China Feather and Down Industrial Association (CFDIA) recently defended China-produced down jackets following the buying spree of Canada Goose among Chinese citizens.

CFDIA Chairwoman Yao Xiaoman on Jan. 17 said that Canada Goose has set a good example for Chinese enterprises, but the domestic industry is not in a poor condition.

Canada Goose, a Canadian manufacturer of winter clothing with only $3 million annual revenue 12 years before, has transformed into a listed company with a market value of $9 billion, partially because of Chinese customers.

According to Yao, China is the world’s largest producer of feather and down, accounting for 70-80% of the global market share. In addition, it is also in a leading position in terms of feather and down manufacturing.

International Down and Feather Testing Laboratory and the Guangzhou Fibre Product Testing and Research Institute jointly conducted a test on 13 feather samples from China, France, Hungry, and Poland last August. The result may surprise you: the Chinese sample was the best quality.

In recent years, over 90% of domestically produced down jackets on the market meet high standards, Yao noted.

She attributed the high price of Canada Goose down jackets to its market position and Canada’s retail tradition. The brand never offers discounts in order to keep its image, Yao explained.

Compared with their Canadian competitors, Chinese manufacturers are not doing well in branding and marketing. “Domestic brands need to abandon price competition and focus on high-quality development,” Yao pointed out.

Currently, the domestic industry is still on a fundamental level, with a lack of power in general development, she said. To take the high-end market is not practical for Chinese manufacturers, but they can keep improving the quality to win more market share, the chairwoman suggested.