Dalang township in Dongguan, south China’s Guangdong Province, has become a global knitwear powerhouse, producing about 900 million sweaters annually—roughly one in five sweaters sold worldwide.

With an industrial chain generating more than 72 billion yuan ($10.64 billion) in annual transactions, Dalang exports knitwear to over 160 countries and regions and is known as the “World’s Knitwear Capital.” The township has transformed its traditional manufacturing base through digitalisation, artificial intelligence and advanced machinery. Local factories now operate about 150,000 computerized knitting machines, including more than 10,000 high-end seamless machines.

AI is also reshaping product design. One specialized knitwear AI model can generate multiple designs within minutes, cutting design costs by more than 60 percent and reducing sample production from three days to about two hours.

Meanwhile, local companies are shifting from mass production toward high-end, customised products and investing heavily in research and development. Dalang manufacturers develop nearly 10,000 new yarn varieties annually, including functional and environmentally friendly materials.

By combining smart manufacturing, AI-powered design and material innovation, Dalang is moving its knitwear industry toward higher-value production and strengthening its position in global markets.

Source: People’s Daily