As of March 20, 2026, the national printing and dyeing industry has not experienced large-scale or widespread production shutdowns, presenting an overall pattern of "dragon head full production, small and medium-sized enterprises under pressure, and local shutdowns".
1、 Overall Industry Performance (Core Conclusion)
The national average operating rate is about 80% -90% in mid March, which is at the normal level of the traditional peak season of "Golden Three, Silver Four", and has significantly rebounded compared to the same period in 2025 (65% -75%).
Main production areas in Zhejiang and Jiangsu:
Leading enterprise: Full load production, orders scheduled until June August, some dyeing fees increased by 500-1000 yuan/ton to pass on costs.
Small and medium-sized enterprises: operating rates range from 70% to 80%, and they generally face profit squeeze due to rising costs and difficulty in increasing prices.
Guangdong region: There have been cases of individual enterprises taking long-term vacations or completely shutting down, but this is an individual behavior and not an industry trend.
2、 Why isn't there a 'large-scale shutdown'?
1. Demand side: Supported by peak season, orders have resilience
Downstream clothing and home textiles have entered the traditional peak season, with orders rebounding month on month and the proportion of long-term orders increasing to 40% -50%. Enterprises have production momentum.
The cost of dyes only accounts for 1% -3% of the total fabric cost, and downstream consumers have a high tolerance for slight price increases, making the transmission of price increases basically smooth.
2. Supply side: Capacity contraction, supply and demand improvement
In the past few years, environmental protection measures have eliminated a large amount of outdated production capacity, resulting in a 36% decrease in the number of printing and dyeing enterprises in Zhejiang compared to 2020, and an increase in industry concentration.
The effective production capacity is shrinking, inventory is at a low level, and there is no vicious competition or low price dumping pressure.
3. Enterprise response: Proactively adjusting prices+optimizing production
Leading enterprises have joined forces to raise dyeing fees, transferring some of the cost pressure of dyes to downstream weaving and clothing enterprises.
Small and medium-sized enterprises maintain their operations by limiting production and maintaining prices, prioritizing high gross profit orders, and optimizing processes.
3、 Which companies are shutting down/limiting production? (Local phenomenon)
Enterprises that do not meet environmental standards: Due to the rectification of nitrification processes (deadline in March) and failure to meet ultra-low emissions standards, they have been forced to limit production or shut down.
Small and micro enterprises with broken funding chains: The skyrocketing dye prices have led to a depletion of cash flow, making it impossible to purchase raw materials and forcing them to shut down or go bankrupt (such as some small factories in Zhaoqing and Sihui, Guangdong).
Conventional product production capacity: With high inventory and declining prices of conventional greige fabric, some companies have selectively stopped production of low value-added production lines, focusing on high gross profit varieties.
4、 Future risks and observation points
Short term (1-3 months): If dye prices continue to remain high, the number of small and medium-sized printing and dyeing factories shutting down may increase, but leading companies will further seize market share, and the overall operating rate of the industry will remain above 75%.
Key observation indicators:
Price trend of restored materials (cost core)
Changes in downstream orders compared to the previous period
The magnitude of dye fee increase and its transmission effect
Conclusion
The increase in dye prices did not trigger a large-scale shutdown in the printing and dyeing industry. The current situation is structural adjustment: leading companies benefit from increased concentration, small and medium-sized factories are under pressure to reshuffle, and the industry is driven by both environmental protection and cost to clear.
客服1