One of the world’s largest fabric markets turns fashion designers' dreams into reality

Fashion designers, get ready to enter the fabric wonderland. I’m not sure who’s keeping track but Guangzhou’s Fabric Market could be the largest in the world. The amount of fabric and shops just overloads the senses. I think it is essential for any fashion designer to at least once in their lifetime make a trip out to China and make sure to stop by the Guangzhou fabric market.

...I am instantly in awed.

As I got out of the taxi at the boundary of the market I am instantly in awed. I am in front of a large mall. What’s impressive is that it is all fabric and only fabric. Add to that, the size of each shop is from only 10 sqm to 100 sqm, that’s a lot of shops. And at each shop fabric is layered from the floor to the tip of the ceiling, stacked in front and at the centre of the shop. Racks and piles of fabric spill out of the shop. Any possible way for the shop owner to showcase more goods, they do.

With the shop numbering system it’s more like a tradeshow then a mall.

Ironically the difference between the malls and the tradeshow is that there are more exhibitors here.


Unlike malls we are used to there is no separation from indoor and outdoor. So don’t even think about heating and air conditioning. As I am running from shop to shop on this supposedly cool summer day I am sweating hard under the humid air. Luckily I'm wearing my JUZD bamboo shirts and it's keeping me cool.

beautiful architecture

But don’t get me wrong, everything is very modern, clean, and professional. As you can see from the large signs and beautiful architecture it is a very good experience.

In one of the malls you can see seven floors of pure fabric shops. I did not even have time and the mental ability to absorb the first floor to even venture to anything about ground level.

You can find almost any kind of fabric here.

This is a designer’s dream. You can find almost any kind of fabric here. And you will see thousands of different patterns and colours you never thought existed or imagined. As my eyes race from one shop to the next, from my left shoulder to the right, explosions of ideas and inspirations goes off in my mind.
What’s more, there are two of these huge malls. And a lot more shops around the outskirts. There are hundreds of thousands of square metres of space and thousands of shops. As a designer you will for sure get inspirations and almost find any type of fabric you are looking for.

The Chinese got style...and culture!

My journey back to China my birthplace started March 25th. This is a mission to learn more of the Chinese culture and seek inspiration for the Spring Summer 2009 collection. My trip takes me Qingdao a beautiful coastal city on the eastern edge of China. Qingdao city has been a German colony in the 19th century.

What really surprised me was how beautiful the city is. The buildings are absolutely perfect! All buildings in the city are German inspired and is well planned. While each building is designed differently with a sense of organic growth, there is a feel of a higher order. As if each building was built with relation to each out and a higher concept. You can see clearly see the amount of attention the designers paid to the architectural design from the air. Just a glance from and you'll see the perfectly aligned and organized buildings. Colors are amazing and details magnificent. Scenic ocean mountains interlace the shoreline buildings and office towers. The view is perfect from any part of the city.

What also surprised me were that the Chinese got style. The trendsetting youths were well dressed and everything fits perfect and well pieced together. Maybe their style is a novelty and that's why it looks good but either way I'm impressed. The style is western influenced. You can see the results of China opening to the world.

My trip takes me to Taidong the shopping centre of this rich city. As you can see there is a long strip with walking distance as wide as a four lane road. No cars are allow which makes for a very pleasure shopping experience. The street is at least one mile long with most high end Chinese brands. The shops are clean and very western.

Within the modern and high end shops of Taidong there is a hidden entrance to a clothes and fabric center which seems to have been hidden from the modernization of the centre. As you enter you will see many vendors hanging as much goods as they can. Cloths and poorly made clothes cruelly scattered all around in their tiny space. And if you dare to venture your way up the narrow stairs several floors to the top, you will find the fabric area. Each merchant stack as much as they can in their tiny five square metre area. And apparently they can stack quite a bit. Merchants squeeze tightly beside each other with no sunlight, it may seem worse than a prison. But everyone is in a pleasant mode and is having a good time as with the city as a whole.

This is the secret area where I found some amazing traditional designed silk and satin fabrics with the most gorgeous Asian patterns. You can see black and grey patterns with a splash of colour, vibrantly colour art prints, and the more muted tone on tone traditional patterns. On the wall you will be able to see some of the beautifully and delicately designed traditional Chinese art fabric. Time and modernization cannot outdate good design. This is exactly what I was seeking on this journey.

Fashion is superficial! JUZD is not.

I was talking to a friend who have been in the fashion industry for a long time. He was part of the urban streetwear fashion scene when it first started in the 80's. A very powerful thing he told me was: "fashion is superficial, this is different, when people wear a JUZD shirt they are making a statement, they are making a difference."

Up to that point I never thought of our JUZD bamboo shirts being that. We didn't start using bamboo because we wanted to save the planet. Nor did we use bamboo, the most eco-friendly fabric to jump on the eco-friendly bandwagon. Heck, I don't even like the word "eco-friendly"...it's just too happy...too friendly, I prefer eco-conscious. But I do have a lot of respect for nature and wanted to create a brand that's organic that goes deep into the spirit and innate power of the individual. And using bamboo is part of that philosophy.

Two things can happen. One, people buy JUZD because it's eco-friendly (They want to help save the planet or because it's trendy). Or people feel passionate about the JUZD philosophy and brand and buy it for that reason. Either way I'll be happy because you and I will have made a difference, intended or not.