|

Models present autumn-winter collections during a fashion show in Haining, Zhejiang province. [Photo/Tide News]

Despite ongoing summer heat, Haining in East China's Zhejiang province has already entered its peak autumn-winter season for leather and home textile markets, with steady foot traffic and an influx of buyers. In the first seven months, the combined transaction volume at the two markets grew more than 26 percent year-on-year.

At the 33rd China Haining Leather Fair in July, transactions rose 14.4 percent to 420 million yuan ($61.93 million), with exhibitors debuting 18,000 new products and attracting 34,500 buyers. The expo introduced zones for high-end down garments and original designs, signaling a shift from fur hub to full-category fashion destination.

The 35th Haining China Home Textile Fair in August experienced a 22.1 percent increase in first-day visitors, covering 250,000 square meters with more than 2,500 factories. Functional fabrics and AI design tools drew strong interest. One exhibitor's quantum-dot nanomaterial fabric offered antibacterial properties that remain effective after washing.

Both markets are diversifying their offerings. Haining China Leather City opened a new energy vehicle showroom and resumed a pilot trade model, with foreign exports totaling $267 million this year. Haining China Home Textile Market is rolling out AI pattern design through a "Digital Textile City" system. More than 200 fabric companies recently appeared at the Intertextile Shanghai Home Textiles, securing orders from Dubai and other markets. Both markets are repositioning around original design, functional innovation, and global outreach.