Against the backdrop of the global textile industry’s accelerated transition toward green, low-carbon and sustainable development, Shaoxing Dafa Textile Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as “Shaoxing Dafa”), a national high-tech enterprise integrating weaving, dyeing and finishing, printing, and foreign trade, has consistently upheld environmental friendliness as its development vision and advanced steadily along the path of green transformation. Recently, the company has further set a benchmark for sustainable practices in the industry by achieving carbon footprint accounting and certification for its core products.
Founded in 2003, Shaoxing Dafa has been deeply engaged in the textile sector for more than two decades. It has now grown into an industry-leading enterprise with annual exports exceeding USD 85 million, serving numerous internationally renowned brands and retailers, including Uniqlo, MUJI, H&M, ASICS, Macy’s, and Costco. The company operates on a site of 60,000 square meters, equipped with over 100 knitting machines, more than 50 sets of advanced dyeing and finishing equipment from Europe and the United States, and over 20 printing machines. Its annual output reaches more than 20,000 tons of various knitted fabrics and 10 million meters of printed fabrics. While achieving large-scale production, Dafa has systematically promoted carbon reduction and quality improvement through green manufacturing and digital management, gradually forming a clear and scientific low-carbon development pathway.
Recently, to accurately quantify the environmental impacts of its products and advance refined low-carbon management, with the support of Carbon Newture, an innovative decarbonization service platform, Shaoxing Dafa conducted carbon footprint accounting for its core fabric product (2×2 rib fabric) in accordance with the international standard ISO 14067:2018 and obtained a verification certificate issued by the internationally recognized third-party certification body SGS.
The 2×2 rib fabric is one of Shaoxing Dafa’s key product categories, with representative order volumes and market performance. The company therefore selected this product as the first pilot for carbon footprint accounting and certification, laying the foundation for expanding the approach to more fabric categories and establishing a reusable carbon accounting and management framework applicable to different specifications and process combinations.
Notably, Shaoxing Dafa’s green transformation is not a single-point breakthrough, but a systematic, full value-chain upgrade.
01 Building a Multi-Dimensional Low-Carbon Development System
Establishing a comprehensive energy management system and increasing the proportion of renewable electricity use;
Reducing emissions at the source by optimizing production processes through data monitoring, minimizing waste of energy, water, and chemicals, and strictly controlling various emissions during production;
Actively introducing automation equipment and digital systems to improve production efficiency while reducing resource losses caused by human factors.
02 Using “Flagship Products” as Pilots to Jointly Build a Carbon Data Sharing Mechanism for the Textile Industry
By embedding carbon management at the level of specific product categories and fabric types, Shaoxing Dafa provides compliant and credible product-level carbon data to brand owners and end markets. In addition, the company has actively participated in establishing an industry-wide carbon data sharing mechanism by disclosing the carbon information of this product on the “International Carbon Disclosure Platform for the Textile and Apparel Industry,” ensuring data traceability, promoting value-chain carbon data sharing, and fostering a more transparent and healthy low-carbon market.
03 Supporting Upstream and Downstream Partners in Responding to International Regulations and Market Expectations
As markets such as the European Union continue to strengthen requirements for carbon footprint disclosure and product environmental performance, third-party verified product carbon footprint data will directly enhance Shaoxing Dafa’s reputation and bargaining power within the supply chains of international brands, providing tangible support for low-carbon product selection and green procurement.
Through sustained investment in green development, the company has received multiple recognitions, including participation in the WWF Low-Carbon Manufacturing Program, certification by the Higg Sustainable Apparel Coalition, and ZDHC Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals-related honors, demonstrating the effectiveness of its low-carbon transition.
Looking Ahead: Leading Sustainable Fashion with the Beauty of Quality
Shaoxing Dafa’s experience shows that green and low-carbon transformation is not a cost burden, but a necessary investment to enhance core competitiveness and expand market opportunities. Through compliant carbon footprint accounting and authoritative certification, the company has not only met the growing sustainable sourcing requirements of global brand customers, but has also secured strategic initiative for its own sustainable development.
Looking to the future, Dafa will continue to uphold its commitment to environmental protection, combine cutting-edge technology with modern aesthetics through rigorous craftsmanship and creative design, and continuously promote fashion culture. By building a long-lasting enterprise on the foundation of quality, the company will contribute Chinese expertise and strength to the green development of the global textile industry.
