During the JD 618 Shopping Festival 2026, apparel made of domestically produced polylactic acid (PLA) bio-based fiber, manufactured from corn and agricultural straw, witnessed explosive sales growth. Orders for this eco-friendly fabric placed by apparel merchants on the platform surged 60% month-on-month, breaking the long-standing industry bottleneck that sustainable fabrics were only niche high-end products. This milestone marks the large-scale popularization of homegrown low-carbon functional textiles among ordinary consumers.
In previous years, limited by raw material and weaving costs, PLA fabric was merely applied to small quantities of underwear accessories, unavailable for mass production of daily wear such as T-shirts and casual tops. This year, JD Apparel partnered with specialized domestic textile manufacturers to independently develop the full industrial chain of PLA textiles. Innovative double-sided weaving techniques were adopted to upgrade fabric stiffness and color fastness, while production costs were greatly cut down, bringing healthy, low-carbon PLA textiles into affordable apparel segments.
Known as “corn fiber”, PLA is fermented from renewable plant starch. Its naturally weak acid pH value matches human skin, delivering 24-hour long-lasting antibacterial and anti-mite effects, alongside excellent moisture-wicking performance, making it ideal for sensitive skin and infants. The fabric features soft silky luster and wrinkle resistance, solving common drawbacks of cotton clothes including stuffiness, persistent odor and sagging after repeated wears.
In terms of environmental protection, discarded PLA textiles fully decompose into carbon dioxide and water within 3 to 6 months under compost conditions without chemical residues, forming a circular loop of “farmland-apparel-nature”. It drastically reduces carbon emissions compared with petroleum-based chemical fibers.
Sales data of the 618 campaign showed that transaction volume of PLA T-shirts and loungewear rocketed 220% month-on-month in the first 52 hours of the promotion, driving sales of nearly 50 green textile categories to double on the platform. Consumer statistics reveal that buyers now prioritize fabric composition, safety and sustainability over styles, with keywords like antibacterial, biodegradable and plant-based frequently searched by apparel shoppers.
Spurred by robust market demand, major domestic sportswear, lingerie and fast fashion brands have rushed to launch PLA product lines. Fabric manufacturers in key textile bases including Keqiao and Nantong are expanding production of modified PLA grey fabrics. Industry analysts noted that boosted by national dual-carbon policies and the implementation of EU Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), low-carbon domestic bio-based textiles have become new competitive export products, gradually replacing traditional chemical and cotton fabrics across casual, sportswear, children’s clothing and home textile sectors.
Industry insiders disclosed that continuous technological upgrades across the industrial chain will further lower PLA production costs. Modified PLA fabrics with lightweight warmth and UV protection for autumn and winter have completed sample production and are scheduled for mass launch in the second half of the year, ushering in a new era of widespread domestic sustainable textile materials.