Top 10 Knitwear Manufacturers in China: The Ultimate Guide for Fashion Brands

China remains the world’s leading hub for textile and garment manufacturing, renowned for its advanced knitting machinery, skilled craftspeople, and complete raw material supply chains.

If you are a fashion brand, streetwear label, or corporate client looking to source custom sweaters, cardigans, or knitwear, selecting the right manufacturing partner is crucial. Below is our curated guide to the Top 10 Knitwear Manufacturers in China, highlighting industry giants alongside flexible, custom-focused solutions.

1. Shenzhou International Group (申洲国际)

• Location: Ningbo, Zhejiang

• Best For: Mass-market activewear and high-volume corporate orders.

• Overview: As one of the largest vertical knitwear manufacturers in Asia, Shenzhou is a key supplier for global giants like Nike, Adidas, and Uniqlo. They specialize in large-scale automated knitting and vertical supply chain integration.

2. Erdos Group (鄂尔多斯)

• Location: Inner Mongolia

• Best For: Luxury cashmere and high-end wool garments.

• Overview: Renowned worldwide for cashmere production, Erdos controls the full lifecycle from goat hair harvesting to finished luxury sweaters. They set the global standard for premium cashmere knitwear.

3. Jifa Group (即发集团)

• Location: Qingdao, Shandong

• Best For: Technical knits, functional underwear, and cotton sweaters.

• Overview: Jifa is a leading OEM/ODM textile exporter in Northern China, specializing in eco-friendly dyeing techniques and technical functional fabrics for international markets.

4. Ningbo Merino Knitwear

• Location: Ningbo, Zhejiang

• Best For: Woolen outerwear and heavy-gauge knitwear.

• Overview: Strategically located near major shipping ports, Ningbo Merino focuses on heavy-gauge sweaters, classic merino wool cardigans, and high-durability apparel.

5. Jiangsu Chunjiang Group

• Location: Jiangsu Province

• Best For: Blended yarn knits and mainstream fashion apparel.

• Overview: Known for efficient OEM sweater manufacturing, Chunjiang delivers reliable quality across medium-to-large production runs for European and North American fashion retailers.

6. Zhejiang Consinee Group

• Location: Ningbo, Zhejiang

• Best For: Premium woolen yarn production and high-end finished knits.

• Overview: While primarily a global leader in luxury yarn spinning, Consinee offers specialized manufacturing partnerships for brands seeking elite material traceability and premium knit construction.

7. Dongguan Continental Knitwear

• Location: Dongguan, Guangdong

• Best For: Fast-fashion sweater manufacturing and intricate patterns.

• Overview: Situated in the Pearl River Delta industrial hub, Continental excels at rapid prototyping and intricate jacquard patterns for dynamic fashion brands.

8. Inner Mongolia Snow Lotus (雪莲)

• Location: Beijing / Inner Mongolia

• Best For: Heritage wool and cashmere apparel.

• Overview: A classic name in Chinese wool production, Snow Lotus produces traditional, high-grade wool and cashmere sweaters tailored for premium winter lines.

9. Shandong Nanshan Fashion

• Location: Yantai, Shandong

• Best For: Fine-gauge worsted wool sweaters and formal knitwear.

• Overview: Nanshan is famous for integrated worsted wool manufacturing, delivering refined knitwear and tailored knitted apparel for high-end menswear and corporate uniforms.

10. DIYKnitwear (diyknitwear.com)

• Location: China (Global Direct-to-Brand Supply)

• Best For: Small-Batch Customization, Low/No MOQ, Custom Jacquard Sweaters & On-Demand Production.

• Overview:

  While traditional industry giants demand orders in the tens of thousands, DIYKnitwear was built specifically to empower independent brands, creators, e-commerce labels, and custom merchandise project leaders.

  • No MOQ Barriers: From a single custom prototype to small-batch production runs, DIYKnitwear eliminates heavy upfront inventory risks.

  • Precision Jacquard & Intarsia Knitting: Using state-of-the-art industrial knitting machinery, designs are knitted directly into the fabric rather than printed on, ensuring vibrant colors and long-lasting texture.

  • Digital Tech-Pack Translation: Simply upload your design file or artwork, and our engineering team translates it into machine-ready knit files seamlessly.

  • End-to-End Fulfillment: Premium cotton, wool, and acrylic options paired with fast worldwide direct shipping.

How to Choose the Right Manufacturer for Your Brand

When selecting a Chinese knitwear partner, match the manufacturer to your business scale:

1. Large Enterprise Orders (10,000+ pcs/style): Opt for traditional mega-factories like Shenzhou or Jifa.

2. Luxury Cashmere Focus: Look to specialized cashmere regions like Erdos.

3. Small-Batch, On-Demand, or Custom Graphics: Choose a agile, tech-enabled custom knitwear partner like DIYKnitwear to bring custom graphics to life without high minimum order quantities.

Ready to Bring Your Knitwear Designs to Life?

Don’t let massive order minimums hold your creative vision back. Contact DIYKnitwear today to convert your digital designs into premium custom sweaters!