Home textile mills are among the most common manufacturing processes used by clothing companies in China, but they are also among the cheapest, according to the company’s latest quarterly earnings report.
Home textile prices fell for the fifth straight quarter in the first half of this year, while the number of garment mills fell from 14,500 in the same period last year to 8,500 today, according, according.
Home textiles were the biggest culprits in the decline, falling from 3.1 percent to 3.0 percent.
The number of textile mills also fell from 3,500 last year and reached 2,000 today, while production capacity fell from 2,200 in the second quarter of 2016 to 2,100 today.
Home textile prices also fell in 2017 and 2018, the report said.
While the overall textile market remained weak, domestic textile mills saw a notable increase in their production in 2017, with a 2.7 percent growth, followed by a 2 percent increase in 2018.
In the first six months of 2019, textile mills accounted for 10.1 million metric tons of cotton and silk exports, up 5.6 percent from the previous year.
The textile market was still the largest source of exports for textile manufacturers in China.
While most domestic textile factories are located in the provinces, some of the biggest names in the sector include Guangzhou and Shenzhen, as well as Hong Kong and Taiwan.
Shenzhen is home to several large textile factories, including the world’s largest textile manufacturer, Lianhua Group.
Home fabric mills have also been growing, with Lianhwu Holding Group announcing plans to expand its textile industry in 2021 to over 1 million metric tonne.