According to data from the General Administration of Customs, the overall export value of the textile and apparel industry exceeded 301.1 billion US dollars in 2024, with a month on month increase of 2.8%. In 2025, it should have continued to be favorable but the foreign trade orders have plummeted sharply and the export volume has significantly decreased due to the recent escalation of tariffs between China and the United States. Now that the tariff war has come to a temporary end, foreign trade orders are gradually recovering, and manufacturers relying on export business have resumed production operations. Behind the seemingly temporary relief of the crisis, it reflects the weak overall risk resistance ability of the industry. For small and medium-sized enterprises that rely on thin profits but high sales, a significant increase in costs means a significant reduction in profits, which may evolve into a survival crisis. For large enterprises that hold certain bargaining power, they also need to face many difficulties such as customer cancellation of orders, abandonment of goods, and demand that Chinese enterprises pay full tariffs caused by additional tariffs.

Socks are essential daily consumer goods in people's lives, and they are also fashionable items with high recognition. China is the world's largest producer, consumer, and exporter of socks. Data shows that in 2024, domestic sock production increased by 4.2% year-on-year, and export value increased by 1.85% year-on-year. The Chinese socks industry holds an important position globally. As one of the most important events in the sock industry in the second half of the year, China·Datang International Hosiery Industry Expo (hereinafter referred to as CIHIE) was held in Zhuji, Zhejiang. In the current context of "equivalent tariffs", how to help enterprises actively respond to external challenges, expand internal and external sales channels, and successfully upgrade their quality, Zhuji, as the international sock capital, will provide answers to the industry with a trade event.

Zhuji's socks industry accounts for 70% of the national and 30% of the global production. The large scale exhibition events regularly hosting in the local area every year showcase the advantages of industrial clusters, eliminating trade intermediaries for merchants and buyers, allowing order demands to reach the factory in the first time, quickly matching high-quality production capacity, and obtaining industry business opportunities. This unique "front exhibition, back factory" exhibition model has been increasingly favored by professional buyers and merchants, making it easier for them to visit the company on-site as soon as possible. CIHIE founded by the People's Government of Zhuji City in 1999, has been successfully held for 18 sessions and is the oldest commercial exhibition in this field in China. It has gradually formed a regional industrial globalization label and business card.

The annual sales revenue of the socks industry in Zhuji region exceeds 70 billion yuan, and there are nearly 10,000 related supporting enterprises in the city, including 253 large-scale enterprises. In the local area, there are not only well-known socks industry brands such as Caramella, Cotton Foot House, and Oriental Edge, but also upstream products such as yarn, auxiliary materials, production equipment, and other related enterprises. The annual CIHIE is the best industry promoter and lubricant, utilizing the special characteristics of the exhibition to go global, introduce products, and drive dual circulation. It enables the coordination of the industrial chain and supply chain, and further enhances the industry through upstream product innovation. It continues to promote the development of the sock industry in various aspects such as fashionable design, functional materials, digital production, international marketing, and green industry.

CIHIE 2025 will be held during September 9-11 at Zhuji International Trade City. As the largest commercial event in the socks industry cluster, CIHIE will focus on the core theme of "New Development Goals Require New Quality Productive Forces". It is expected that the exhibition scale will reach 15,000 square meters, with 500 booths, and attract nearly 200 high-quality exhibitors and over 15,000 visitors. CIHIE will focus on showcasing relevant new products, designs, technologies, and materials from the source, promoting trade cooperation, and promote industrial transformation and upgrading, break through difficulties.