Price wars have long plagued Keqiao's fabric market, yet Haoli Textile, a merchant in the Dongsheng Road zone, has drawn a clear line with price points ranging from 100 to 600 yuan. This range is several times that of ordinary school uniform fabrics, and it is supported not by scarce resources but by a decade-old supply chain capability honed from school uniform production.
Transformation Logic
Qiting brand was officially registered in 2014, initially focusing on school uniform base fabrics at the East Market, building a stable customer base through quality control. In 2018, as competition intensified and margins on conventional fabrics shrank, the brand made a pivotal decision: to develop functional outdoor fabrics while establishing Haoli Textile as an independent operation for premium menswear fabrics. This dual-track strategy essentially uses mass-market scale to amortize supply chain costs, then leverages premium pricing to reinvest in quality.
For buyers, this model means more stable supply assurance. Haoli shares a 15,000-square-meter warehouse, with stock available for small urgent orders and custom order cycles of 3-10 days, with fastest delivery in one hour. This response speed is uncommon in the premium fabric segment, directly reducing brand inventory pressure and sampling wait times.
Plant Dyeing and Digitalization
Haoli uses natural fibers such as wool, silk, and lyocell, with colors derived from plant extraction, avoiding chemical dyes. This eco-friendly approach aligns with European fluorine-free standards, easing export compliance. However, plant dyeing poses challenges in color fastness and batch consistency, which tests supply chain management capabilities.
Digital tools are becoming standard for premium fabric services. Haoli has digitized core fabrics like waffle knit, air layer, and pique into an AI fabric mini-program. When designers bring sample swatches, the system can match identical or similar fabrics with one click. Previously, manual comparison of swatches and color cards was inefficient, and remote communication with overseas clients was time-consuming. Now, matching accuracy has improved, saving labor and better serving high-end clients with strict requirements for drape and texture.
The AI fabric experience hall at Dongsheng Road is about to start trial operations, featuring smart body measurement, 3D virtual try-on, and fabric visualization. The offline hall, combined with online digitalization, can meet designers' immersive fabric sourcing needs—potentially a new gateway for fabric transactions.
Dual-Brand Synergy
Haoli did not start from scratch; it shares Qiting's mature supply chain. The outdoor fabric line includes Italian imported napping machines, enhancing capacity and bargaining power. Export channels target Europe and America, with clients including Qiaodun (8-10 years), Xiaobeibei, and Xiaozhubanna. The dual brands feed each other—Qiting's outdoor clients may convert to Haoli's premium menswear orders, and vice versa.
Two years into the transformation, synergies are evident. According to industry public data, overall performance improved last year, and order growth remains strong this year. The lesson for Keqiao merchants is that moving upmarket does not require starting over; it is about differentiated upgrading based on existing strengths.