Antai Textile: 32 Years of Deep Cultivation in Acrylic Fiber Field – Dope Dyeing Technology Leads the New Track of Green Textiles
In Zhangjiagang in July, the summer heat is intensifying, but there is a calm busyness in the office building of Antai Textile – Li Xiong, the Marketing Manager, is intently pondering over industry news on his computer screen, which prominently displays the latest developments of Huilong New Materials regarding the application of dope-dyed polyester fibers. "The dope dyeing track is indeed getting more and more lively," he murmured as his fingertips slid across the screen, his gaze lingering on the words "home textile fabrics, apparel fabrics" before he immediately dialed the Production Department. "Factory Director Huang, I just saw Huilong's news. The penetration rate of dope-dyed fibers downstream is faster than we expected; we need to keep a closer eye on the recent order volume of our colored acrylic tops."
On the other end of the line, Factory Director Huang from the Production Department spoke with the calmness characteristic of a workshop: "Don't worry, Manager Li. There's a new development with raw materials – Jilin Petrochemical's 260,000-ton acrylonitrile plant will start production at the end of the month, so our acrylic fiber raw material supply will be even more stable. When Shandong Haijiang was undergoing maintenance last week, we locked in the acrylonitrile price at 7,900 yuan/ton with Lihuayi in advance. Now the raw materials in stock are sufficient to support production in the third quarter, and costs are under control."
Behind this conversation lies Antai Textile's industry acumen honed through 32 years of deep cultivation in the acrylic fiber field. Since its establishment in Zhangjiagang in 1993, the company has focused on the niche track of acrylic yarn, acrylic tops, and fancy yarns, accumulating profound technical expertise especially in colored acrylic tops (dope-dyed acrylic). "Unlike traditional dyeing processes, dope dyeing directly incorporates color masterbatches during fiber production, eliminating the post-dyeing process. This not only achieves over 60% water saving and emission reduction but also improves color fastness by 3-4 grades, making it the 'green fiber' sought after by home textile and apparel brands nowadays," explained Li Xiong. The developments of Huilong New Materials precisely confirm the market's recognition of dope dyeing technology, and Antai's colored acrylic tops, with their advantages of "high color saturation and strong batch stability", have long entered the supply chain of leading domestic home textile enterprises.
Fluctuations in the raw material supply are a "required course" for textile enterprises. When news of the temporary maintenance of Shandong Haijiang's 130,000-ton acrylonitrile plant came in early July, Antai Textile's supply chain team activated the contingency plan immediately. "Acrylonitrile is the core raw material for acrylic fiber, accounting for over 60% of production costs," Factory Director Huang told the reporter as he led them into the workshop, pointing to the fluctuating data on the central control screen. "We maintain in-depth cooperation with leading suppliers such as Jilin Petrochemical and Lihuayi, and we track their production capacity changes and inventory data in real-time. With the commissioning of Jilin Petrochemical's new plant, domestic acrylonitrile inventory has increased to 45,800 tons. With the relaxed supply side, we have stabilized raw material costs within a reasonable range through a procurement model combining 'long-term orders + spot purchases', ensuring that downstream customers receive colored acrylic tops at competitive prices.
At the other end of the workshop, several imported German fancy yarn machines are operating at high speed. Colored acrylic fibers are twisted and wrapped into rolls of fancy yarn with slub and loop effects. "This is our newly launched 'Magic Color Series' this year, using independently developed multi-color dope-dyed acrylic tops. A single yarn can show gradient effects, and we have already received several orders from Hangzhou women's clothing brands," Factory Director Huang said with pride. From basic acrylic tops to customized fancy yarns, Antai Textile has achieved annual production capacity exceeding 12,000 tons through full-chain control of "raw materials - processes - products". Its products cover textile industry clusters such as the Yangtze River Delta (Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Shanghai) and the Pearl River Delta, and it has established long-term cooperative relationships with listed companies like Luolai Home Textiles and Mercury Home Textiles.
"It's been 32 years. We've grown from a small workshop to an industry 'invisible champion' by 'following the market and keeping up with technology'," Li Xiong said, looking at the fluttering flags in the factory yard outside the window with a determined gaze. "Now downstream brands are talking about 'sustainable fashion'. Dope-dyed acrylic can not only meet environmental protection requirements but also achieve color innovation – this is our opportunity. Next, we plan to expand the color library of colored acrylic tops from over 200 types to 500, and develop functional products such as antibacterial and flame-retardant ones, making Antai's yarn not only 'good-looking' but also 'useful'."
From a corner of Zhangjiagang to a textile supply chain radiating across the country, Antai Textile has woven its own story with threads of acrylic yarn. Today, as dope dyeing becomes an industry trend, this established enterprise is continuing to move forward on the track of green textiles, based on 32 years of accumulation and with market acumen as its wings, bringing more environmentally friendly and colorful fabrics from here into the lives of thousands of households.