• From Rural Workshops to an International Standard Industry Leap | Aug. 2025
[Core Data at a Glance]
Chinese traditional culture, once preserved in small rural workshops, has now stepped confidently onto the global stage. According to a 2025 UNESCO report, the export value of traditional Chinese craft-based Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) products has grown by an astonishing 217% over the past five years.
Among the leaders of this cultural wave are Zigong lanterns, which dominate the international market with a remarkable 92% share and overseas revenues surpassing $50 million in the first half of 2025 alone.
The momentum extends beyond lanterns. In 2024, five major brands under the LVMH group, including Dior and Fendi, purchased Chinese ICH-element products worth 230 million euros, underscoring the global appetite for authentic craftsmanship.
At the same time, Gen Z consumers are fueling this growth in unexpected ways. On TikTok, videos under the hashtag #Chinesecraft have amassed more than 1.8 billion views, driving a 340% surge in cross-border e-commerce sales of ICH products.
A collection of lanterns from Zigong, Sichuan, is crossing the Pacific, destined for Houston, USA, where locals have dubbed them “the Disney of the East.” They are set to be a major highlight at the Houston “Winter Wonderland Lantern Festival” in November.
At the China Pavilion of the Osaka World Expo in Japan, “Xiangyunsha” Hanfu from Cao County, Shandong, is emitting a subtle floral fragrance. Meanwhile, silver jewelry and embroidery from the Miao ethnic group in Guizhou are sparkling on the catwalk, and oil-paper umbrellas from Xiangtan Shigu are showcasing Oriental aesthetics under the lights.
Far away in a rural village in Bobai, Guangxi, a hundred weaving aunties are rushing to complete a 2 million yuan rattan weaving order for the French luxury brand Dior. When ICH meets global commerce, a dual revolution of cultural and economic value is unfolding.
I. Global Bloom: Expansion of the ICH Commercial Landscape
1.1 The Global Dominance of Zigong Lanterns
In the heart of Sichuan, artisans at the Zigong FOREST PAINTING LANTERN Factory are working tirelessly to meet rising international demand. Lantern sets are being prepared for destinations including the UK, USA, and Germany.
With more than 1,000 lantern enterprises operating in Zigong, the city has secured an extraordinary 92% share of the global lantern market. Exhibitions featuring Zigong lanterns have now been held in more than 80 countries and regions.
In 2024 alone, Zigong lantern makers implemented 104 overseas projects, generating cultural exports worth more than $77 million. The pace accelerated in 2025, with 51 new overseas projects launched in just the first half of the year. No other lantern-producing region in the world comes close to matching Zigong’s scale or reach.
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1.2 The “Invisible Champions” of the ICH Industry
Far from the big cities, the quiet county of Bobai in Guangxi is seeing its centuries-old craft of rattan weaving create astonishing new economic value. In 2024, Bobai’s weaving and craft industry crossed the 4 billion yuan threshold in total output, with exports reaching more than 40 countries and regions.
At the center of this success is Huangtu Handicraft Company, led by ICH inheritor Huang Lian. Under her leadership, rattan baskets and other handmade items have reached over 60 countries, with annual output values in the tens of millions of yuan. This transformation from local workshops to global commerce highlights how ICH can grow into a powerful economic force.
1.3 Breakthroughs in the International High-End Market
Chinese crafts are no longer confined to traditional uses; they are entering the high-end global market. Dior commissioned a desert-themed art installation made from Bobai rattan weaving, while Italian luxury house MARNI incorporated Miao embroidery into its haute couture collection.
These collaborations demonstrate how ICH has become a sought-after identity marker in the luxury sector, raising its cultural and commercial value worldwide.
This trend is clear across several brands:
| Brand | ICH Element | Commercial Breakthrough | Technology Empowerment |
| DIOR | Bobai Rattan Art Installation | 170% increase in foot traffic at Paris flagship store | Nano-coating anti-mildew technology |
| GUCCI | Miao Silver Jewelry and Embroidery | 300% premium on the cloud-pattern handbag series | Blockchain to trace 13 production steps |
| MARNI | Dong ethnic bright cloth craftsmanship | 200% increase in orders at Milan Fashion Week | Thermostatic plant dyeing technology |
| IKEA | Xiangtan oil-paper umbrella structure | 8-week global pre-order waiting period | Patented folding support for 10kg items |
Industry reports reinforce this picture. A 2025 study by the Italian Luxury Goods Association found that Chinese ICH elements in products generate gross profit margins 35–50 percentage points higher than standard lines, proving that cultural heritage is now a core competitive advantage in global business.
II. The Innovation Code: The Path for ICH to Break into the Global Market
2.1 Technological Empowerment of Traditional Crafts
In Shandong’s Cao County, Hanfu producers are blending tradition with science. Their new “Xiangyunsha” fabric is designed to emit a natural floral fragrance for up to two years, breathing innovation into a centuries-old craft.
Similarly, the Changhua Light Festival has won five major international awards, including the London Design Awards and the Titan Innovation Design Awards, thanks to its use of cutting-edge digital light and shadow technology.
These examples show how the fusion of tradition and technology is shaping new cultural consumption experiences.
2.2 Localization of International IPs
Another path to success is a cultural mashup. The Zigong Lantern Group partnered with the globally recognized “Shaun the Sheep” IP, turning it into lantern artistry that delighted audiences at overseas festivals.
