Antai Textile: Dope Dyeing + Functional Modification, A Dual Approach to Green Acrylic Tops Seizing the Prime Position in the International Market

(Main Text)

In July in Zhangjiagang, the wind along the Yangtze River, carrying the late-summer humidity and heat, blows into the ventilation ducts of Antai Textile's intelligent production workshop. Factory Director Huang from the Production Department stands in front of the central control screen, his fingertips gliding over a set of real-time data—among the 30 tons of colored acrylic tops produced that day, 12 tons are the "cool-feeling sun protection series" customized for a European outdoor brand. The profiled cross-sectional structure of the fibers is clearly visible under a microscope, a result of their newly breakthrough 'dope dyeing + functional modification' composite technology this year.

'Manager Li just came back from the Canton Fair, and the news he brought back is even more invigorating than these data,' Factory Director Huang turns to the technician beside him with a smile, 'He said that now customers are embarrassed to speak without mentioning "environmental protection". Our acrylic tops that don't require dyeing were swarmed at the booth in Southeast Asia.'

Li Xiong, the Marketing Department Manager, is currently organizing reports in his office. On the desk lies the '2024 China Acrylic Industry White Paper', with key points highlighted by his highlighter: annual output of 6.5 million tons, a 12% year-on-year growth, and 3 million tons of exports—behind these figures is the reason why he and his team have been frequently traveling between fabric factories in Zhejiang and Guangdong over the past six months. 'Last year, we predicted that the export of acrylic staple fibers would hit a new high, so we proactively raised the color fastness standard of colored acrylic tops to above European Standard Level 4. Now it seems we bet right,' he says, pointing to the order form on his computer. In the autumn orders of a leading home textile enterprise, the proportion of "antibacterial warm-feeling blankets" using Antai's dope-dyed acrylic tops has jumped from 15% in 2023 to 38%.

This 'right bet' was no accident. When Antai Textile started in 1993 as a small spinning mill in Zhangjiagang, it mainly produced conventional acrylic yarn. After the 2008 financial crisis, Li Xiong noticed the potential of 'dope-dyed fibers' at an industry forum—a process that incorporates color masterbatches during the spinning stage, saving over 60% more water than traditional dyeing and avoiding dye residues. Despite skepticism about 'high investment and slow returns' at the time, the team spent three years upgrading three production lines. Today, these lines are operating at a 95% capacity utilization rate, and the colored acrylic tops produced not only supply domestic clothing brands but have also entered the supply chains of ZARA and H&M through RCS recycling certification.

'The most thrilling moment was that sun-protective clothing order last year,' Factory Director Huang recalls the summer of 2024, when a sportswear brand suddenly requested the delivery of a batch of acrylic yarn with "high color fastness + UPF50+" within two weeks. At that time, the workshop was producing regular products, so he led the technical team to debug the equipment for 72 consecutive hours. By adjusting the color masterbatch ratio and spinning speed, they finally stabilized the fiber's UV blocking rate above 98%. 'When the customer came for a factory inspection, they tested with a spectrometer for half an hour and finally said, "Your process is more stable than the German supplier we found,"' Factory Director Huang says with a hint of pride in his tone.

Now in Antai Textile's laboratory, researchers are testing a 'temperature-sensitive acrylic top'—deep blue at low temperatures, gradually turning light blue as body temperature rises. This product, which combines functionality and fun, is targeted at the "emerging smart textiles track" mentioned in the White Paper. Li Xiong reveals that they have just reached a cooperation with the Textile Research Institute of Jiangnan University to jointly develop bio-based dope-dyed acrylic. 'Policies encourage technological innovation, and the industry trend is moving towards functionality and green development. Our 30-year-old factory must keep up with the rhythm and move forward.'

In the workshop, a new batch of packages printed with the 'Antai Textile' logo is being sealed. These colored acrylic tops will be shipped to Turkey via Taicang Port and then processed into fabrics for outdoor tents. The setting sun shines through the glass windows, gilding the neatly stacked spindles with a golden edge—just like this enterprise rooted in Zhangjiagang for 30 years, which has always maintained the warmth of upward growth in the waves of the textile industry.