On Dongsheng Road in Keqiao's China Textile City, a street known for outdoor fabrics, a structural shift from low-value to high-premium products is underway. The dual-brand combination of Qiting and Haoli Textiles started with school uniform fabrics but now reaches into high-end menswear and light luxury fabrics priced between 100 and 600 yuan, reflecting the collective anxiety and breakout attempts of traditional fabric merchants in a cost-driven market.
Background
The starting point was modest. In 2013, Qiting opened in the East Market, focusing on basic school uniform fabrics, building customer trust through solid quality control. It was officially registered in 2014, when competition was manageable but margins were thin. The turning point came in 2018 as profits for conventional fabrics came under pressure. The brand launched a strategic transformation, developing functional outdoor fabrics on one front and founding Haoli Textiles to target high-end business menswear on the other. This decision signaled a departure from scale-first logic in favor of premium pricing in niche segments.
The formation of the Dongsheng Road specialized zone provided a physical platform for this shift. Qiting became one of the first tenants in Phase I of the outdoor functional fabric area, while Haoli opened an independent stall in Phase II. The two stores have clear positioning: Qiting addresses outdoor functional needs, and Haoli serves high-end menswear designers and brand buyers. General Manager Li Xiongzhen noted that Dongsheng Road attracts quality brands, e-commerce sellers, and designers who demand finer details, resulting in better order conversion. Essentially, this is an upgrade of industrial clustering—moving from selling cloth to selling solutions.
Industrial Impact
Haoli's differentiation lies in materials and craftsmanship. The entire line uses natural fibers such as wool, silk, and Lyocell, with colors derived from plant extraction rather than chemical dyeing, enhancing environmental credentials and justifying higher prices. The 100–600 yuan price range avoids low-end price wars and targets clients with strict requirements for fit and texture. For buyers, this changes the traditional price-comparison logic, shifting competition to supply chain responsiveness and customization capability.
On the supply chain side, Haoli shares a 15,000-square-meter warehouse and operates a dual model of ready stock and custom orders. Ready stock handles small urgent orders, while custom lead times range from 3 to 10 days depending on the category, with the fastest shipping within one hour thanks to complete inventory. Li Xiongzhen revealed that orders can be dispatched an hour after placement, underpinned by an integrated mill and digital management system. For factories, this model improves capital turnover but demands higher forecasting accuracy and production flexibility.
The introduction of digital tools further amplifies the differentiation. Haoli participated in the AI Cloth mini-program, digitizing core fabrics such as waffle, health knit, double-sided plain knit, mesh, air layer, and pique. When designers bring fabric swatches for matching, the system quickly identifies similar options, saving manual sorting and color card comparison. For overseas clients, digital matching improves accuracy and efficiency, making it an essential tool for serving high-end customers. The AI Cloth experience center on Dongsheng Road is about to enter trial operation, featuring smart body measurement, 3D virtual fitting, fabric visualization, and garment simulation, combining physical and virtual displays to support offline intelligent fabric search for designers and brand visitors.
Dual-brand synergy is another growth engine. The outdoor fabric line uses Italian napping machines to enhance capacity and pricing power; export channels target European and American markets, with fabrics meeting EU standard fluorine-free environmental requirements. Domestically, the company has worked with Qiaodun for 8–10 years and has built relationships with Xiaobeibei, Yingqi, Macedonia, and Xiaozhubanna, facilitating cross-referral to high-end menswear channels. Two years after the strategic transformation, brand performance has improved significantly, and order growth remains strong this year.