Research on Sustainable Development of Textile Industrial Clusters in

the Process of Globalization

LI Xiong-yi, WANG Wei
School of Management Zhongyuan University of Technology, P.R.China, 450007
lxy1104138@sina.com
Abstract: In the process of globalization, textile industrial clusters in our country faced many
opportunities and changelings. We have to find some effective way to main the sustainable development
of textile industrial clusters. This paper analysis the present condition of textile industrial clusters in our
country and put forward the sustainable development strategies of textile industrial clusters.
Key words: textile industrial clusters, globalization, sustainable development, recycling economy

1 Introduction
In recent years, the tide and development of economic globalization caused a new layout form of
economic activities in space: the phenomenon of economic decentralization and the trend of economic
activity localization. It can be said that the trend of economic globalization and localization reflects the
polarization of the economic development. It has affected all countries and brought many regional
developments.
Industrial cluster is a strong trend of development in the worlds process of industrialization. The
level development of industrial clusters has become an important indicator to determine the
development of a nation or a region. It could formulate corresponding policies to the nation or region.
At present, the development of Chinas industrial clusters in some areas has show a strong vitality. We
should comprehensively promote the development of industrial clusters according to Chinas reality and
to enhance the country's industrial competitiveness to cope with the challenges of economic
globalization.

2 The impact of globalization on industrial clusters

2.1 The positive impact of globalization
Firstly, the process of globalization improves the efficient allocation of the international floating
resources such as capital, knowledge and technology which will continue expansion the foreign
exchange and cooperation and increase import and export. Foreign exchange and cooperation could
increase the knowledge stock. As international trade becomes more developed, there will be more
opportunities foe people to exchange information and knowledge. By doing so, people in the industrial
clusters could learn new knowledge, advanced perspective and enlightenment. If the number of
imported products becomes more, the local research staff can be found the new knowledge, imitation, or
value-added innovation [1]. The foreign businessmen would come up with better ways to improve the
products form and the process of production. These proposals are valuable to domestic industrial
clusters and will promote the product innovation, expand the number of export products and improve the
performance of the industrial clusters economic development.
Secondly, the expanding connections of clusters innovation network would improve the ability of
innovation. Undoubtedly, a global operator must have a strong ability to integrate into the local
environment which could produce more rooted role of the local and network effects. Therefore, it has
become the basic operational condition to understand the transnational corporation correctly. In recent
years, more and more multinational companies pay attention to cooperate with the host enterprises. They
intended to form various local networks, including industry networks or social networks, and then to
become a node in the regional innovation network. Moreover, multinational companies will use the role

928

of regional networks to look for a partner to expand the use of local suppliers and improve the efficiency
of them. Though reducing the costs of production and transaction, they could enhance their own
competitiveness.
2.2 The negative impact of globalization
Economic globalization could promote industrial clusters development. It has also brought negative
effects. Particularly for developing countries, the negative impact or challenges become even more
noticeable.
Sometimes it will undermine the construction of innovation network within the industrial cluster and
threat the networks of the clusters. So we should pay more attention to that [2]. Enterprises in the
industrial clusters tend to cooperate with multinational corporations which must reduce the local
independent innovation capability and increased dependence on multinational corporations. Some of
industrial clusters in our country have been or will be faced with the threats and challenges.
On the other hand, globalization would increase competition in the local market. Multinational
corporations contend for the product market and highly-skilled professionals and managers of
high-quality. In some regions, they faced with a lot of the threat of loss of human resources which will
inevitably reduce local capability of independent innovation. Along with the deepening of this
dependence, the autonomy of the regional innovation recession, industrial clusters may become the base
of production for multinational corporations. At that time, the original competitive advantage of
industrial clusters may disappear.

