Export goods exhibition draws buyers to Yiwu, E China's Zhejiang

The 31st China Yiwu International Commodities Fair-Export Goods Exhibition opened on Oct. 21 in Yiwu, east China's Zhejiang Province. Spanning 110,000 square meters, the fair attracted more than 180,000 buyers, including over 10,000 from abroad.

Photo shows biodegradable straws developed by Soton Straws at the 31st China Yiwu International Commodities Fair-Export Goods Exhibition in Yiwu, east China's Zhejiang Province. (People's Daily Online/Wang Liwei)

Rows of white straws were displayed at the Soton Straws booth. According to Li Erqiao, head of the company, the straws are made from a natural bio-based material that can fully decompose even in seawater. The company has already applied for a patent.

A buyer photographs creative straw products by Soton Straws at the 31st China Yiwu International Commodities Fair-Export Goods Exhibition in Yiwu, east China's Zhejiang Province. (People's Daily Online/Wang Liwei)

Li added that the company now produces more than 2,000 types of straws, with annual sales exceeding 100 million yuan ($14 million), accounting for roughly one-quarter of the global market.

Gui Haiqin shows a new cooler at the 31st China Yiwu International Commodities Fair-Export Goods Exhibition in Yiwu, east China's Zhejiang Province. (People's Daily Online/Wang Liwei)

At the booth of Yiwu Meicimei Ornaments Co., Ltd., foreign buyers were drawn to a mini refrigerator. Company head Gui Haiqin said the cooler is made of special materials that can keep items cold for up to 120 hours. With a capacity of 6.6 liters, it is sturdy enough to double as a stool for outdoor use.

"Research and development alone took more than two years," Gui said. "The product is specially designed for markets in Southeast and Central Asia, where cold drinks are popular. We are promoting it through cross-border e-commerce to tap into new markets."

Foreign buyers visit the booth of Yiwu Meicimei Ornaments Co., Ltd. at the 31st China Yiwu International Commodities Fair-Export Goods Exhibition in Yiwu, east China's Zhejiang Province. (People's Daily Online/Wang Liwei)

At the booth of a bag and suitcase company, a dazzling array of LED luggage products caught visitors' attention. Ye Xiaoyun, head of the company, held up a backpack featuring an Iron Man design with an LED screen, calling it the company's flagship product. Exported mainly to Europe and the United States, the backpack retails for over 300 yuan, and the company sells more than 20,000 units each month.

A foreign buyer photographs the creative LED luggage products of a company at the 31st China Yiwu International Commodities Fair-Export Goods Exhibition in Yiwu, east China's Zhejiang Province. (People's Daily Online/Wang Liwei)

The company now applies the same LED technology to hats, waist bags and rolling suitcases. "We have an R&D team of more than 20 people, most of whom were born in the 1990s and 2000s. Each month, we develop three to five patented products," Ye said.