One in every four swimwear pieces worldwide comes from Xingcheng, a county-level city in Liaoning with an annual output of 200 million pieces, an output value exceeding 15 billion yuan, over 5,700 registered entities, and 160,000 workers. Yet, behind this scale, Xingcheng's swimwear industry has long relied on OEM, suffering from thin margins, weak pricing power, and a lack of brand recognition. On July 13, 2026, the "Xingcheng Swimwear" figurative collective trademark was approved by the China National Intellectual Property Administration, becoming the first collective trademark in Liaoning's textile and apparel sector. This milestone is widely regarded as a pivotal shift from capacity-driven to brand-driven growth for the regional industry.
Background
The collective trademark is held by the Xingcheng Swimwear Industry Association, with registration number 88537191, covering Class 25 goods including swimsuits, swim trunks, swim caps, bikinis, and beachwear. The logo features a mermaid as the core element, integrated with waves and wings, using warm pink and cool blue tones to highlight its marine heritage and international vision. The registration process took three years, involving public solicitation, scheme refinement, and review, finally taking effect on July 14, 2026, valid until 2036.
Notably, this trademark is not merely a label; it is accompanied by the "Xingcheng Swimwear Collective Standard." The association has made clear that enterprises failing to meet the standard are not allowed to use the collective trademark. This means the trademark serves as a quality threshold, not just a geographic indicator. For buyers, this mechanism could reduce inspection and quality control costs; for factories, it implies higher compliance and production costs.
Industry Impact
From an industrial cluster perspective, the collective trademark will accelerate the restructuring of Xingcheng's swimwear supply chain. Previously, enterprises competed on low prices, blurring the regional brand image. With a unified trademark, the association will lead brand promotion and integrate supply chain resources, potentially creating regional premium. International examples like Cannes and Milan show that collective trademarks effectively enhance market recognition and added value. Whether Xingcheng can replicate this success depends on strict standard enforcement and member participation.
For exporters, the collective trademark is a "passport" for cross-border expansion. Xingcheng swimwear has a high export ratio but has long been OEM. The trademark provides quality endorsement for overseas clients, helping enterprises shift from OEM to branded sales. However, the trademark alone does not bring orders; companies still need to invest in R&D and channel building. The association must avoid a "registration-heavy, operation-light" approach to prevent the trademark from becoming a mere ornament.
On a broader level, this event reflects a common transformation trend among Chinese textile clusters: shifting from scale expansion to quality and efficiency. According to the National Bureau of Statistics, China's apparel exports saw volume growth but value decline in 2025, indicating that relying solely on output is unsustainable. Xingcheng's choice offers a replicable model for other clusters—leveraging collective trademarks to integrate regional resources, using standards to force upgrades, and building brands to increase added value.