DALANG – The global wool industry has opened its 95th annual International Wool Textile Organisation (IWTO) Congress in Dalang, China. Industry leaders there are calling for deeper international cooperation, faster digital transformation and a stronger collective response to sustainability claims facing the sector.
The three-day event, which runs from 24 to 26 June, has brought together 238 participants from across the global wool supply chain. It is being held in Dalang, China’s premier “Knitting Village” and the world’s knitwear capital.
Dalang produces one in every five sweaters made globally, with annual output of more than 900 million garments. Delegates began the opening day with a visit to the Dalang Exhibition Centre and Market, where the region’s knitwear industry was presented as a model of commercial scale and manufacturing innovation.
Opening the Congress, IWTO president Klaus Steger said Dalang demonstrated what the wool industry could achieve when production expertise, trade and collaboration were brought together. “Wool is our work and wool is our passion,” Steger said. “It is impressive to be here in Dalang, a living demonstration of what this industry can achieve. The discussions and partnerships we build this week will strengthen wool’s position in the textile landscape for years to come.”
The keynote address was delivered by Sun Ruizhe, chairman of the China National Textile and Apparel Council. He placed the Congress against a backdrop of global economic pressure, rapid technological change and shifting consumer expectations.
China’s textile and apparel industry processes more than 60 million tonnes of fibre each year and accounts for more than half of global garment output. Within this landscape, Sun said wool occupies a distinctive position, linking agriculture, fashion, technology, culture and international trade.
He identified AI and digitalisation, changing consumer behaviour, cultural identity, the green transition and frontier science as the major forces now reshaping the textile sector. His message was that wool must engage with these forces rather than stand apart from them.
The opening session also included addresses from Dalang and Dongguan officials. Dong Tie, secretary of the Dalang Town Party Committee, said the town had developed from importing quality wool from Australia and New Zealand into a knitwear hub exporting to more than 100 countries. He said open cooperation and collaborative innovation would be essential to building a more resilient and sustainable future for the sector.
Qu Hongqi, vice chairman of the Dongguan Municipal Committee, also welcomed delegates and said Dongguan would continue to support digital transformation, brand development and smart manufacturing.
The Congress also heard from Yang Zhaohua, vice president of CNTAC, who said the wool textile industry was at a “key crossroads” as it faces market volatility and the emergence of new intelligent technologies. Yang said wool industries worldwide needed to strengthen consensus on sustainable development, defend open cooperation and raise global industrial synergy and innovation to new levels.
A notable feature of the opening day was the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations’ first participation at an IWTO Congress. A message from the FAO was delivered by Thanawat Tiensin, assistant director-general and chief veterinarian. He emphasised the human dimension of wool production, arguing that the people and livestock systems behind the final product are often overlooked.
“Most people see the final product, but few see the story behind it,” Tiensin said. “Behind every fibre is a human story. That story deserves to be heard.”
The opening day also saw the launch of the IWTO Green Book, presented by Francesco Botto on behalf of the Wool Sector of Confindustria Moda and lead author Dr Paul Swan. The Green Book is intended to provide a shared framework for wool’s environmental impact and traceability. More broadly, IWTO said it aims to help the wool industry reclaim the sustainability narrative at a time when fibre impacts, land use, livestock emissions and traceability are under increasing scrutiny. Botto described the Green Book as a “game changer” but said the sector was only at the start of the process.
Swan said: “The Green Book represents the idea that we can reclaim the sustainability narrative for wool. Wool’s story should not be dictated by what others say, or misrepresented. The Green Book contributes to a positive change in how livestock and products like wool are perceived in the world.”
The launch comes as natural fibres face growing pressure to provide clearer data on environmental impact, traceability and land-use claims. For wool, the challenge is not only to defend its renewable and biodegradable attributes, but also to address the more difficult questions around livestock systems, methane, biodiversity and regional production practices.
The remaining Congress programme will cover Chinese industry innovation, sustainability initiatives, market intelligence, wool interiors, retail and fashion perspectives.
