China's winter sports equipment exports gain momentum

Photo shows titanium alloy speed skating blades. (People's Daily Overseas Edition/Guo Xiaolong)

As the Northern Hemisphere enters the peak winter sports season, China's ice and snow equipment exports are gaining momentum, with numerous products emerging as star performers in overseas markets.

Customs data show that since the second half of this year, Chinese exports of ice skates to Central and Eastern Europe and skiwear to North America have seen increases surpassing double digits.

At the World Winter Sports Expo 2025, a titanium alloy speed skating blade drew considerable attention from global buyers. The high-performance product from Qiqihar Heilong International Ice and Snow Equipment Co., Ltd. in northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, represents a breakthrough in domestic innovation, helping Chinese-made winter sports equipment shine on the world stage.

Founded in 1951, the company was originally designated as the country's official ice blade manufacturer and once ranked as the world's largest producer of ice sports equipment. Its products were sold to more than 20 countries and regions.

In 2012, the company refocused on research and development (R&D), determined to overcome bottlenecks in high-end competitive ice blades. "When we began our R&D preparations, the domestic high-end market was almost entirely monopolized by foreign brands," said Zheng Xiaojie, the company's technical director.

The company formed an industry-academia-research team with the University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing Sport University and other institutions to intensively develop titanium alloy blades. The resulting product surpassed international competitors in glide quality, strength and resilience while keeping costs under control.

Today, the company operates multiple innovation platforms, including a provincial-level technical center and an engineering technology research center, rolling out more than 10 new products annually. Its titanium alloy skating blades have gained popularity in overseas markets.

The company's journey from a state-owned factory to a private high-tech enterprise, and from a technology follower to a global innovator, illustrates the transformation and upgrading of China's winter sports equipment industry.

Lidakis Zhangjiakou Ice and Snow Equipment Technology Co., Ltd. in Zhangjiakou, north China's Hebei Province, developed a new type of ultra-light ski board this year.

Photo shows a snowboard decorated with a doll. (Photo courtesy of the interviewee)

"We replaced carbon fiber with Kevlar fiber, reducing weight from over 2.5 kilograms to about 1.8 kilograms while significantly improving surface durability and snow resistance," said Jin Huiyuan, chairman of Lidakis, in a livestream session.

"Our snowboard sales reach tens of thousands annually," Jin said. The company's snowboards and related products are exported to South Korea, Japan, Russia and other countries.

"Through scientific and technological innovation, we've broken foreign technical monopolies," Jin noted. The company also caters to domestic preferences and promotes Chinese culture by incorporating elements such as Peking Opera masks and ink wash painting into its designs. These "guochao," or "China-chic," snowboards have been warmly received by the market.

At the showroom of Shandong Jianhua Zhongxing Glove Co., Ltd. in Jiaxiang county, east China's Shandong Province, an Italian buyer praised the firm's latest lithium battery heated ski gloves.

This product not only leads the domestic market but is also exported to over 60 countries and regions, including the U.S., Canada and the European Union.

Lithium battery heated ski gloves with intelligent temperature control. (Photo courtesy of the interviewee)

"The lithium battery heated ski gloves are independently developed by our company," said Chen Xu, the company's general manager. The latest version achieves new breakthroughs in electromagnetic energy storage and extreme cold resistance while incorporating new insulation materials for improved energy efficiency and eco-friendliness.

Beyond core heating functionality, the gloves integrate multiple practical technologies. Windproof, waterproof and abrasion-resistant exterior fabric ensures protection in harsh weather conditions. Touchscreen-compatible fingertips allow skiers to operate smartphones and other devices without removing the gloves. Optimized battery technology guarantees extended operating time.

The company has mastered core technologies, including high-performance coatings and new material preparation, and works closely with universities such as Donghua University and the Beijing Institute of Fashion Technology. It has launched over 200 new technology products and secured more than 70 patents.

The product's successful overseas expansion relies on robust industrial support. Jiaxiang county is China's largest ski glove production base. With over 300 glove manufacturing and supporting enterprises, the county produces approximately 80 million pairs of gloves annually, generating an output value of 2.5 billion yuan ($356 million).

Over 80 percent of products at Xingda Tourism Products Co., Ltd. in Shenzhen town, Ninghai county, east China's Zhejiang Province, are exported overseas to the U.S., Canada, Japan and multiple European countries.

A foldable ski pole has become one of the company's star products, particularly popular among overseas consumers.

Photo shows collapsible ski poles. (Photo courtesy of the interviewee)

"Taking fixed-length, single-piece ski poles on trips is inconvenient, so we developed collapsible, retractable ski poles that can also adjust to different heights," said Liu Wen, the company's administrative manager.

The company has established its own R&D team and obtained 58 domestic patents covering inventions, utility models and designs, along with 19 foreign invention patents, becoming one of Ninghai county's patent demonstration enterprises.

Shenzhen town, known as "China's sports pole hub," is home to 34 enterprises that produce sports poles — primarily ski poles, trekking poles and hiking poles — as well as mountaineering and outdoor leisure products. Over 90 percent of their output is exported, capturing about 60 percent of the global market. The town has built an industry with an annual output nearing 1 billion yuan.

Since the beginning of this year, skiwear exports of a company in southeast China's Fujian Province have already exceeded 7 million yuan, according to company head Lin Xinyi.

Skiwear featuring advanced technical fabrics for enhanced performance. (Photo courtesy of the interviewee)

"Today's skiwear requires advanced technical fabrics that deliver superior waterproofing, breathability and insulation. Thanks to our scientific and technological innovation and attention to quality details, customers have continuously placed additional orders and requested new styles in recent years, with exports growing steadily," Lin said.

Currently, with mature production processes and enhanced capacity, the company can produce approximately 3,000 ski jackets per week during peak periods.

Data show that in the first 11 months of this year, Fujian's ski equipment exports reached 205 million yuan, up 50.6 percent year on year. Its skiwear exports totaled 77.31 million yuan, an increase of 30.6 percent from the same period last year.