Nantong Manufacturing
The global home textiles capital — 60%+ of the world's home textiles come from Haimen Dieshiqiao. Also shipbuilding, offshore wind equipment, and new energy batteries.
Nantong, on the north bank of the Yangtze River across from Shanghai, is home to the world's largest home textiles cluster. Haimen Dieshiqiao produces over 60% of the world's home textile products — bedding, curtains, towels, and household fabrics — with 2025 output exceeding 150 billion RMB. The city is also a major center for shipbuilding, offshore wind power equipment, and new energy batteries, leveraging its position on the Yangtze estuary.
For hardware founders, Nantong is most relevant for products involving home textiles (bedding, fabric components, soft goods at scale), marine equipment, and offshore wind power components. The city's proximity to Shanghai (1.5 hours by high-speed rail) makes it accessible for day trips.
Haimen Dieshiqiao (海门叠石桥): Home textiles cluster — 60%+ global market share. The world's largest home textile industrial zone: bedding sets, curtains, towels, tablecloths, and fabric-based home products. Thousands of factories and trading companies. 2025 output exceeded 150 billion RMB.
Rugao (如皋): Shipbuilding, new energy batteries, and marine engineering equipment. A major shipbuilding center on the Yangtze.
Qidong (启东): Offshore wind power equipment and marine engineering. Benefiting from China's massive offshore wind investment.
Tongzhou (通州): Textile machinery and intelligent manufacturing. Produces the machines used by textile factories throughout the YRD.
Offshore wind power: Qidong is a primary manufacturing base for offshore wind turbines, foundations, and installation vessels, driven by China's renewable energy targets.
New energy storage: Rugao is attracting battery manufacturing investment, leveraging Nantong's port infrastructure for raw material import and finished product export.
Smart home textiles: Dieshiqiao manufacturers are adding smart features (temperature-regulating fabrics, antibacterial treatments, integrated sensors) to traditional home textile products.
Nantong sourcing pitfalls
Extreme category specialization
Dieshiqiao is world-class for home textiles and essentially nothing else. Know exactly which Nantong sub-region matches your product.
English is essentially non-existent
Home textile factories serve primarily the domestic Chinese market and have minimal English capability.
Textile MOQs can be high
Home textile products have minimums driven by fabric rolls. A bedding set factory may require 500-1,000 sets per design minimum.
What founders should remember
For home textiles, Dieshiqiao is the global center
60% global market share. If your product involves bedding, curtains, towels, or fabric home products, start here.
For marine and offshore equipment, Nantong has deep capability
The shipbuilding and offshore wind clusters have engineering expertise relevant to large-scale metal fabrication and marine-grade products.
Nantong is an easy day trip from Shanghai
High-speed rail connects Nantong to Shanghai in 1.5 hours, making factory visits feasible as day trips.