Dishang Group has been celebrating the prestigious award of ‘Best State-of-the-Art Manufacturer’ since the recent PCIAW® Summit & Awards ceremony held in London in October 2025.
Recognised for its pioneering “Smart Digital Manufacturing Initiative”, the global apparel powerhouse is setting new standards in intelligent systems, automation and circular production.
In the article below, Dishang shares the story behind their award-winning submission, their vision for the future and how they are helping global brands meet the demands of the digital transition.
A Milestone for Digital Innovation in Manufacturing
Winning this award is more than a title; it’s recognition of the work Dishang Group as a whole has done over the last 18 months to lead the sector through digital transformation.
As this year’s PCIAW® Summit theme was focused on “The Digital Transition Starts Here”, the spotlight was firmly on future-focused manufacturing, namely around three, following core themes which fit perfectly with our winning Smart Digital Manufacturing Initiative, namely:
- Digital Product Passports for full traceability and sustainability compliance
- Digital Sizing Transitions for better fit and reduced waste
- End-of-Life Solutions to accelerate circularity and recycling at scale.
For Dishang, this win affirms the strength of this initiative that integrates AI-powered design, 3D sampling, automation, robotics and intelligent data systems across 90 wholly owned factories worldwide.
The result? Scalable, efficient and responsible garment production designed for the demands of modern brands.
Solving Real Industry Challenges
This award submission was built around how our innovations directly address urgent industry challenges; reducing lead times, increasing consistency, cutting sampling waste and supporting compliance with emerging global sustainability legislation. From concept to delivery, every stage of production is streamlined to meet both commercial and environmental goals.
These capabilities were brought to life in customer conversations at November’s A+A Workwear and PPE Exhibition in Düsseldorf, where we showcased our offering to thousands of visitors across the globe. The clear takeaway we found was that workwear brands are actively seeking compliant, innovative manufacturers with the agility to meet regulatory and material innovation demands. Our model delivers on both.
Julian Bartholet, Dishang UK’s Business Development Director – Workwear and Uniforms explains:
“The show is a fantastic opportunity to network with existing and target customers from around the globe which goes towards helping us develop the right strategy for the workwear sector. This year’s show also saw Dishang Group taking a stand which allowed Designer, Kate Dawson and I to work closely with members of the Chinese Head Office team to create a clear and structured plan of what Dishang needs to do moving forward to become a more recognised manufacturer in the workwear sector.”
What Makes Dishang “State of the Art”?
Several core strengths underpin our Group’s approach:
- End-to-End Control: With full factory ownership, Dishang maintains control over quality, ethical standards and compliance across all production locations.
- Digital-First Design: From AI-assisted design to 3D avatars and virtual showroom experiences, digital sampling is drastically reducing waste and time-to-market.
- Sustainability and Circularity: Ongoing investment in closed-loop materials, fibre-to-fibre recycling and mono-material innovation is paving the way toward cradle-to-cradle production.
Digital efficiency is embedded at every level. From real-time production tracking and automated cutting to the early adoption of Digital Product Passports, we provide our customers with full visibility of every fabric, trim and certification.
That transparency, combined with measurable carbon savings, enables smarter sourcing decisions and more sustainable product lifecycles.
Celebrating Global Teams and Leadership
This award is a celebration of the Dishang teams that make it all happen. From the UK head office in Harrogate to the Weihai production HQ, every part of the business plays a role in delivering on the promise to our global partners.
Richard Watts, Dishang UK Managing Director added:
“A special thank you goes to Julian Bartholet, Business Development Director for Workwear & Uniforms, whose continued efforts have driven Dishang’s expansion across the UK and European markets. His work developing strategic partnerships and amplifying Dishang’s message at events like A+A and the PCIAW® Summit has been instrumental to this success.”
Looking Ahead: Scaling Innovation
With this recognition comes momentum. We are now accelerating our focus on:
- Expanding Digital Product Passports across more product categories
- Investing in robotic automation and AI-supported manufacturing
- Developing exclusive technical workwear fabrics with enhanced performance
- Advancing fibre-to-fibre recycling and mono-material garment design
Richard Watts explained:
“Our goal is clear: to remain at the forefront of sustainable, intelligent garment manufacturing and to partner with the world’s most respected professional clothing brands to shape what’s next.”
Concept to Catwalk: A Digital Vision
A major highlight of the Summit was the premiere of our film “Concept to Catwalk”, an exclusive video commissioned to open the PCIAW® Fashion Show. The film traces the full digital journey of a garment; from AI and 3D design to virtual modelling, sampling, manufacturing and final runway presentation. We were proud to show it to industry leaders across both days of the Summit and the Awards Dinner.
To learn more about Dishang Group and how we partner with some of the largest global clothing brands with scale, strategy and sustainability, visit: www.dishang-group.com
