China's textile hub Gaoyang sees thriving e-commerce

Known as "the hub of textile production in China", Gaoyang county in Baoding city, north China's Hebei Province has emerged as a powerhouse of e-commerce in recent years.

Gaoyang is now home to four Taobao townships and towns, over 1,000 e-commerce companies, and more than 10,000 e-commerce stores. A Taobao township or town refers to a township, town, or sub-district with at least three Taobao villages, which are rural e-commerce hubs that feature Alibaba's logistics, service and training.

A livestreamer sells towel coverlets via a livestream session in Gaoyang county, Baoding city, north China's Hebei Province. (Photo/Li Taiyuan)

According to official data, the number of parcels delivered surged 51.12 percent year on year in 2023 to about 254.84 million, ranking first in Baoding city and second in Hebei Province. In the first seven months of 2024, Gaoyang delivered 190 million parcels, up 43.39 percent from the same period last year.

Gaoyang's triumph in the e-commerce arena is built on the solid foundation of its textile industry. With a long history of developing the textile industry, a complete textile industrial chain, and a number of standout companies like Sanli Group, Gaoyang was primed for digital success.

A visit to Sanli towel factory's e-commerce warehouse reveals a well-oiled machine in action. The implementation of smart sorting systems has significantly improved efficiency.

Workers work at the e-commerce warehouse of Sanli towel factory in Gaoyang county, Baoding city, north China's Hebei Province. (Photo/Xie Yiguan)

"We now send 20,000 to 30,000 orders daily on average, and the number soars during peak seasons," said Niu Jinjun, head of the planning and dispatching center of Sanli towel factory.

The towel factory is the epitome of the rapid development of e-commerce in Gaoyang. So far, over 2,000 companies in Gaoyang have advertised products via livestream sessions on e-commerce platforms, and the county's annual online transaction volume in the textile industry has reached 5 billion yuan ($704.13 million).

But Gaoyang's success isn't limited to domestic sales of textile products. The county has long been a player in international trade, recognized as a provincial-level demonstration base for the transformation of foreign trade in 2010.

Workers work at a textile company in Gaoyang county, Baoding city, north China's Hebei Province. (Photo/Xie Yiguan)

In the first quarter of this year, Gaoyang's exports of textile raw materials and products reached 481 million yuan, accounting for 93 percent of its total exports.

To expand overseas sales channels, Gaoyang county is actively organizing enterprises to participate in exhibitions, which not only enhances the reputation and influence of Gaoyang's textile industry, but also inspires enterprises to improve product quality and produce diversified products.

Liu Hong, head of the Gaoyang e-commerce association, suggested improving design and research capabilities, adopting differentiated strategies, and developing cross-border e-commerce to help companies in the textile industry become more competitive.