'Chinese silk enterprises need to change mindset'

13 Jan '14

2 min read

Silk enterprises operating in China need to change their mindset from being a mere producer of silk to selling of self-branded silk products both in the domestic and international markets, according to an expert.

Recently, a video conference was held at the Ministry of Commerce to promote the healthy development of the Chinese silk industry. The meeting discussed optimization of silk textile industrial restructuring and upgrading, grasping the collision and fusion of traditional silk in high-tech fields, expanding marketing channels, etc.

At the video conference, Kou Qi Yong, general manager of Fashion Silk (Zhejiang) Co. Ltd. said although China’s cocoon silk industry is the world’s largest in terms of production and export, and majority of silk enterprises have a strategic partnership with world’s top brands, Chinese companies have not been able to have their own brand positioning and marketing model.

Yong said China’s enterprises must get out of the cocoon silk manufacturing mindset as soon as possible and build their own brands and adopt innovative marketing model for sustainable development of the domestic silk industry.

Meanwhile, the China Silk Association has said that in future it will focus on the promotion of ‘Silk logo’, step up publicity efforts to expand influence and visibility.

Earlier in September 2013, the Ministry of Commerce and other eight departments jointly issued a view on further promotion and healthy development of silk industry in China. The statement laid stress on technological innovation, SME development, brand building, etc.

In 2013, the area under mulberry in China was 1251 hectares, which, according to preliminary statistics ensured silkworm production of 647,000 tons, and the country’s total revenue from silkworms reached 23 billion yuan, fairly at the same level with last year.

In the first ten months of 2013, the cumulative production of raw silk in China was 112,000 tons, showing an increase of 7 percent year-on-year. Large-scale silk industrial enterprises earned profits of 4.88 billion yuan, up 31.5 percent year-on-year. Exports of silk goods during the period were worth US$ 2.94 billion, the highest in nearly a decade.

Fibre2fashion News Desk - India

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