A machine-washable silk shirt, a numbered badge, and a bionic hand illustrate how Zhejiang's foreign trade has evolved over nearly 70 years, as the 140th China Import and Export Fair opened in Guangzhou on Oct 15.

More than 7,700 Zhejiang companies are participating in the event, also known as the Canton Fair.

Cathaya Group, which has attended every session since the fair began in 1957, has developed silk that retains its sheen after repeated machine washing. A shirt made with the fabric drew attention at a business symposium on Oct 14. The symposium brought together about 70 business representatives from nearly 30 countries and regions. An executive said the fair offers opportunities to present new products and gather international market feedback.

For Zhang Bin, chairman of Zhejiang Native Produce and Animal by-products Import and Export Group, a commemorative badge numbered 051 recalls decades in foreign trade. He first attended the fair in 1994. The provincial State-owned trader has expanded its supply chain into Myanmar, Bangladesh, and Cambodia. Its export business grew more than 20 percent year-on-year in the first three quarters of 2026.

Zhang said established traders could use their sales channels, compliance knowledge, and negotiating experience to help technology startups enter overseas markets.

BrainCo, which first exhibited in 2024, is presenting a new smart bionic ankle alongside hands that read neural signals. Founder and CEO Han Bicheng said contacts with rehabilitation institutions and feedback from overseas users help the company improve its products.