Suzhou No.1 Silk Factory
Suzhou No.1 Silk Factory (苏州市第一丝厂), established in 1926, is a significant entity within the Suzhou cultural investment system and plays a key role in the living legacy of China’s silk industry. The factory is undergoing a transformation project, expected to complete in 2026, which will blend its historical heritage with modern commercial, cultural, and digital art spaces, including a cultural creative park.
Key Information
Registered Capital: 32.64 million RMB
Legal Representative: Zhang Heng (截止2025年)
Employees: 23 (截止2025年)
Major Shareholder: Suzhou Cultural Industry Investment Center (苏州文化产业招商中心), holding 66.67% (from 2024)
Total Investment for Renovation: 500 million RMB
Renovation Area: 40,200 square meters (Nanmén Road 94, 南门路94号)
Expected Completion of Transformation: 2026
Historical Development
1926: The factory was founded, witnessing the development of China’s modern silk industry.
1981: The factory was officially registered, formerly known as “Suzhou No.1 Silk Factory” (苏州第一丝厂).
2020: Suzhou Silk Group and Suzhou Craft Silk Company became new shareholders.
2024: The factory completed a shareholding financing round, transitioning into a state-controlled enterprise.
Renovation Project Progress
Innovative Approval Process: In February 2025, the factory received multiple permits, including the construction and operation licenses, setting a record for the speed of approvals in the Gusu District (姑苏区) urban renewal project.
Project Overview:
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Retention of 5 historical buildings with a plan to use recycled old bricks for renovation.
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The total building area will exceed 50,000 square meters, including protected, expanded, and newly constructed areas.
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Creation of a Silk Culture Experience Pathway, restoring traditional silk-making processes such as boiling cocoons and reeling silk.
Business Layout:
Cultural and Performance Center: Featuring immersive stage designs and digital interactive installations.
Fashion Showroom: A key element of the renovation project.
Artist Residences: Creative studios for artists and innovators.
Business Transformation
Core Business Adjustments:
Retaining silk product manufacturing and processing as a core business.
Adding construction project surveying and design as a new line of business (from April 2024).
Expanding into cultural and entertainment agency services (from 2024).
Integration of Culture and Technology:
Digital Archives: Creating an industrial heritage digital archive using VR technology to recreate the traditional silk reeling workshop.
Digital Art Industry: Introducing digital art enterprises to form a “creative-production-exhibition” ecosystem.
Community Engagement:
The renovation will not only transform the physical space but also engage the surrounding community, fostering a cultural and creative park environment.
Policy and Legal Support
Policy Support:
Benefiting from Gusu District’s “Guidelines for Revitalizing and Utilizing Existing Buildings” (《促进存量建筑盘活利用指导意见》), providing targeted support for the project.
The renovation project has also overcome fire safety challenges for historical buildings through the “multi-permit issuance” approval model.
Legal Matters:
As of 2025, there have been 7 legal cases, primarily involving business contracts.
Administrative Licenses:
By February 2025, the project had received 14 associated permits, including for city green space transplantation and lighting facility relocation.
This renovation and transformation project represents not only a reimagining of the factory’s historic legacy but also an opportunity for Suzhou (苏州) to further establish itself as a center for cultural innovation, blending tradition with modernity.
