GUANGZHOU, Oct. 28 (Xinhua) — Stainless steel has long endured a rather understated existence. It can be found in kitchen sinks, saucepans and rubbish bins, having proved durable and practical but unglamorous. At the 140th China Import and Export Fair in Guangzhou in south China’s Guangdong Province, however, a Chinese jewelry maker is giving this metal a different purpose.
Its display of gold-toned, silver-colored and brightly hued ornaments has drawn crowds of overseas buyers at this fair, which is also known as the Canton Fair. These pieces look like fine jewelry, but most are made of stainless steel, offering a polished finish without the price tag of precious metals.
For consumers, the proposition is timely, with gold and silver prices soaring globally. “Some jewelry customers are turning to new product lines,” said Chen Danping, deputy general manager of Guangzhou-based Justop Jewelry.
Stainless steel ornaments, Chen explained, combine jewelry-making techniques and appearance with the cost advantage of a much cheaper material.
For Jacob Ruiz Palomo, a buyer from Spain, the appeal is straightforward: the jewelry pulls off a commercial trick, making an inexpensive material look anything but cheap. “Its competitive prices need not come at the expense of good design,” Palomo noted.
This trick points to a broader change in Chinese manufacturing. For decades, China’s exporters built their strength on scale, speed and cost. These advantages still matter today, but many manufacturers are aiming higher and trying to win the competition via smarter technologies and better designs.
The Canton Fair, China’s vast twice-yearly trading floor, offers a snapshot of this transition. Serving as a barometer and wind vane of China’s foreign trade, this year’s fair, marking its 70th anniversary, has brought together products that seek to compete not only on function and price, but also on intelligence, appearance and design.
The fair’s 2026 design innovation award, known as the CF Award, offers a glimpse of where Chinese manufacturing design is heading. This year, 222 products from 174 companies made the cut, with AI-powered products accounting for 32 percent of entries and green, low-carbon products for 44 percent. The top award winners included the ZXMOTO 820RR motorcycle and an intelligent capsule robot for gastric endoscopy.
Yet the value of design is not confined to high-end products. It can also transform the most ordinary household items, making them more functional and distinctive.
At the stand of Guangdong-based brand EKO, a range of stainless-steel rubbish bins showed how thoughtful design can elevate an everyday household item. One model, equipped with an automatic sensor, caught the attention of many buyers.
“The company pays attention to details as small as the angle of a corner and the curve of a lid,” said Pan Libin, a representative.
“Thoughtful design can expand a product’s uses,” Pan added. “A rubbish bin can fit into different settings, from living rooms and kitchens to bathrooms and bedrooms. We can tailor designs to different needs in terms of size, shape, color and available space.”
EKO began as an original-equipment manufacturer, making products for other companies. In 2007, it started developing its own brand, betting that design could give it a more distinctive place in the market. One of its products became a Red Dot winner this year, adding international recognition to its effort.
For other Chinese companies, drawing on domestic cultural heritage is another way to differentiate a product.
Zhu Bingren copper art, based in Hangzhou in east China’s Zhejiang Province, is a business featuring craftsmanship spanning multiple generations, and has drawn strong interest from overseas buyers at this year’s fair. The business incorporates copper carving techniques, recognized as part of China’s national intangible cultural heritage, into products ranging from home ornaments to tea sets, thus transforming centuries-old craftsmanship into contemporary designs for global consumers.
“Foreign customers are showing particular interest in traditional Chinese elements,” said Gu Dawei, the company’s sales manager. “While staying true to our cultural roots, we also pay close attention to the needs and preferences of different markets so that our products can better appeal to consumers around the world.”
More than 700 samples brought to the fair have been snapped up by buyers, according to the company.
Industry insiders said the increased presence of Chinese design in consumer products worldwide is underpinned by the strengths of China’s manufacturing ecosystem. Its comprehensive industrial chains allow creative ideas to be turned into tangible products quickly, while efficient supply chains enable manufacturers to respond swiftly to changing market demands.
Michael Schjerbeck Jensen, general manager of F&H Asia, told Xinhua that the Danish group’s joint product development with Chinese partners has repeatedly turned ideas into reality. In an uncertain world, Jensen said, China’s comprehensive, stable and efficient supply chains offer a particularly valuable source of certainty.
“The growing international reach of Chinese design is increasingly evident,” said Luo Weiyu, business director of 3&1 Industrial Design. “Backed by China’s complete industrial chains, domestic designers can also update their concepts and bring new products to market quickly, making them more responsive to consumer demand. More buyers from countries including Italy and Japan are now seeking partnerships with Chinese designers.” ■
المصدر: english.news.cn
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