Ordos cashmere, wool exhibition opens with pizzazz

The 7th China (Ordos) International Cashmere and Wool Exhibition kicks off on July 19. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

The 7th China (Ordos) International Cashmere and Wool Exhibition, themed on Cashmere Capital of the World, Winning Future by Quality,  kicked off in the Dongsheng district of Ordos city – located in North China's Inner Mongolia autonomous region – on July 19.

Spanning three days, the event is welcoming over 242 international and domestic exhibitors – along with 310 renowned domestic and international buyers involved in cashmere processing and sales.

The event is divided into four main segments – a main exhibition, the opening ceremony, industry-related activities and a cashmere fashion show. It is emphasizing innovation in content, participating companies, exhibition formats and the exhibition area layout.

Covering an area of 20,000 square meters, the exhibition features six major zones – including raw cashmere and wool materials, fabric and yarn, finished products, as well as equipment and technology – providing a stage for enterprises to showcase their new technologies, products and services.

Over 10 activities are being held concurrently – including the opening ceremonies for the French and the Italian pavilions, the 2024 China (Ordos) Cashmere Industry New Quality Productive Forces Development Conference and the 2024 Cashmere Capital of the World International Fashion Show.  

At the opening ceremony, Erdenebileg, vice-mayor of Ordos city, delivered a keynote speech highlighting the city's efforts in revitalizing the local cashmere and wool industry in order to build a world-class cashmere sector.

An opening ceremony for the French and Italian pavilions is held at the 7th China (Ordos) International Cashmere and Wool Exhibition. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Visitors eagerly learn about Ordos' cashmere products at the expo. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Erdenebileg noted that raw cashmere production in Ordos accounted for 22 percent of China's output and 13 percent of global output.  

What's more, the city's finished cashmere product output represents one-third of the country's total and a quarter of the world's output, with the renowned Albas white cashmere – often referred to as "soft gold" – being favored by prestigious global brands.

During the opening period, the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region Cashmere Industry Development White Paper and the Ordos City Report on Constructing a World-Class Cashmere Industry were officially released.

In addition, the Ordos Agriculture and Animal Husbandry Industry Fund – with a total fund of 3 billion yuan ($410.96 million) – was launched. It is mainly designed to support world-class cashmere industry projects, rural vitalization, modern agriculture and related industries.

At the cashmere industry new quality productive forces development conference, the participants jointly explored new strategies for the high-quality development of the cashmere and wool sector. They included top businesspeople, industry experts, academics, fashion icons and leading designers.

Overall, the event aims to enhance the local industry's global competitiveness and efficiency by boosting its development.

Ordos city is a major global cashmere producer. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]