Yiwu teams up with Yinglin to expand apparel biz

Using upgraded manufacturing techniques such as seamless knitting for apparel like swimwear will help Chinese garment players gain more global market share, industry insiders said.

"We are here with the hope to strengthen cooperation with seamless knitting players in Zhejiang province, and find complementarity," said Shi Fangfang, executive deputy secretary-general of the Jinjiang Swimwear Industry Association.

Shi made the remarks at a recent industry conference in Yiwu, Zhejiang province, which was held to boost cooperation between swimwear players from Jinjiang in Fujian province and seamless knitting companies in Zhejiang.

Yinglin Fashion is a company located in the Yinglin township of Jinjiang and its products cover close-fitting sportswear, such as swimwear and yoga apparel.

Yinglin is known as a major base for swimwear products and in recent years its activewear industry has also developed rapidly.

Garments produced on specialized seamless knitting machines feature no seams in places such as the side, shoulder and underarm, where seams could have affected comfort and the wearing experience. Products made with seamless knitting techniques are preferred by the market.

"As one of the world's largest seamless knitting production bases, Yiwu leads the nation in industrial scale, supported by its complete industrial chain and large number of enterprises," said Ke Rongwei, head of Yinglin. "This visit is a good opportunity for us to learn and cooperate."

There are over 1,000 garment processing, textile, chemical fiber and enterprises alike in Yinglin, covering 30 square kilometers. Swimwear and activewear businesses contribute over 20 billion yuan ($2.82 billion) to the local economy annually.

Apart from the cooperation with Yiwu, Yinglin Fashion has teamed up with Shengze township in Suzhou, Jiangsu province; Zhili township in Huzhou, Zhejiang; and the Shenzhen Underwear Industry Association, to promote high-quality development in its textile and apparel industry, the company said.

"The best part about our technique is that for us, the production starts from only a single yarn. As the weaving process begins, it continues through to the final product. Therefore, theoretically, we can create a diverse range of products through variations in yarn combinations," said Hong Tingjie, dean of the Yingyun Academy of Yingyun Tech, a company engaged in digitalized knitting.