【Highlight Recap】
Issue 37 of iFashion
Donghua Fashion MBA Forum 
         

On the evening of June 30th, the 37th iFashion Donghua Fashion MBA Salon was successfully held at the Yan'an Road Campus of Donghua University! Mr. Ma Zhengsheng, an off-campus doctoral supervisor from the School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering of Donghua University and the General Manager and Senior Engineer of Shanghai Jiecon Chemicals Hi-Tech Co., Ltd., delivered a speech titled "Multifaceted Solutions for New Textile Materials - From Functional Additives to Fiber Yarn Development", providing in-depth sharing on the industry trends, technical paths and brand building of new textile materials. Despite the torrential rain that night, many audience members braved the rain from all over the city and came specially to attend the event. This eagerness for knowledge and attention to the industry's cutting-edge developments set a warm and focused tone for this event. 

Industry Trends and Application Scenarios 
 

At the beginning of the event, Mr. Ma Zhengsheng started by addressing the strategic national level, clearly stating that new materials have now advanced from an emerging industry to a future industry, with a market size reaching the trillion-dollar level. In line with the theme of "Preparation and Breakthrough" in the "China Fiber Trend Forecast 2026/2027", he elaborately analyzed the four major trend directions - "Fiber - New Life" emphasizes natural symbiosis, "Fiber - Iteration" pursues comfort upgrades, "Fiber - Surfing the Wave" covers functional protection, and "Fiber - Breakthrough" represents extreme exploration. 

Based on this, he further classified the application of the new fibers into four major scenarios: the "psychological and physical healing space" for home life, the "functional exploration area" for outdoor activities and sports, the "personalized expression" for commuting and socializing, and the "coexistence with green" for sustainable development. This clearly delineates the corresponding relationship between material innovation and consumer demands. 

Technical path and product practice 
     

Regarding the development path of functional textiles, Mr. Ma Zhengsheng introduced two main approaches: one is source modification, and the other is post-treatment modification. He also specially shared the technical highlights of Jieyi Kang in high-energy electron beam radiation grafting modification, as well as the functional additive product matrix it has established in the post-treatment field, covering multiple dimensions such as antibacterial and deodorizing, anti-allergy protection, skin-friendly care, and comfortable body sensation. 

Based on specific cases, Mr. Ma Zhengsheng focused on sharing the "four major topics" - Topic One focused on the development of anti-mite and antibacterial mattress fabric, presenting multiple product performance reports and intellectual property protection patents; Topic Two centered on the development process of photocatalyst finishing agents, introducing the achievements of industry-university-research cooperation with Donghua University and Xinjiang University; Topic Three targeted the sunscreen clothing market, analyzing the industry乱象 such as false labeling of UPF values and the prevalence of pseudoscience， calling for a return to national standards； Topic Four delved into the innovative achievements of the multifunctional modified acrylic fiber "Cooling Fiber"， using standardized test data to demonstrate its unique multifunctional characteristics. These industrialization practices present a complete transformation chain from the laboratory to the market， providing a reference for the transformation of industry-university-research. 

Industry Observation and Brand Thinking 
       

Regarding the industry malpractices such as ineffective competition in the antibacterial grade sector and the hype around graphene concepts, Mr. Ma Zhengsheng stated that we should return to rationality and respect science. He also used judicial cases to warn that pseudo-scientific products will eventually be punished by law and the market. He further emphasized that enterprises should break through through performance - taking air purifier filters as an example, achieving "four defenses" or even "five defenses" functions through scientific compounding, with anti-virus rates and antibacterial rates reaching over 99%. 

At the level of brand building, he proposed that the brand should lay a solid foundation of trust, transform a single transaction into a long-term relationship, shift from being a "product provider" to a "lifestyle enabler", and through the persistence of long-termism and the deep cultivation of user trust, continuously attract consumers and ultimately build a sustainable competitive advantage, establishing an uncopyable brand barrier. 

The perseverance in the midst of the heavy rain is the most sincere tribute to knowledge! After the sharing session, the audience and the guests jointly discussed issues such as the commercialization of new materials, the development of multi-functional fabrics, and intellectual property protection. This in-depth and valuable sharing that connected industry, academia and research, and covered the entire fiber industry chain came to an end in an atmosphere of active interaction and communication. 

This month's salon started from the industrial frontlines and systematically presented the diverse solutions for textile new materials, ranging from functional additives to fiber yarns. It also provided practical ideas for brands on how to achieve differentiation through material innovation. The iFashion Donghua Fashion MBA Salon will continue to focus on the industry's cutting-edge developments, bringing more exciting sharing, and we look forward to seeing you in the next session!