1038 fabrics competed on the same stage, with 192 local enterprises participating—this is the scorecard from the first review of 'Keqiao Preferred' for 2026. As a key regional public brand for textiles in Keqiao District, this program is evolving from simple quality screening into a systematic engine for industrial upgrading.
Review Data Reflects Industry Focus
The review was held on April 24 in Shaoxing Keqiao. Among the submitted fabrics, fashion accounted for 66.7%, while tech and green fabrics combined for 33.3%. This ratio directly reflects the current innovation priorities of Keqiao textile firms: appearance design and differentiated processes remain the core weapons for winning orders.
Li Bo, director of the Productivity Promotion Department of the China National Textile and Apparel Council, noted that functional fabrics are expanding from sports scenarios into fashion, an important industry trend. In other words, outdoor fabric companies that previously relied on functional labels must now make up for their design shortcomings.
Participating firms cover the entire industrial chain, from fabric weaving and dyeing to home textiles and curtain fabrics, indicating that the appeal of 'Keqiao Preferred' is no longer limited to a single link but has become a collective action across the whole supply chain.
Review Standards Force Enterprise Upgrades
Compared to previous editions, this review imposed stricter quantitative criteria. Product safety, mass production capability, functional verification, and environmental certifications were all integrated into the scoring system. This means that providing a good fabric is no longer enough; companies must establish complete testing and certification systems.
Expert judge Chen Baojian mentioned that many functional fabric firms provided thorough test reports, and eco-friendly fabrics demonstrated high craftsmanship in natural fiber applications, with pure wool and cotton fabrics showing outstanding quality. This 'evidence-based' competitive environment is pushing Keqiao firms from experience-driven to data-driven operations.
Notably, outdoor functional fabrics for down jackets became a hot category. Ruan Chunping, director of the China Textile City Creative Industry Service Center, pointed out that differentiation and high-end positioning are key to breaking through in a crowded market, and multi-component blending is an effective way to enhance terminal value.
Brand Matching and Global Promotion Are Core Levers
The review is just the starting point. Selected products will participate in three precise brand matching events and be showcased at top domestic and international exhibitions, including the China International Textile Fabrics & Accessories (Autumn & Winter) Expo, Première Vision Paris, and Performance Days in Munich.
This combination of 'review + matching + exhibitions' essentially builds a complete channel from product to market for Keqiao firms. For buyers, it means skipping intermediaries and directly accessing professionally screened source materials.
Judge Lan Fotao suggested that the organizing committee push Keqiao firms to focus on differentiated R&D in functional apparel sub-sectors, which would not only improve supply-demand matching efficiency but also inject more quality connotation into the 'Keqiao Preferred' brand.