In Taiwan, the Changhua Light Festival combined the famous Baguashan Great Buddha with globally popular “emoji” symbols to create an “emoji wonderland” that crossed cultural boundaries and captured international imagination.
2.3 Creative Communication by Gen Z
The younger generation is adding new energy to ICH through fresh communication styles. Tsinghua University students created an English rap called Peng Qi, turning the production process of Fuzhou’s crab paste into a catchy melody. Within 12 hours of release, the video had more than 3,000 views, sparking excitement online.
Similarly, a post-2000s embroiderer documented the Miao embroidery process on TikTok, where one video reached 58 million views and drove $460,000 in sales to her independent shop.
Zigong Lanterns also tapped into gaming culture by collaborating with League of Legends to design virtual lantern characters, generating 2.7 million Twitter interactions and boosting merchandise sales by 40%.
III. Industry Pulse: From ICH Protection to an Economic Ecosystem
3.1 A Driving Engine for Rural Revitalization
ICH is proving to be a strong driver of rural development. In Bobai County, a “company + orders + households” model allows villagers to farm during peak agricultural seasons and weave baskets during the off-season, ensuring steady income.
For example, the women who fulfilled Dior’s rattan weaving order earned more than 200 yuan a day, proudly referring to themselves as “basket weavers.”
In Shandong’s Cao County, the Hanfu industry has also become an economic powerhouse. Sales in the first half of 2025 reached $8.46 billion, a 10.27% year-on-year increase, and now represent more than half of China’s total Hanfu market.
3.2 Industrial Cluster Effect
Zigong has formed a complete lantern industry ecosystem, covering the entire process from design and production to transportation and installation:
- Upstream: Suppliers of eco-friendly steel and LEDs
- Midstream: 3D modeling and structural engineering teams
- Downstream: International curatorial services and blockchain copyright management, with a dedicated “lantern commodity code” for customs green channels that compresses clearance time from 7 days to 24 hours
The local government, in collaboration with media, lantern companies, cultural institutions, and universities, has established the Zigong Lantern Promotion Alliance to enhance the “Zigong Lantern” brand image. At the 2025 Zigong Lantern and Night-Time Economy Creative Exchange Conference, multiple companies reached cooperation agreements, injecting new momentum into the industry’s development.
Case Study: When 70 Zigong artisans traveled to Houston to install a lantern set, they also provided a “lantern festival + cultural tourism + commerce” operational plan—derived dining and souvenir revenue accounted for 58% of total revenue, far exceeding ticket sales themselves.
3.3 Government-Driven Platforms for Global Expansion
Local governments are also pushing ICH onto the world stage. The Xiangtan Council for the Promotion of International Trade has leveraged major trade platforms, such as the “Belt and Road” Business Community and the “Good Products Go Global” campaign, to secure international exposure for oil-paper umbrellas.
At the Osaka World Expo, Shandong presented more than 20 different ICH experiences, creating a cultural export matrix that strengthens bridges between Chinese traditions and global markets.
IV. Future Trends: New Growth Tracks for the ICH Economy
4.1 Immersive Experience Economy
The Zigong Lantern Group’s “immersive light and shadow night tour” project integrates Chinese elements such as the myths from the Classic of Mountains and Seas and Dunhuang murals into lantern designs, making traditional culture “come alive” and “trendy.”
This experiential consumption model is becoming a new way for ICH to monetize, meeting the global demand for deep cultural experiences. The Changhua Light Festival set a new record for visitors during its 65-day run, confirming this trend.
4.2 Cross-Disciplinary Technology Integration
Zigong Henggu Longteng Technology Co., Ltd., a leader in animatronic dinosaurs, now holds more than 90% of the global market share in this field.
By applying advanced materials and intelligent systems, the company continues to make ICH-inspired products more durable, eco-friendly, and innovative, demonstrating how technology is becoming the backbone of cultural exports.
4.3 Global Circulation of Cultural Symbols
The circulation of Chinese cultural elements is more visible than ever. Miao embroidery has graced luxury catwalks in Paris and Milan, while Tsinghua students’ crab paste rap gained traction on international digital platforms.
Even Times Square in New York has hosted ICH-themed public service announcements, underscoring how Chinese traditions are being reinterpreted as global cultural symbols.
4.4 Industrial Belt Branding Strategy
Regional branding is also on the rise. Zigong’s lantern industry is building its reputation as a global brand, showcasing Bashu culture in international tours.
Meanwhile, Bobai County is investing heavily in weaving industrial parks, targeting a 10 billion yuan cluster economy. These industrial belts are evolving into strategic cultural and commercial assets on the world stage.
V. Conclusion:
The Changhua Light Festival has won five international design awards, Zigong’s lantern artisans are rushing to complete lantern sets for Europe and America, and Bobai’s weaving aunties are nimbly weaving orders for luxury brands.
From the “Disney of the East” lantern festival in Houston to the gilded Miao embroidery on the Paris catwalk, and from the Miao ethnic embroidery on display at Milan Fashion Week to the oil-paper umbrellas at the Japan Expo, Chinese ICH has transcended regional boundaries to become a cultural commodity sought after by the global market.
This is not a simple cultural export; it is a deep dialogue between tradition and modernity, local and global, culture and economy. When the fragrance of peonies from Cao County’s Hanfu drifts to the Osaka World Expo, and when a Tsinghua student’s English rap makes crab paste an online sensation, a clear signal emerges: ICH is not only a cultural heritage but also an economic phenomenon and a golden link connecting China and the world.