3 The present condition of textile industrial clusters in our country

Textile industry is one of the most competitive industries in our country. In the process of
globalization, the textile industry is facing more opportunities and challenges than ever before,
especially after Chinas entry into WTO. Since we entered the post-quota era, the international trade
friction, trade barriers have become more serious. At the same time, we have to face multiple pressures
such as continued appreciation of RMB, the decline of export tax rebate rate and ascend prices of raw
materials and elements. Therefore, we should speed up industrial restructuring and change the mode of
growth to achieve sustainable development. Under this circumstance, improvement of sustainable
development becomes more important than ever before.
In recent years, as Chinas textile industry developed fast, clean production and energy conservation
work has been quite successful. However, the growing shortage of water resources, environmental
pollution deteriorating circumstances, resources and the environment still restrained the textile industry's
sustainable development. Therefore, we should reduce the energy consumption and improve the
utilization rate of resources, enhance value-added products to upgrade the industry's competitiveness.
In the process of globalization, the textile industrial clusters have to face some problems. The first one
is high energy output and low energy conversion efficiency. The motor drive system operating
efficiency of Chinas textile industry is 20% lower than abroad. Electricity consumption is very
conspicuous. The energy consumption of fiber industry is 10~30% higher than abroad. China's energy
consumption per unit output value is more than twice as the average level of world. The textile industry
average unit energy consumption is 40% higher than the advanced international level [3]. The second
problem is the low utilization of raw materials which resulting shortage of raw materials. And the third
problem we have to face is the higher volume of water. In addition, the technology level of textile
industry and industry structures green level are relatively low. So we have to face and solve these
problems.

4 Sustainable development strategies of textile industrial clusters

4.1 Bring recycling economy into enterprise's development strategy
929

As a new way of economy development, recycling economy has affected our society. Recycling
economy is targeted at traditional extensive type of economy. In order to overcome environmental
pollution, shortage of resources and pursue the idea of sustainable development, scholars have paid
more attention to the recycling economy. Its core content is the efficient and recyclable use of resources.
The most important thing in recycling economy is ecological laws. By waste reuse and recycle, we
organized them into a cycle material flow process as "resources-products-consumer-renewable
resources" to implement the closed-cycle logistics. According to the self-purification ability of the
environment and renewable capacity of resources, it uses 3R principle (Reduce, Reuse and Recycle)
concerning resources and the environment effects [4].
Put recycling economy into practice is in order to allocate resources effectively on the basis of limited
resources and cut down the cost, achieving economic benefit of the enterprise. At the same time,
recycling economy could control the whole process of contamination. It is in keeping with the
characteristic of sustainable development, that is sustainable, harmonious and high efficient. By
implementing it, we can improve the utilization ratio of resources and energy to protect the
environment.
4.2 Carry out clean production in the region of production
Clean production is an important method in the progress of recycling economys development. As a
type of productive enterprise, textile enterprise is the main part in the implement of recycling economy.
Clean production is a system project.
Clean production is a way to implement recycling economy. Firstly, it could raise the energy
utilization ratio, exploit cleaner technology, and replace some harmful product and raw material which
will protect the environment. Secondly, it is an effective way of control the environment pollution. The
price of dealing with at the final of production is very expensive. The implementation of process control
will change the image of the enterprise which will enhance the market competitiveness.
4.3 Improve quality and green product
The additional value of textile product is still very low in our country. The contradiction of product
structure becomes more outstanding. In order to meet the need of domestic and foreign market, the
textile industry needs to improve the quality of textile product. We should rely on improving the
function and culture taste of dominant product. At the same time, we should develop the additional value
and celebrity of the product, achieving the strategy of win on quality.
The quality of product related with the principle of reducing and reusing of recycling economy.
Improving the quality and reducing the substandard product would save the cost of raw material and
production [5]. Besides, the improvement of quality means that it will prolong the life cycle of the
product. That is not only enhancing the competitiveness but also improve its reuse value.
In addition, textile industry should enhance its green level. Green product is the main factor of textile
industry to achieve intensive increase and apply to the market economy. It is also an important reflection
of recycling economys development in textile industry. The green textile products do no harm to
environment. The abandoned textile products are easy decomposed and could reuse. Therefore, the
development of textile product need improve its green level.
4.4 Improve textile Eco-Industry Park
There are two major industrial park forms in: dominant industrial model and similar industrial
structure model. The former refers to the industry cluster which is formed by the same industry in
accordance with the process flow of the industry. Enterprises in this industry cluster could be classified
as dominant industries and auxiliary industries. Implementation of the recycling economy in this type
of industry clusters, mainly through the implementation of cleaner production in dominant enterprises.
Upstream and downstream enterprises are forced to implement clean production by green purchase
system, and through the vertical extension of the industry chain to expand the chain of waste utilization.

