In the first seven months of 2026, Haining Leather City organized enterprises to participate in seven international exhibitions, spanning from Russia to Brazil, from South Korea to Egypt. This is not merely a series of trade shows but a microcosm of a professional market transforming into a global supply chain hub.
Strategic Layout for Integrated Domestic and Foreign Trade
The '1513' strategy launched by Haining Leather City aims to build a network that integrates domestic and foreign trade. Specifically, one China port hub center is set in Urumqi, leveraging its geographic advantage of connecting five countries through eight ports, scheduled to open in September 2026. Five overseas exhibition centers have been established in Russia, the UAE, South Korea, Egypt, and Brazil. Additionally, overseas warehouses are being set up in countries with populations over 100 million, with operations already started in South Korea, Brazil, and Egypt. The logic behind this layout is to directly connect Haining's advantageous categories such as fur, leather and down jackets with overseas buyers, reducing intermediate costs.
Data shows that during the February participation in the Russian International Garment Brand Exhibition, enterprises signed orders on the spot and continued to receive inquiries afterward, indicating that overseas demand for Haining products is not accidental. Exhibitions in March (Hong Kong International Fur and Fashion Fair), May (Pyongyang Spring International Commodity Fair), and July (London International Fashion and Textile Exhibition) all validated the international competitiveness of Haining's products. Notably, buyers came from over ten countries including Russia, Brazil, South Korea, and Azerbaijan, covering both emerging and developed markets, suggesting that Haining's overseas expansion is not dependent on a single region.
From 'Sitting Merchant' to 'Traveling Merchant': Reshaping the Industrial Ecosystem
Haining Leather City's role is undergoing a fundamental shift. Previously, the market relied mainly on stall rentals, with merchants passively waiting for customers. Now, through the 'Chao Lai' industrial service platform, the leather city provides small and micro enterprises with one-stop services from filing, customs declaration to settlement, enabling them to participate in cross-border trade with 'zero barriers'. This service-oriented transformation effectively reduces transaction costs for the entire industrial belt.
A deeper change is reflected in the 'Four Complexes' construction plan. The four directions—foreign trade service complex, tourism-shopping-entertainment complex, full-category apparel complex, and vertically integrated industrial chain complex—elevate the market from a single trading venue to an ecosystem integrating consumption, experience, and production. The renovation of Building A, the upgrade of the DFUR luxury center, and the construction of the waterfront district are all specific implementations of this strategy. For buyers, this means that Haining is no longer just a wholesale base for autumn and winter fashion, but a fashion industry node capable of completing the entire process of selection, ordering, logistics, and finance.
Impact on the Upstream and Downstream of the Industry Chain
Haining's overseas expansion strategy directly affects both upstream suppliers and downstream buyers. For fabric and accessory suppliers, the growth in overseas orders means more stable demand expectations. For garment factories, the establishment of overseas warehouses and exhibition centers shortens delivery cycles and reduces inventory risk. Meanwhile, the market's shift from 'landlord' to 'service provider' means that merchants can access more value-added services such as cross-border logistics, financial support, and brand promotion, helping to increase the value added of the entire industrial belt.
It is worth noting that Haining Leather City is not limited to the leather category. Through the full-category apparel complex, the market is introducing more autumn and winter fashion categories, including down jackets and coats, effectively expanding the boundaries of the industrial belt. For foreign trade enterprises, this means they can leverage Haining's overseas channels to sell non-leather products, achieving category diversification.
Practical Recommendations
For Buyers - Monitor Haining Leather City's overseas warehouse network: Warehouses in Sao Paulo (Brazil), South Korea, and Egypt are operational, allowing direct pickup from local warehouses and shortening delivery cycles. - Utilize the one-stop service of the 'Chao Lai' platform: From selection to customs clearance, the platform provides full-process support, ideal for small and medium-sized buyers to lower cross-border procurement barriers. - Attend the annual Haining Leather Fashion Fair in July: This is the best time to access Haining's supply chain intensively, connecting with design, production, and logistics resources simultaneously.
For Foreign Trade Enterprises - Prioritize collaboration with Haining Leather City's overseas exhibition centers: Leverage existing channels to enter markets like Russia, Brazil, and South Korea, reducing risks associated with self-built channels. - Focus on the hub function of Xinjiang Haining Leather City: After its opening in September, it will provide direct access to Central Asian markets via the Urumqi port, suitable for exports targeting Central Asia. - Partner with the 'Chao Lai' platform: The platform offers one-stop services for filing, customs declaration, and settlement, significantly lowering compliance costs for SMEs, especially those entering overseas markets for the first time.
Haining Leather City's transformation is essentially an evolution from a professional market to an industrial service platform. When the story of 'one skin' expands into a narrative of 'global fashion', it reflects a re-understanding of market logic by the industrial belt—no longer a simple buy-sell relationship, but a restructuring of the entire value chain through servitization, internationalization, and ecosystem building. For the industry, this may serve as a case worth observing: how traditional professional markets find new coordinates in the wave of integrated domestic and foreign trade.