"How much room for imagination can a single tape have?" " In the eyes of many people, ribbons are just the seams on clothing or the webbing on backpacks, tiny and ordinary. However, when people start to focus on the "wire and belt industry", they will find that this seemingly traditional industry is undergoing profound changes including intelligent upgrading, green transformation and high-end breakthroughs.

Part.01

Small products, big achievements

The wire and belt industry, which runs through people's lives, is a key tool for enhancing the overall level of the industry and enabling small products to achieve greater success.

From the high-end medical lines in the Yangtze River Delta to the newly built production capacity in the central and western regions, from the small-order customization of cross-border e-commerce to the explosive growth of the "Belt and Road" market, at present, the line and belt industry is showing a trend of "high-end, green and intelligent". According to statistics from the Wire and Belt Branch of the China Manufacturing Industry Association, since 2025, the production end of the wire and belt industry has accelerated its intelligent upgrade, with production capacity shifting to the central and western regions and high-end fields, and efficiency increasing by 10% to 15%. The proportion of green and recyclable products may exceed 30%. Exports will focus on the "Belt and Road" market, with a growth rate of 15% to 20%. Technological research and development will focus on shortening the customized production cycle. However, fluctuations in raw materials and shortages of skilled workers still need to be addressed, and building a flexible supply chain is the future trend.

The domestic production capacity of wire belts is mainly concentrated in the Yangtze River Delta and the Pearl River Delta. According to the data of key enterprises from January to July 2025, the average capacity utilization rate of key enterprises in the industry was 82.1%. Among them, the Yangtze River Delta region leads the country with a capacity utilization rate of 87.3%, mainly benefiting from order-driven forces in fields such as new energy vehicles and high-end medical care. Although the Pearl River Delta is under pressure from overcapacity in traditional clothing production lines, it has achieved a capacity utilization rate of 73.5% through cross-border e-commerce for customized small-order production. The central and western provinces (Hubei and Sichuan) have taken over the industrial transfer from the eastern regions, and the new production capacity is gradually being released. Although the local market demand has not yet been fully opened up, it has already shown potential.

While the growth rate of output is diverging, the supply and demand structure of the production line is also undergoing changes. Emerging application scenarios drive rapid growth, and technological innovation leads product upgrades. The wire and belt industry is undergoing a strategic transformation from traditional fields to high-value-added scenarios. The demand growth rates of the three emerging fields have all exceeded 14%, among which smart wearables (+21.3%) have become the growth engine, and the medical and aerospace fields have maintained strong demand simultaneously. Innovative products are presented in three major technical directions: lightweight, intelligent and functional.

The performance of the sales end is also worth paying attention to. From January to April 2025, the total sales growth rate of enterprises above designated size increased by 2.7 percentage points compared with the same period in 2024 (6.8%), while the sales of traditional products only grew by an average of about 2.3%, and their market share continued to shrink. The proportion of online sales has increased. Leading enterprises have begun to cover 80% of their major clients through the "direct sales + brand agency" model. The proportion of e-commerce platforms has increased to 30%, and the growth rate of customized small-batch orders has reached 25%. Orders for exports to Southeast Asia (Vietnam and Indonesia) increased by 20%, mainly focusing on automotive seat belts and industrial conveyor belts.

Digital transformation and intelligent upgrading have become the core driving forces for the development of the wire and belt industry, while green environmental protection and sustainable development have become the bottom line that the industry must adhere to. In 2025, enterprises in the wire and belt industry increased their investment in intelligent manufacturing equipment and environmental protection facilities. According to the statistics of the Belt and Line Branch of the China Manufacturing Industry Association, in the first quarter of 2025, the investment in intelligent manufacturing technological transformation in the industry increased by 15% year-on-year. The proportion of green technological transformation projects rose to 30%, and the cumulative investment increased by approximately 18% year-on-year. The main investment directions include: intelligent transformation, green production capacity, capacity expansion and other sectors.

Part.02

Small tape, big power

The small ribbon contains great energy. Its products not only widely serve people's lives, such as being applied in high-strength wire belts for clothing and bags, car seat belts, sports and skiing clothing, etc., but also play an important role in high-end fields such as aerospace, aviation and shipping.

It is worth mentioning that the wide application of wire and tape products is attributed to the practice and commitment of industry enterprises to the concepts of technology, fashion and green development. Among them, the research and development of functional materials led by technology (flame-retardant, antibacterial, and high-strength wire and tape) is the core breakthrough point of the wire and tape industry. Its representative products, including ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene fiber and carbon fiber composite wire and tape, have achieved small-scale applications in the military and aerospace fields.

