Yiwu, Zhejiang Province, has built wearable clothing into an industry benchmark with annual sales of over 10 billion yuan by leveraging intangible cultural heritage craftsmanship and cultural empowerment. In the first two months of 2025, the county's production of wearable clothing exceeded 30 million pairs, with sales reaching 3 billion yuan. More than half of them were exported to the markets of Europe, America, the Middle East and Japan. The high-end hand-painted styles incorporate Chinese elements such as blue and white porcelain, with their unit prices soaring from 2 US dollars to 50 US dollars. They are regarded by overseas consumers as "artworks on their fingertips". Cross-border e-commerce live-streaming rooms are bustling day and night, with orders piling up like mountains.
At present, nearly a hundred wearable clothing enterprises have gathered in the county, and it is expected that the annual sales will exceed 15 billion yuan. To regulate the industry, the Yiwu Wearable Accessories Association is taking the lead in formulating product standards, promoting the industry to shift from low-price competition to high-value-added tracks. The combination of intangible cultural heritage artisans and e-commerce innovation not only boosts local economies but also serves as a new carrier for cultural export, allowing Chinese design to shine in the global nail art market
