Chuanjiang town in Tongzhou district, Nantong, Jiangsu province, which is one of the largest home textile production bases in the country, has shifted its focus towards attracting talent and promoting structural adjustments in the home textile industry in recent years.

One of the key measures being taken is the integration of industry and education. The town has been addressing skill gaps in the home textile industry by offering specialized programs in areas such as manufacturing and e-commerce. It has also encouraged companies to adopt talent development models to better match professional skills with the demands of the home textile industry.

Tong Xiaoting, who hails from Xuzhou, has grown as a high-end talent for fabric developing under such a talent development model. Working for Jiangsu Golden Sun Textile Technology Co Ltd for over a decade, she has had the opportunity to travel to countries like Germany, Italy, Switzerland, and France to observe textile industry practices. With the company's support, she has also participated in training programs related to intellectual property engineering, industrial design of fashion household textile products, and patent exploration and layout.

She has acquired three invention patents and 17 utility model patents. "My growth wouldn't be possible without the company's support," said Tong.

The company has also established the Golden Sun Textile Design and Research Institute, which is divided into sections for style design, printing design, jacquard design, and hand-drawing.

The institute features a library where designers can access the latest domestic and international resources and journals to stay updated on the latest fashion trends. At present, over 100 design and research personnel are working at the institute.