Skiing with Style: How Jiaxiang County's glove industry redefines global manufacturing through innovation and tradition
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A small town is making a big impact on the global stage through gloves. Jiaxiang County in Jining, Shandong Province, is known as "China's Glove Capital". It has revolutionized glove manufacturing, blending tradition with cutting-edge technology to produce nearly 80% of China's ski glove exports. Ning Hong takes you inside this thriving industrial hub. 

Jiaxiang County's glove industry began in the 1990s as small family workshops. Over three decades, it has grown into a fully integrated industrial cluster encompassing R&D, production, and sales.

CHEN JIANHUA, President of the Glove Division, China Knitting Industry Association "Jiaxiang is the largest glove production base in the country. Ski glove exports account for more than 76% of the national total, with the main export markets being Europe, North America, Japan, and South Korea."

To meet the rising demand for high-quality designs from international clients, Jiaxiang's glove makers have adopted 3D technology, dramatically reducing the time and cost of R&D. 

CHEN XU, Deputy General Manager of Shandong Jianhua Zhongxing Glove Co., Ltd. "The traditional glove development cycle took 2–3 months due to the distance from international clients. Sample production and shipping incurred high costs. With 3D design, clients can view samples from all angles and provide immediate feedback, reducing the cycle to just 2–3 weeks."

Jiaxiang's success is supported by its industrial parks. These parks house not only glove manufacturers but also accessory suppliers, creating a comprehensive industrial ecosystem. 

CHEN FENGLIANG, General Manager of Shandong New Highland Innovation Smart Industrial Park "Our industrial parks house not only production companies but also suppliers of accessories, fabrics, and equipment, ensuring seamless integration across the supply chain. This setup allows businesses to complete production faster while reducing operational costs."

NING HONG, Jiaxiang County, Jining City, Shandong Province "If you are a fan of skiing, and while you are enjoying the sport, you are all supporting the development of this small town making ski gloves. And you could find almost all the best ski gloves in this place. Making of glove like this could create 20 jobs. And overall, there are about 400 companies in this small town."

The industry not only drives economic growth but also provides stable employment for over 100,000 residents. 

CHEN JIANHUA, President of the Glove Division, China Knitting Industry Association "Currently, glove production cannot be fully automated, which provides a large number of jobs for ordinary people, especially middle-aged women. This allows them to balance work and family, adding a human touch to industrial development."

Jiaxiang's glove industry has also built strong partnerships. One Canadian client has maintained a 20-year relationship with Jiaxiang's enterprise, spanning two generations and becoming a model of international cooperation.

Today, Jiaxiang boasts about 400 glove enterprises and 1,500 processing households, producing 80 million pairs of gloves annually. Digital transformation has further elevated Jiaxiang's global standing. The e-commerce livestreaming base in Jiaxiang has become a national hub, with 60 livestreaming studios generating sales of over 600,000 items daily. Ning Hong, CGTN, Shandong Province.