, underwear, sunwear, and clothing—sourced from Chaoshan, to European countries, Canada, Australia, and the BRI markets," she said. "Our cooperation with the BRI partners has greatly supported our business growth," said Dubrovina. 

"It's easy to manufacture in China and manage cross-border trade thanks to efficient logistics and very supportive policies, which have made our operations much smoother," she added.

Local traders in Guangdong are increasingly confident of the province's competitiveness.

"We offer better and affordable prices than Western suppliers and higher quality than Southeast Asian producers — Chaoshan textiles are a prime example of Chinese manufacturing excellence," Chen Dilong, executive vice president of the Guangdong Emirates Business Union, told the Global Times on Sunday.

"The United Arab Emirates (UAE) serves as a key re-export hub, connecting Chinese goods with the broader Middle East and North Africa. From Saudi Arabia to Iran, and from East Africa to North Africa, we've seen growing demand for Chinese-made underwear, loungewear, fabrics, and accessories," Chen said. 

"These countries often lack strong domestic manufacturing bases, so Guangdong, Shantou in particular, has become an essential supplier for them," Chen noted.

Industry insiders say Shantou's complete supply chain helps keep textile products affordable and high-quality by reducing logistics and labor costs.

Shantou International Textile City officially opened on March 19. With an additional 2.63 million square meters of exhibition space set to be delivered by the end of this year, and is expected to become China's largest specialized textile trading hub.

"Leveraging Chaoshan's fully integrated textile supply chain, the Shantou International Textile City aims to build a global hub that combines R&D, manufacturing, product display, domestic and international sales, and smart logistics," said Li Ruiping, executive deputy general manager of the Textile City's operation and promotion centre. "Once completed, it will streamline operations and further reduce costs."

Models showcases the latest fashion collections at the opening ceremony of the 4th China Chaoshan Textile and Garment Exhibition (CTGE), on March 18, 2025. Photo: Courtesy of CTGE

Technology-driven growth

While cost-effectiveness and high quality remain the key leverages, non-stop technological innovation is helping reshape the next phase of the sector's growth.

Wang Yonglin, who runs a business making lace-cutting machines for underwear, said their laser cutters can automatically detect patterns and cut fabric with high precision, which saves time, labor, and material. He noted that as their cutting technology becomes more advanced and increasingly cost-effective, inquiries from foreign buyers, especially from the Middle East and Southeast Asia, have been rising.

"This year's expo showcases a diverse range of textile and apparel enterprises, with many functional and digital products put on display," said Xu Jianhua, an official from China Commercial Circulation Association of Textile and Apparel. 

"Now, high-tech marketing tools like AI-powered livestreaming are being used in cross-border e-commerce to expand our global reach."

"China is not only Tanzania's main cotton buyer but also a key partner in textile technology and industrial growth," Khatibu Makenga, Consul General of Tanzania in Guangzhou told the Global Times. "What we've seen in Shantou—from smart manufacturing to an integrated supply chain—offers valuable lessons for our own development."

Makenga noted that under the BRI platform, Tanzania is looking to shift from exporting raw cotton to boosting local value-added apparel production, with Chinese support in technology, investment, and market access.

Xu said that China's textile and garment industry has invested heavily in the BRI markets, especially in Southeast Asia, expanding both spinning and garment production. "Yet some gaps remain in making high-end fabrics and dyeing technologies, areas where Shantou and the broader Chaoshan region lead, thanks to integration with many Pearl River Delta suppliers," Xu added.

Official data shows that Shantou exported $1.23 billion worth of textile products in 2024, underscoring its growing global footprint. From January to October 2022, textile and garment exports to the BRI markets totaled 780 million yuan, up 19.1 percent year-on-year, according to data from Shantou Customs.