Hand-knitting business requires a small investment and very low risk. Knitted handicrafts are environmentally-friendly products that require little energy consumption but have a high added value and a huge market demand. It is a highly flexible way of employment that is especially suitable for senior females, disabled women, single mothers with a serious financial problem, as well as women with a heavy housework burden. To realize Tianjin’s grand plan of “scientific development, accord development and lead-taking development”, and meet women’s demand for knowledge, wealth and individual development, Tianjin Women’s Federation, with the support of the municipal government and the whole society, established Tianjin Women’s Hand-Knitting Industry Association, which is the nation’s first of its kind, and provided a new employment platform for laid-off or unemployed women and suburban women that are experiencing the shock of urbanization.

Tianjin Women’s Hand-Knitting Industry Association now has more than 180 members. Its has established more than 500 hand-knitting stations, authorized 28 re-employment centers, organized government-authorized re-employment skill training for more than 5,000 women and regular skill training for more than 120,000 women. Tianjin’s hand-knitting industry now has more than 70,000 employed workers, and creates a processing and sales income of more than 400 million yuan. The majority of the members can now receive orders on their own, and realized their individual development. Besides the five traditional techniques of knitting, weaving, crochet, sawing and embroidery, many techniques from other handicrafts, such as sculpture, straw art work, patchwork, sand painting and lacquer painting, have also been adopted; and products now covers more than one hundred categories including clothing and clothing accessories, shoes and hats, paper-cuts, Chinese knots and cross-stitches. Some member companies have registered their own brand and patent abroad, and export destinations now extend to more than 30 countries and regions including the USA, Italy, France, South Korea and Japan.

In the recent years, the Knitting Industry Association has sponsored events like Tianjin Women Knitting Contest, “Knitting and Life” Symposium, “I Love Olympics” On-line Knitting Contest, and Hand-knitting Product Exhibition, set up China’s first hand-knitting professional portal site “China Tianjin Hand-knitting Website”, and established a college student social practice base with universities and colleges. Through participation in communication events such as Guangdong Trade Exhibition, Tianjin Trade Fair, “Tianjin Culture Show” of Week of Tianjin in Italy, 2007 Tianjin culture promotion in South Korea, and the 6th “China Day in In-Cheon” Culture Festival hand-knitting exchange, Tianjin’s women hand-knitting is attracting the attention of the world, and hand-knitting has become an effective platform for female employment promotion as well as the citizens’ culture taste refinement. At the same time, hand-knitting, which has profoundly promoted women’s individual development, the development of traditional Chinese culture, and the construction of a harmonious society, has won the recognition and support from the whole society. Gu Xiulian, former NPC Standing Committee Vice Chairwoman and chair of the National Women’s Federation, expressed her expectation for the future development of Tianjin’s hand-knitting industry with her inscription “Together we weave our career, skillfully we knit our life”. Tianjin is looking forward to become northern China’s largest centre for hand-knitting industry in 5 years, which will then be able to employ 100,000 women.