Market Overview - The textile and apparel sector has shown resilience in mid-term performance, with the sports segment leading apparel consumption [1][12] - In August, the A-share textile and apparel sector slightly underperformed the broader market, but has shown stable performance since September, with brand apparel outperforming textile manufacturing [1][12] Brand Apparel Insights - Retail sales of clothing in July grew by 1.8% year-on-year, with a slight deceleration compared to the previous month [1] - E-commerce growth in July rebounded significantly, with outdoor sports leading the way; growth rates for various segments included sports apparel at +11%, outdoor apparel at +26%, and home textiles at +10% [1] - Notable brand performances included Decathlon with +63%, Puma with +41%, and Lululemon with +39% in sports apparel; outdoor brands like Kailas and Arc'teryx also showed strong growth [1] Textile Manufacturing Insights - In August, Vietnam's textile exports fell by 4.5% year-on-year, while China's textile exports improved slightly with a growth rate of 1.4% [2] - The export performance of apparel and footwear from China was poor, with declines of 10.1% and 17.1% respectively [2] - The price of cotton showed slight fluctuations in August, with a small decline noted in September [2] Sector Performance Summary - For the first half of 2025, textile manufacturing revenue grew by 7.8% year-on-year, while the apparel and home textile sector faced a decline of 6.4% [3] - The gross margin for the textile manufacturing sector remained stable at 19.4%, while the apparel and home textile sector's gross margin increased slightly to 46.1% [3] - Key players in the apparel sector, such as Anta and Xtep, maintained steady growth in revenue and profit, while non-sports apparel faced significant challenges [3] Investment Recommendations - Focus on undervalued leaders with strong fundamentals in brand apparel, particularly in the sports segment, with recommendations for Anta Sports, Xtep International, and Li Ning [6] - In textile manufacturing, recommend companies with significant rebound potential and strong fundamentals, such as Shenzhou International and Huayi Group [6]