According to data from the National Bureau of Statistics, the industrial value-added growth rate of industrial textiles reached 33.8% from January to April 2020, a year-on-year increase of 26.1 percentage points and a month-on-month increase of 22.3 percentage points. Enterprises above designated size achieved operating income of 75.211 billion yuan, an increase of 3.66% year-on-year; total profit was 7.016 billion yuan, a substantial increase of 116.71%; operating profit rate was 9.33%, an increase of 4.87 percentage points. Among them, the output of nonwovens enterprises above designated size increased by 2.34%, operating income increased by 19.30%, total profit increased significantly by 254.62%, and the operating profit rate reached 13.22%, an increase of 8.77 percentage points.

According to customs data, from January to April 2020, my country’s industrial textile exports totaled USD 17.257 billion, a substantial increase of 79.62% year-on-year; imports totaled USD 3.232 billion, an increase of 51.09% year-on-year. Among the main export products, the export value of masks and medical protective clothing increased by 986.36% and 565.6% respectively, and the export value of nonwovens, diaper and sanitary napkins, and industrial glass fiber products increased by 3.32%, 1.58% and 3.98% respectively; while the export value of industrial coated fabrics, canvas and tarp textiles, packaging textiles and cord fabrics decreased by 13.01%, 20.12%, 24.05% and 16.68% respectively. In terms of imports, the imports of masks and medical protective clothing were USD 861 million and USD 274 million, respectively, and the imports of nonwovens were USD 350 million, a year-on-year increase of 26.46%.

Masks, protective clothing, disinfectant wipes and their main raw materials are all industrial textiles. Due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the global demand for the above products has increased dramatically. The production capacity of China’s meltblown nonwovens has expanded rapidly. The production and sales of masks, protective clothing and disinfectant wipes have increased significantly. The company’s economic benefits have improved significantly, driving the rapid growth of the industrial textile industry. At present, the global peak demand for anti-pandemic materials has passed, and the industry chain of anti-pandemic materials will face in-depth adjustments. It is hoped that enterprises can rationally view the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the development of the industry, actively carry out structural adjustment and basic capacity building, and respond to the fluctuations caused by the sharp drop in demand after the pandemic to ensure the healthy and sustainable development of the industry.