930

Similar industrial structure model refers to enterprises in the industrial parks belong to the same industry,
and enterprises in the park have not formed the ecological industrial chain or ecological industrial chain
rather short. High-tech Park is the typical park of this model. For this form of the industrial park, the
implementation of the recycling economy in the enterprise focused on pursuing clean production
within the enterprise [6]. Moreover, through construction of information network and infrastructure
facilities, construct the public platforms of basic energy and resource usage among enterprises, and
raising the efficiency of resources and energy usage. Finally the park can build horizontal chain of
comprehensive utilization of waste to realize zero emissions in Whole Park.
Ecological Industry Park is based on the exchange of material and energy, and it gathered in a specific
area. So it has the main features of industry cluster. It is a special form of industry cluster. The
eco-industrial parks rely on industrial ecology and the recycling economic theory. By simulating natural
systems producers, consumers and decomposers, it achieves material recycling and multi-use energy.
Establishing Ecological Industry Park is an effective way to develop the recycling economy of textile
industry. In addition, it is the tendency of its development. The most important thing is to select and
establish an ecological industry chain in textile Industry Park. Like other industries, the structure design
of textile industry is on the basis of ecology principle. Though invent new technology and resources
synthetically using, the enterprises could accomplish the materials close circulation.

4.5 Accelerate the innovation and R&D Research and Development

The vitality and sustainable development of the enterprises is mainly from the enterprises
echnological innovation capability. Firstly, enterprises should speed up the research of recycling
economys theory and technology, and study foreign experiences, especially foreign technical research
results of the protection of the ecological environment. It is necessary to integrate the social intellectual
resources, carry on science research, carry out the research of new products and new technologies of
energy-saving and break through bottle mouth of energy recovery in traditional technological process.
Secondly enterprises should enhance product competitiveness. Through improving enterprise technical
innovation capability, recycling economy technology of energy saving can be transformed into practical
products. It could constantly meets the needs of the market, improving product design and product
quality, reducing production costs and so on.
Technology is an important support to achieve sustainable development for industry clusters. One of
the major advantages of industry cluster is to promote knowledge spillovers. Through mutual
cooperation, mutual learning and interactive role, enterprises of cluster can promote innovation.
Moreover, there exists intense competition within the cluster. Through alternative products research and
development, they can not only reduce costs, but also increase product diversity and greatly boosting the
market's competitive edge.
Meanwhile, we should introduce green technologies, change and innovate the technical system, to
find the best way to achieve resource conversion and closed cycle mode conversion. For resource
consumption-based industry clusters, promoting green technology becomes particularly important.

5 Conclusion
In this time of globalization, the development of textile industrial clusters in our country contains
large potential. We should get a clear understanding of the present condition of textile industrial clusters
and try every means to maintain its sustainable development. By doing so, we can achieve a win-win
situation that economy, society and environment developed harmoniously.

References
[1] Parr A, Costa S, Tzanov T, et al. Thermo-alkali-stable catalyses from newly isolated Bcaillus sp.
for the treatment and recycling of textile bleaching effluents [J]. Biotechnology, 2001, 89: 147-153.
931

[2] Gloria AJ - T, Michel J P, Robert L. Enzyme Microb Technol [J]. 1997, 21 (15): 537-542.
[3] Wu Di. Research on recycling economy of textile industry and quality of products [J]. China fiber,
2007(9): 31-32. (in Chinese)
[4] Wang H X, Yukiko Y, Shinoyama H et al. Purification and characterization of a rhermostable
catalase from crulture broth of Thermoascus aurantiacus [J]. Ferment Bioeng , 1998,
85(2) :169-173.
[5] LIU S L. Catalase. Printing and dyeing translation series, 2001, (5): 50-53.
[6] Tzanov T , Costa S , Gubita G M et al. Dyeing with catalase treated bleaching baths [J]. Color
Technol ,2001 ,117(3) :1 5.

932