Yoga apparel makers in E China's Yiwu stretch to meet surging demand

A salesperson arranges yoga wear in a clothing store at Yiwu International Trade Market in Yiwu, east China's Zhejiang Province. (Photo/Qian Chenfei)

Yoga apparel manufacturers in Yiwu, east China's Zhejiang Province, are experiencing a significant increase in domestic and international orders.

The sales growth is attributed to the rising popularity of activities often favored by women, such as yoga, dance and boxing. As these warm-weather exercise trends take hold in spring, clothing factories are seeing a surge in demand for related apparel.

Yiwu, often described as "built on markets," is benefiting from these trends. The city's extensive trade network, encompassing 2.1 million product types and 230 countries and regions, has allowed it to quickly adapt to changing consumer preferences and capitalize on the global athleisure boom.

Between Jan. 1 and March 15 this year, sales of yoga pants and tops surged 13 percent and 10.5 percent, respectively, at Yiwu International Trade Market and Huangyuan Garment Market, compared to the same period last year, according to data from Yiwugo, an online platform for Yiwu International Trade Market.

Wang Xiaoyan, an executive of a clothing business operating at Yiwu International Trade Market, said her company had received many orders for yoga apparel at the start of this year. She added that her design team is currently adjusting styles to meet diverse customer requirements in hopes of securing more orders.

The company's yoga wear is mainly exported to European and American markets, according to Wang.