Caoxian county in Shandong, once known for stage costumes, has transformed into a national hub for hanfu, or traditional Chinese attire, now accounting for about half of China's e-commerce hanfu market.

The secret to its success lies in a powerful "two-way empowerment" partnership. Caoxian hanfu spotlighted at a recent e-commerce supply chain matchmaking event co-organized by Shandong and Zhejiang provinces. Businesses from Caoxian and tech e-commerce companies from Zhejiang found perfect synergy.

"Our county has a rich hanfu culture, and Zhejiang provides us with advanced technology," said Hu Chunqing, a hanfu entrepreneur from the county, summarizing the collaborative spirit.

The county's strength lies in its dedication to historically accurate designs from the Tang (618–907), Song (960–1279), and Ming (1368–1644) dynasties. Zhejiang's partners bring advanced digital tools to the table, applying artificial intelligence to handle customer service and using virtual influencers for livestream sales – technologies that are new to Caoxian's primarily human-operated operations.

A presentation of Caoxian's Tang, Song, and Ming dynasties-style hanfu. [Photo/Dazhong Daily]

This fusion is more than business – it's a cultural export. By combining authentic craftsmanship with modern sales and marketing, this partnership is turning hanfu into a global lifestyle brand, showing Chinese heritage to the world through a contemporary lens.