"The textile industry is tightly linked to various development issues, including employment, labour and promotion of clean/green technology. For textile manufacturers, promoting green value chains means that sustainability and green awareness should be encapsulated in the entire production process. This means an assessment of the environmental impact at the beginning of the design stage, and focus on the application of environmental protection technology and cleaner production processes. Manufacturers must adopt sustainable standards for cleaner production to effectively control the use of harmful chemicals."

The textile industry is tightly linked to various development issues, including employment, labour and promotion of clean/green technology. For textile manufacturers, promoting green value chains means that sustainability and green awareness should be encapsulated in the entire production process. This means an assessment of the environmental impact at the beginning of the design stage, and focus on the application of environmental protection technology and cleaner production processes. Manufacturers must adopt sustainable standards for cleaner production to effectively control the use of harmful chemicals.

Government’s green initiatives

From the government’s perspective, it should actively provide enterprises with policy guidance and necessary financial support while making complete use of market instruments to finance sustainable production, the green value chain and it should also promote the formation of green standards in the textile industry.

In 2016, China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology released a ‘Development Plan for the Textile Industry (2016-20),’ including a proposal to promote smart and green manufacturing in the textile industry and form new momentum for development to propel China's textile industry toward the middle and high end of the value chain. During the 13th Five-Year Plan (2016-20), China will strive toward green development, establish a green manufacturing system for the textile industry and promote the widespread application of cleaner production technologies.

By 2020, China's textile industry is expected to cut energy consumption per unit of industrial added value by 18 per cent, with a cut in water use per unit of industrial added value of 23 per cent and a reduction of 10 per cent in the total discharge of major pollutants. As well as breakthroughs in a number of key generic technologies for the recycling of used textiles. The proportion of the textile fibre recycling volume in total fibre processing volume is also expected

To be continuously increased

From an international perspective, the pattern of the textile industry will be further adjusted. Despite the fact China has comprehensive and competitive advantages in the international value chain, it faces pressure from global competition. The country faces the urgent task of structural adjustment and industrial upgrade and must also deal with a ‘double squeeze’ between developed countries' re-industrialisation and developing countries' accelerated industrialisation. The manufacturing capabilities of developed countries is projected to grow in the areas of high-end equipment, high-performance fibres and smart textiles and garments because of their advantages in research, branding and sales channels.