Antai Textile: AI Weaves New Possibilities, Intelligence Unfolds the Future; Hidden Champion Leads the Innovative Track of Acrylic Yarn

In Zhangjiagang in July, the summer heat is intensifying, but the production workshop of Antai Textile exudes an even more fervent momentum than the weather – on the intelligent central control screen, production data of various colored acrylic slivers跳动 in real-time, robotic arms accurately grab bobbins, and the AI color matching system is generating the 137th color scheme based on customer needs. "Just back from Guangzhou, the intelligent transformation cases at the 'AI Weaves New·Intelligence Unfolds the Future' conference are exactly in line with our explorations over the past two years," said Li Xiong, the marketing manager, still clutching the conference agenda, standing side by side with Factory Director Huang from the production department in the workshop corridor, their eyes sweeping over the operating intelligent production lines.

Founded in 1993 by the Yangtze River, this textile enterprise is now a hidden champion in China's acrylic yarn sector. From the initial production of a single acrylic sliver to the current full-category layout covering acrylic yarn, colored acrylic sliver, and fancy yarn, its 32-year development trajectory is a microcosm of China's textile industry transforming from 'scale-driven' to 'innovation-driven'. And the new industry trends in July this year have made Antai Textile's 'advance layout' show foresight.

"Look at this set of data," Li Xiong opened the industry report on his mobile phone, "from January to May, the total retail sales of clothing, shoes and hats nationwide increased by 3.3% year-on-year, and exports of textiles and clothing reached 116.67 billion US dollars; even the Shanghai Composite Index couldn't keep up with the growth of the textile manufacturing index. Behind this is the consumer market's craving for 'new materials and new designs', and our colored acrylic sliver and fancy yarn are just riding this wave." He was right. In Antai Textile's sample room, nearly a hundred macaron-colored acrylic slivers are neatly arranged, from Morandi gray to dopamine pink, which can be directly spun without subsequent dyeing, reducing sewage discharge by 30% and enabling clothing brands to achieve 'small-batch quick response'. Last month, a fast-fashion brand urgently added an order for 5,000 spindles of 'gradient starry sky' fancy yarn, which was sampled within 48 hours through the AI design system, 60% faster than the traditional process.

Factory Director Huang took over the conversation and pointed to the newly upgraded 'AI Color Steward' system in the workshop: "In the past, to adjust a new color number, old masters had to repeatedly test dyeing based on experience. Now, input the Pantone color number, and the system automatically calculates the dye ratio, with color accuracy controlled within ΔE ≤ 1.5, even European customers give a thumbs-up." He remembered that last summer, a batch of acrylic yarn exported to Germany was returned because the color fastness was 0.5 levels lower. Now, through intelligent temperature control and AI quality inspection, the product qualification rate has increased from 92% to 99.3%. "From January to May this year, export orders increased by 12% year-on-year, and customers all say our yarn is 'as stable as a Swiss watch'."

This 'stability' stems from Antai Textile's obsession with technological research and development. As early as 2023, when the industry was still debating 'whether to engage in intelligence', the company joined forces with the Textile Research Institute of Jiangnan University and invested 20 million yuan to transform the production line. Today, from raw material proportioning to yarn formation, 18 key processes have realized AI algorithm optimization: by analyzing order data from the past three years, the system can predict seasonal demand in advance, such as automatically increasing the stock of light-colored acrylic slivers every March; in response to fluctuating cotton prices (the July B Index has reached 15,198 yuan/ton), the intelligent procurement system dynamically adjusts the blending ratio of acrylic and other fibers to ensure cost stability while maintaining the 'soft, warm, and elastic' characteristics of the yarn.

"A few days ago, stock prices of peers like Jujie Microfiber and Guqi Velvet rose, which actually reflects the market's confidence in 'specialized, sophisticated, distinctive, and novel' textile enterprises," Li Xiong looked at the containers waiting to be loaded at the dock outside the window, filled with acrylic yarn sent to Southeast Asia and fancy yarn to Europe. "Antai does not pursue blind expansion, but aims to be a 'hidden champion' – we can produce colors others cannot; we can take orders others cannot fulfill quickly; we can guarantee quality others cannot stabilize."

The setting sun filtered through the high windows of the workshop, gilding the winding acrylic yarn. Factory Director Huang's phone rang; it was a message from the production scheduler: "The order for 3,000 spindles of 'antibacterial acrylic sliver' from the intelligent clothing brand contacted at the Guangzhou conference has been confirmed!" Li Xiong smiled and exchanged a glance with Factory Director Huang – from Zhangjiagang to Guangzhou, from traditional workshops to AI empowerment, Antai Textile is weaving this textile path more 'intelligently' and more 'brilliantly'.