Rio's ink-themed cocktail in a collaboration with Shanghai-based pen and ink producer Hero (Photo provided by Rio)

In recent years, domestic brands have made efforts to improve the quality of their products. As a result, they’ve not only become more popular among young Chinese consumers, but also with customers from all over the world.

Warrior, a Chinese footwear brand founded in 1927, grabbed a fair market share among young Chinese customers with its price advantage and the creative design which caters to the tastes of young people.

Back in 2008, sales of Warrior shoes slumped as many people thought the products were low-end and out of date. Later that same year, after a picture of Hollywood star Orlando Bloom wearing Warrior shoes went viral online, more Chinese stars began to buy into the brand, and in turn, so did their fans.

Warrior uses innovative materials, focusing on developing shoes for health and promoting its shoe culture among young Chinese, said Zhang Enqi, deputy general director of Shanghai Warrior Shoes Co Ltd.

According to statistics, sales of Warrior shoes hit 3.2 billion yuan in 2018.

Besides Warrior shoes, Chinese food, wine, and even sewing machines are gaining increasing popularity among consumers.

Statistics released last month by online retailer Suning indicated that the post-90s generation made up 35.64 percent of buyers of China-made goods. Another report has found that people born in the 2000s are more interested in home-made products.

The demand for made-in-China products brings enormous market potential, as well as challenges. Consumers tend to seek both quality and creativity, which has led to crossover cooperation between brands.

For example, Chinese alcopop brand Rio recently released an ink-themed cocktail in a collaboration with Shanghai-based pen and ink producer Hero. Statistics on May 16 showed that about 3,000 drink sets were sold in a single minute.

The Hero brand is a childhood memory for many people in China. With advancing technology, it is now more common to type on the computer instead of writing with a pen. The cooperation with Rio, however, has brought Hero back into the spotlight.

Some traditional brands have even spread overseas. Zhang Xiaoquan, a conventional brand of knives and scissors, has gained popularity among foreigners. The monthly sales of the products on Tmall reached 250,000 and 300,000 yuan, said Jiang Yong, e-commerce director of Zhang Xiaoquan.

In the eyes of most foreign customers, Zhang Xiaoquan products are of good quality and strong durability. The brand even introduced different products based on the preferences of customers from various regions.