On July 22, a delegation led by Wuhan Textile University President Fu Xin visited Ever-Glory Fashion Group for talks on talent development, textile innovation and industry-academia collaboration. Chairman Jack Sun and members of the company's management team joined the meeting, and the two sides officially launched a joint graduate research station — the latest step in a cooperation that goes back years.
The pairing makes sense on paper and in practice. Wuhan Textile University brings deep expertise in textile and apparel education and research; Ever-Glory brings more than three decades of experience across apparel R&D, manufacturing, global supply chain services and product development. The idea behind the partnership is simple: connect academic research more closely with real manufacturing and market needs.
The two sides discussed several areas for future work, including joint talent development, applied research and technology commercialization. A key piece is the continued development of the Ever-Glory Excellence Program, which gives students hands-on exposure to apparel development, manufacturing and supply chain operations through practical training, mentoring and project-based learning.
The new graduate research station gives the cooperation a dedicated, longer-term home. Graduate students and faculty will work directly with Ever-Glory teams on applied research, product development and technical validation, with priority on smart garment manufacturing, AI-assisted design, functional materials and digital production technologies.
For Ever-Glory, the value goes beyond building a stronger talent pipeline. It's about bringing academic research into real industrial settings, where ideas can be tested, refined and turned into something usable. As the apparel industry moves toward digitalization, intelligent manufacturing and higher-value products, competitiveness no longer rests on manufacturing scale alone. It takes stronger R&D capability, faster technology transfer, and people who can connect materials, engineering, design and commercial needs. That's why Ever-Glory keeps investing in long-term partnerships with universities and research institutions.
The two sides plan to keep deepening the cooperation, across talent development, applied research and technology commercialization. Through the industry dean program, the Ever-Glory Excellence Program and the graduate research station, they aim to tighten the link between education, research and industry practice.
For Ever-Glory, the goal is simple: bring apparel ODM, product development, smart manufacturing and textile innovation closer together, while supporting the next generation of talent for the global apparel and textile industry.
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