March is almost over. Although the traditional peak season has brought some orders, it is not as hot as expected, and the market has even “cooled down.” But the dyeing factory continues to be busy, so what is the status of the printing factory?
Orders are scarce, and the availability rate is about 30%
March and April are the peak seasons for the textile market, as well as the printing market. However, the overall market performance this year has been unsatisfactory, and the printing market has stalled in March. In the recent stage, the operating rate of dyeing factories has rebounded too fast after the year, and is currently hovering above 70%. However, comparing the operating rates of printing factories, you will find that an operating rate of more than 60% is already out of reach.
According to the person in charge of a printing factory, the factory’s operating rate in March was only 30%, which was a sharp decline compared to February when all machines were fully operational. The orders are busy and we are waiting for them every day.
Fabric traders also said that they have not received any printing orders since the beginning of this year. In fact, there were very few printing orders last year, and they were all orders for single dyeing and coating.
It can be seen from the descriptions of the above-mentioned textile workers that on the one hand, nearly half of the printing machines in the printing factory are shut down, and on the other hand, it also shows that the number of printing orders in March was scarce and has been at a low level.
Printing orders have continued to decline last year
The current state of the printing market is completely in the off-season. In fact, the weakness of printing was already very obvious last year. It is understood that since September last year, the volume of printing orders has begun to decline and has been in a serious state of unsaturation. But in January, due to the Spring Festival holiday, some orders were postponed and were placed intensively after the Spring Festival, leading to the “illusion” of a wave of orders in the short term. In fact, the volume of this part of the order is not large. As the production capacity of the entire industry recovers in the later period, the backlog of orders will be quickly consumed. However, new orders are slow and limited, which leads to a cliff-like drop in the opening rate. In other words, the current printing market actually continues to be deserted in the second half of last year and has not picked up. The boss of the printing factory said: “The market in March this year only reached 30% of the same period last year, and last year’s market was not as good as in previous years. This shows that this year’s order volume has declined seriously. We are really struggling now, and the workers can hardly support themselves. Alive.”
Weak foreign trade leads to lack of printing orders
Since the beginning of this year, the sluggish foreign trade market has been the main reason affecting the textile industry. On the one hand, the ongoing Russian-Ukrainian war, geopolitical tensions, and global economic downturn have led to a decline in residents’ consumption levels. Global buying momentum is insufficient, clothing consumption is slow, clothing brands are cautious in purchasing, and will wait and see for the long term. The deterioration of the foreign trade situation has greatly curbed the recovery of the overall industrial chain. Market expectations are pessimistic. Overseas orders have been affected. Downstream textile mill inventories have gradually rebounded from previous lows, and peak season demand has not been fully released. On the other hand, the United States is increasingly suppressing China’s garment industry. Recently, it was reported that US$29.55 million in textile, clothing and footwear goods detained were mainly imported from China and Vietnam. Conflicts in Sino-US trade relations have always troubled textile foreign traders. The United States was originally the main export destination for textiles and clothing. However, in recent years, due to the outbreak of conflicts in Sino-US trade relations, orders for fabrics exported to the United States have declined significantly.
At present, the foreign trade situation of the textile and apparel industry remains weak. The macro environment has led to increased market concerns about demand, making it difficult for short-term domestic and foreign trade orders to return on a large scale. In terms of printing, in the context of a lack of foreign trade orders, we need to rely on internal circulation power, and the market may rebound during the “Silver Fourth” peak season.
</p
