A young woman from Ningbo city, located in the east of China’s Zhejiang Province, has successfully made her family’s bamboo product brand famous across the world. Her dedication and hard work have led to the increasing popularity of the brand, which has in turn helped to boost the income of bamboo farmers in the region.
With a focus on sustainability and eco-friendliness, the woman’s family business has been producing bamboo products for many years. However, it was not until the young woman took over the company that it gained international recognition. Through innovative marketing strategies and an emphasis on quality, she was able to bring the brand to a wider audience, ultimately helping to increase demand for the products and benefit local bamboo farmers.
Wang Xiaoqing, who was born in the 1990s, noticed the popularity of Chinese bamboo products among US and European customers during her studies abroad. However, many of these products were branded with foreign labels, despite China’s reputation as the “kingdom of bamboos.” Inspired by this observation, Wang decided to return to China after completing her education overseas in 2013 to help her father establish a bamboo product brand.
Under Wang’s leadership, her family’s company, Ningbo Shilin Arts & Crafts Co., Ltd., has gained recognition for producing high-quality and sustainable bamboo products. In 2018, a bamboo table manufactured by the company shone at the first Global Bamboo and Rattan Congress, where Wang attended and showcased China’s rich bamboo culture to the world.
Wang’s decision to return to China and help her family’s business thrive has not only benefitted her company but also the local bamboo farmers. The increased demand for bamboo products has led to a rise in income for these farmers, who have been able to sell their bamboo at a higher price. Wang’s commitment to sustainability has also helped to promote the use of bamboo as an eco-friendly alternative to other materials.
Wang emphasizes that Chinese bamboo culture has a rich history that provides a solid foundation for the global expansion of China’s bamboo industry. This cultural heritage has been a significant factor in the success of her family’s company, Ningbo Shilin Arts & Crafts Co., Ltd., which produces a wide range of high-quality bamboo products for global markets.
Despite the company’s success, Wang faced a significant challenge in early 2020 when overseas orders for their bamboo products plummeted due to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. At the time, her business partner suggested downsizing the workforce, but Wang refused to do so and instead focused on preparing for future deliveries of bamboo products.
Ningbo Shilin Arts & Crafts Co., Ltd. is involved in every aspect of the production process, including design, development, manufacturing, and sales of bamboo products. The company produces over 10 million bamboo products annually, with 85 percent of them sold to global markets such as Europe and the US. The company’s success has made it a significant contributor to the export of bamboo products in Ningbo city, accounting for over 50 percent of the city’s total exports in this category.
As a commitment to further promoting the use of bamboo products, Ningbo Shilin Arts & Crafts Co., Ltd. has focused on the deep processing of bamboo. Through innovative research and development, the company has created new, value-added bamboo products that meet the diverse needs of consumers worldwide. This emphasis on product development has helped to keep the company at the forefront of the bamboo industry, driving its growth and success.
Wang has invested over 18 million yuan ($2.6 million) in upgrading the production equipment and increasing the automation level of her company, Ningbo Shilin Arts & Crafts Co., Ltd. This investment has helped to create a low-carbon and environmentally-friendly development model for the company’s operations, ensuring that its growth is sustainable in the long run.
Wang and her team have also focused on improving the livelihoods of local bamboo farmers by purchasing their bamboo and providing them with employment opportunities. The company has also facilitated the coordination of over 10 bamboo processing companies within and outside Zhejiang Province. These efforts have not only helped to boost the income of local farmers but have also contributed to the development of the local bamboo industry.
As the vice president of the entrepreneurship promotion association for returned overseas students in Fenghua district of Ningbo city, Wang is committed to supporting rural revitalization efforts in China. She believes that it is the responsibility of the younger generation to help improve the economic conditions of rural areas, and she hopes to work with other returned overseas students to achieve this goal. Wang’s vision is to create more beautiful villages and help villagers increase their wealth, highlighting the importance of sustainable economic development in rural areas.
The success of Wang and her family’s company highlights the potential for Chinese businesses to gain international recognition through innovation and quality products. By showcasing China’s rich cultural heritage and emphasizing sustainability, Wang has helped to boost the country’s reputation as a leader in the bamboo industry, while also contributing to the economic development of her region.
The success of this young woman’s efforts highlights the importance of innovative thinking and marketing in today’s global economy. By showcasing the unique qualities of her family’s bamboo products and emphasizing their sustainability, she was able to capture the attention of customers around the world, while also contributing to the economic development of her region.
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