China's 8th Textile Heritage Conference unites tradition and innovation

The 8th China Textile Intangible Cultural Heritage Conference opened on Nov 15 in Xucun town, Haining county, Zhejiang province. The three-day event gathered inheritors of intangible cultural heritage (ICH), designers, entrepreneurs and scholars to discuss the role of traditional textile crafts in modern society and their cultural and economic value.

Sun Ruizhe, president of the China National Textile and Apparel Council, delivered a keynote speech emphasizing ICH's contribution to the national trends economy. "Guochao, or Chinese fashion trends, reinterpret traditional Chinese culture in contemporary contexts, expressing cultural confidence and echoing the spirit of the times," he said. He also highlighted the rapid growth of the Chinese fashion trend sector, with its market reaching 2.05 trillion yuan ($28.31 million) in 2023 and projected to exceed 3 trillion yuan by 2028.