While Keqiao's fabric market is mired in homogenized price wars, a striking contrast emerges: the same merchant's school uniform fabrics and high-end menswear fabrics can differ in price by up to tenfold. The dual-brand strategy of Qiting and Haoli Textile is redefining profit models for regional fabric suppliers through differentiated tracks and digital tools.
Background
Qiting started in 2013 at the East Market, focusing on basic school uniform fabrics, building a solid reputation through strict quality control. By 2018, shrinking margins in conventional fabrics prompted a strategic pivot: developing functional outdoor fabrics while launching Haoli Textile to target high-end business menswear. Today, Qiting operates in Phase I of Dongsheng Road's outdoor functional fabric zone, while Haoli occupies Phase II, each serving distinct clientele.
This layout reflects deeper shifts in the industrial belt. Dongsheng Road attracts brand owners, e-commerce sellers, and designers who demand finer fabrics and offer higher conversion rates. For suppliers, this signals a leap from volume to value—a necessary move to escape low-end competition.
Industry Impact
Haoli's product strategy is highly targeted: using natural fibers like wool, silk, and lyocell, with colors derived from plant extraction rather than chemical dyes. This eco-positioning justifies premium pricing, with unit prices ranging from 100 to 600 yuan, precisely serving high-end menswear and designer brands while avoiding price wars. For buyers, this means fabric is not just a material but part of brand equity.
In supply chain, Haoli shares a 15,000-square-meter warehouse, adopting a dual model of stock and custom orders. Stock items handle small urgent orders, while custom orders take 3-10 days, with fastest delivery in one hour. This flexibility is critical in the high-end market—designers and brands often need quick sampling or replenishment, and response speed directly impacts partnership opportunities.
Digitalization is another lever. Haoli participates in the AI Cloth mini-program, digitizing core fabrics like waffle knit, health knit, double jersey, mesh, air layer, and pique. When designers bring sample swatches to find similar fabrics, the system can match instantly, replacing manual searching. For overseas clients, efficiency gains are even more pronounced. This means digitalization is not just a tool but a requisite for premium fabric service.
The upcoming AI Cloth experience center, equipped with smart body scanning, 3D virtual try-on, and fabric visual creation, will showcase physical and virtual samples. For downstream brands, this reduces sampling costs and speeds up decisions. For suppliers, it opens new channels to attract designers and brand visitors.
The synergy of dual brands is already visible in performance. The outdoor fabric line uses Italian imported raising machines, boosting capacity and bargaining power. Exports meet EU fluorine-free environmental standards, with domestic partnerships like Qiaodun lasting 8-10 years, plus clients like Xiaobeibei and Yingqi. These resources provide a strong endorsement for Haoli's high-end menswear channel expansion.
From an industry perspective, the upgrade path for Keqiao merchants is clear: not merely competing on volume, but building moats through brand segmentation, process innovation, and digital services. Plant dyes and natural fibers align with sustainable fashion trends, while AI tools solve efficiency bottlenecks in high-end customization.