Couple finds decision to return home rewarding

Hu Chunqing feels that instead of remaining in a city, he made the right decision five years ago to return to his hometown in Shandong province to develop performance costumes and hanfu — traditional Chinese clothing.

The 37-year-old studied materials science at the Chinese Academy of Sciences' Institute of Metal Research and at Dalian University of Technology before returning to Daiji, his hometown in Caoxian county.

Hu and his wife started a business in the town selling performance costumes and hanfu.

He faced pressure from his family members, who thought that instead of returning home he should stay in a city to work.

To stop his parents complaining, Hu lied to his family by saying he had not completed his studies for a doctorate. He also vowed to work hard to prove that he could make a decent living by running a business in a rural area.

His dedication attracted the attention of the local government, which provided vital support for him by finding funding and a factory space.

Hu and his wife expanded their business, and in 2019, their sales team achieved revenue of more than 12 million yuan ($1.66 million).

The following year, the COVID-19 pandemic brought unforeseen challenges to the couple. Due to the restrictions imposed, many performances were canceled, resulting in a significant drop in demand for their costumes.

As a result, Hu considered producing hanfu.

"Previously, we mainly sold performance costumes, with hanfu only accounting for a small proportion of our sales," he said.

Through big data analysis, he realized that hanfu had considerable market potential, so the couple decided to switch production.

They worked hard to learn about hanfu culture, craftsmanship and styles by visiting museums and studying numerous books.

In the following two years, even though they didn't make much money due to the pandemic, they accumulated knowledge about hanfu, laying a solid foundation for the design and production of such clothing.

With the local government actively supporting development of the hanfu industry by offering financial and policy support, the hanfu industry has developed rapidly in Daiji in the past year.

However, hanfu products in the town were thought by some to have poor quality, with the design ideas drawing accusations of plagiarism.

"The local hanfu industry also faced challenges due to a lack of outstanding brands and leading enterprises," Hu said.

To develop a widely known brand, he started to focus on original designs, taking a lead by establishing a studio in Daiji. He also founded a hanfu association last year.

"Through the association, I hope more young people will join us to develop a high-quality hanfu industry," Hu said.

Some 70 percent of the association's 200-plus members are about 25 years old. These young people play a crucial role in original hanfu design.

Encouraged by Hu, more companies in the town are focusing on design and brand building. Of the more than 2,000 hanfu production companies in Daiji, over 1,000 have a design department.

As 90 percent of hanfu outfits made in the town are sold via e-commerce platforms, Hu is working to develop offline stores to spread hanfu culture and give people the opportunity to experience this type of clothing.

"In the future, I hope we can establish offline stores across the country," he said.