Since 2025, the global textile industry chain has continued to evolve under the influence of multiple factors. The cotton textile industry has shown a dual pattern of "bottoming out and recovering at the cotton end, and breaking through the difficulties in the clothing end", reshaping its development logic and laying the foundation for the industry's development in 2026. 

In the cotton sector, China's cotton imports are expected to decline initially and then rise in 2025. At the beginning of the year, they dropped to a new low due to multiple factors. Subsequently, they bottomed out and started to recover, injecting momentum into the industry's recovery. The import sources are highly concentrated, with Brazil, Australia, and the United States "dominating the market". Brazil, with its increased production and price advantage, has become the core supply force. This concentrated pattern ensures stable supply, but it also harbors risks related to geopolitics and logistics fluctuations. 

In the clothing sector, the recovery and differentiation of the EU market have attracted much attention, while China's clothing exports have performed strongly. In November 2025, the volume of EU clothing imports increased, but the fluctuation in exchange rates led to an increase in volume but a weak price. Against this backdrop, the share of Chinese clothing in the EU market rose against the trend. From January to November, the growth rate of imports from China far exceeded the global average. This was attributed to the technological upgrading and lean production of Chinese textile enterprises. By optimizing processes, enhancing added value, and undergoing digital and intelligent transformation, they maintained cost advantages and precisely met market demands. 

In contrast, the traditional clothing supply country, Bangladesh, has encountered bottlenecks. In November 2025, its clothing exports to the European Union both in terms of volume and value declined, reflecting the weakness of over-reliance on low-price competition and insufficient risk-resistance capabilities. 

Looking ahead to 2026, the cotton textile industry will witness both opportunities and challenges. In the cotton sector, enterprises need to be vigilant about the risk of concentrated supply. They should diversify their purchasing, optimize inventory management, and use futures tools to hedge risks. In the clothing sector, Chinese enterprises need to consolidate their advantages, while countries relying on low-price competition need to accelerate their transformation. Moreover, exchange rate fluctuations have a significant impact. Enterprises should make good use of foreign exchange hedging tools. Digitalization and green transformation are the key to breaking through the bottleneck. 

Overall, the cotton textile industry in 2025 - 2026 is at a critical stage. Chinese cotton textile enterprises are expected to gain a favorable position in the global industrial chain reconfiguration and achieve high-quality development. 

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