The down jackets displayed on the official websites of Orolay. (Photo: Courtesy of Orolay official website)

At a time when wealthy shoppers are going for premium winter coat brands such as Canada Goose and Moncler, nobody thought that a Chinese producer of puffer jackets would become a massive hit on the US market.

Orolay, a brand that bases its design and production in Jiaxing, eastern China’s Zhejiang province, is now a big name in the US. Their $139.99 jacket has topped the bestseller charts for nearly two years.

The price of an Orolay jacket is only around 10 percent of a premium brand jacket, but this is not the company’s only advantage.

The down jackets displayed on the official websites of Orolay. (Photo: Courtesy of Orolay official website)  

In the US, a soft, light and warm down jacket is what women want. Qiu Jiawei, founder of the company, introduced that 90 percent of the filling of this seemingly unimpressive jacket is high-quality duck down, which is both puffy and warm.

A jacket and a base shirt would be enough to go out in temperatures of minus 32 degrees Celsius, he said.

Qiu attributed Orolay’s success to brand awareness and the company's quick response. When the company saw the increasing demand, it was able to offer products in more sizes and colors. It showcased the opportunities shared by Chinese manufacturers in the fashion world.

Apart from the price and design, Orolay’s success in the US is also a result of its cooperation with Amazon. Since 2012, fashion clothing has become a significant sector that the world’s largest online retailer promotes.

The down jackets displayed on the official websites of Orolay. (Photo: Courtesy of Orolay official website)

According to an estimation from Morgan Stanley, Amazon accounted for 7 percent of the garment market, and the figure would increase to 19 percent before 2020.

Moreover, Orolay also benefited from social media platforms. A survey carried out by Mintel last September indicated that 56 percent of US women aged between 18 and 34 looked to buy Orolay products after seeing relevant information on social media.

However, Orolay has no plans to test the waters in China and will continue to focus on the US market for the time being, as the company is still prioritizing research and design at present, said Qiu.

Insiders noted that what Chinese manufacturers lack was not technique or channel, but the determination to change the status quo and build their own brands.

Orolay’s success indicates global recognition of Chinese products, and it’s time for those Chinese manufacturers with techniques and factories to move from “made in China” to “created in China”.