For instance, special textile materials for aviation parachutes and industrial products such as silk, cloth, ropes and belts are involved in fields like aerospace, aviation and shipping. Through technological upgrading and optimization of manufacturing capabilities, enterprises strengthen their advantages in military supporting research and development, and always provide advanced technologies, products and solutions for national defense equipment and emergency protection and rescue equipment. It has become one of the important guarantee forces for the high-quality development of national defense equipment and emergency protection and rescue equipment.

Meanwhile, some enterprises in the industry are based on technological innovation and continuously increase their efforts in the research and development of functional webbing. They meet the demands of multiple fields with products such as automotive seat belt webbing, military and civilian products, industrial webbing, and special webbing. Moreover, they incorporate the concept of green and low-carbon throughout their development. For instance, we should persist in adopting renewable and new energy sources and build green factories. Build a green industrial chain, adopt low-carbon raw materials, such as recycled polyester filament, colored filament, bio-based polyester filament, etc., and at the same time emphasize the recycling and reuse of external products such as webbing.

Medical sewing thread is developing towards high performance, functionalization and refinement of materials. The product structure is continuously optimized, and absorbable thread has become the mainstream. Ordinary sutures will gradually be replaced by those with specific functions. Antibacterial sutures, barbed sutures, and sutures with more optimized tensile strength will become new growth points. With the technological progress of domestic enterprises, the market share of domestic sewing thread brands has gradually increased, and high-end sewing thread products have become the main driving force for industry growth.

While innovating, the industry also takes green environmental protection as its main development line. Differentiation and sustainable development are the keys to achieving better growth. For instance, "dye-free sewing thread" abandons the traditional dyeing and printing process throughout the entire production process from raw materials to products. By using the original liquid coloring technology, it reduces the dyeing process, the use of water, electricity and steam, and the number of personnel involved in the process, thereby lowering the manufacturing cost of sewing thread. Empowered by distinctive products, green attributes and lean management, sustainable development has been achieved.

The industry has also successively launched new types of auxiliary sewing thread products, which feature corrosion resistance, high strength, high color fastness, accurate color and other functional, fashionable and high-quality characteristics. They are made by high-energy dye technology and are suitable for various fields such as car seats, seat covers, mattresses, sofas, shoes and clothing, and bags, and are sold well in domestic and foreign markets.

Part.03

Small industry, big future

Facing a complex and volatile market environment and increasingly fierce international competition, the wire and strip industry is confronted with new challenges and development opportunities. China's wire and strip industry has clearly defined its development direction for the "15th Five-Year Plan" : in terms of technological breakthroughs, it will focus on high-performance materials, composite technology, and intelligent manufacturing technology. In terms of market expansion, we will develop emerging fields such as emergency disaster relief and smart wearables, and promote brand upgrading. In terms of green transformation, promote polylactic acid sewing thread and recycled polyester webbing, and improve environmental protection standards. In terms of international competitiveness, we will build a global value chain highland by going global with technology, internationalizing brands and upgrading industrial clusters.

Specifically, from the perspective of enterprises, by focusing on niche fields such as special military and police equipment webbing and high-end automotive seat belts, enterprises can achieve a breakthrough through specialization, refinement, uniqueness and innovation. From an industry perspective, strengthening standard guidance, promoting cooperation among industry, academia, research institutions and users, and fostering an industry innovation ecosystem may be key directions.

The 2025 work Report of the Belt and Cable Branch of the China Association for the Production of Goods proposed that the belt and cable industry should remain confident and grasp the changes in the market pattern. We must shoulder the mission of The Times to "forge national heavyweights and produce key small tools", and make every sewing thread and every webbing a calling card highlighting China's manufacturing industry. We must adhere to innovation-driven development, enhance core competitiveness. Leading enterprises should attach importance to the high-end development of technology, application and product value, and lead the transformation and upgrading of the industry. To deepen the brand effect, it is necessary to leap from "supporting supply" to "systematic solutions" and build a high-end brand with global influence.

From an ordinary sewing thread to aerospace special wire and strip, from factories in the Yangtze River Delta to markets in Southeast Asia, the transformation path of China's wire and strip industry is not only a microcosm of the upgrading of traditional manufacturing, but also a vivid practice of China's progress from a "manufacturing giant" to a "manufacturing power".

Source: China Industrial Textiles Association