NANCHANG, May 22 (Xinhua) -- Amid the summer heat, machinery hums steadily at Yudu Industrial Park in Ganzhou City, east China's Jiangxi Province.
At Jiangxi Ziyiku Clothing Co., Ltd., workers are busy producing thick denim garments, which will soon be loaded onto China-Europe freight trains and transported thousands of miles to reach consumers in Russia.
"This is our sixth consecutive year supplying the Russian brand Lady & Gentleman City," said Xiao Rihui, chairman of the company. "Our heated denim fabric, specifically developed for Russia's cold climate, has proven very popular there."
This is no isolated case. From workshops in Yudu to retail shelves in Moscow and St. Petersburg, and even to fashion streets in Kaliningrad, garments labeled "Made in Yudu" are leaving their mark on Sino-Russian trade.
In recent years, the textile and apparel trade between Yudu County in Jiangxi and Russia has grown steadily. Cooperation has evolved from sporadic original equipment manufacturer (OEM) orders into deep-rooted ties. For several consecutive years, Russia has remained Yudu's largest overseas garment market.
The trade relationship dates back years. In the early days, local companies in Yudu relied mostly on intermediaries and cross-border e-commerce for small orders, focusing on basic denim and casual wear. However, with regular China-Europe freight train services from Ganzhou, logistics efficiency has greatly improved. Yudu's complete textile industry chain, fast delivery, stable quality and high cost-effectiveness have since attracted Russian buyers.
At the Jiangxi Textile and Garment Week held in November 2025, the venue buzzed with conversations in Russian. More than 150 buyers from 41 countries and regions, including Russia, attended the event. Intended foreign trade orders reached 2.98 billion yuan (about 436 million U.S. dollars), with Russian orders accounting for over 30 percent, making Russia the largest source of overseas buyers.
This type of international direct sourcing meeting has been held for four years. It serves as a bridge between Yudu's workshops and Russian retailers. For local companies, it not only offers a direct sales channel but also brings international trade right to their doorstep.
"Previously, we had to go through layers of intermediaries. Now, Russian brands and supermarket buyers sit directly in our meeting rooms," Xiao said. As a long-term core supplier to Lady & Gentleman City, his company has not only secured large denim orders through six years of such engagements, but also developed functional denim fabrics that are both heated and breathable, tailored specifically to Russia's frigid climate.
The Yudu-Russia trade story begins with smooth logistics and thrives on product adaptability.
Wen Dingqiang, director of the Yudu County Textile and Garment Industry Development Center, said that with stable China-Europe freight train services from Ganzhou, logistics efficiency has improved markedly. Leveraging fast delivery, consistent quality and high value, Yudu's garment companies have attracted Russian buyers directly.
Wen said since 2023, Yudu's garment exports to Russia saw robust growth. Local firms focus on Russia's climate and consumer preferences, developing thick denim, cold-weather jackets and functional fabric apparel. The cooperation model is also shifting from traditional OEM to original design manufacturer (ODM), incorporating in-house design and targeted R&D.
"We are not just selling clothes but exporting solutions," said Xiao Hui, general manager of Ganzhou Weilai Garment Co., Ltd. At the 2025 International Direct Sourcing Meeting, the company secured an order for 50,000 pieces, with Russian orders accounting for 30 percent. Thanks to stable quality and efficient delivery, the firm is moving away from pure OEM toward original design.
This shift is particularly evident at Ganzhou Junxin Clothing Co., Ltd. Through the exhibition platform, the company signed a long-term supply agreement with Russian buyers for autumn and winter men's wear and outdoor casual wear.
The trade enthusiasm even drew a visit from Russian officials. In March 2026, Oleg Alexeyevich Aminov, mayor of Kaliningrad, led a delegation to Junxin's showroom to learn about its production capacity and import-export operations. The two sides reached a preliminary agreement on deepening cooperation to expand exports of denim and cold-weather wear.
During the visit, Aminov said that they had deeply felt the heritage and innovative vitality of Yudu's textile industry, and that there was vast potential for cooperation.
Ganzhou and Kaliningrad have formally signed a friendship agreement, laying a solid foundation for deeper collaboration in textiles and other sectors.
Today, Yudu has formed a strong industrial cluster of more than 3,850 garment enterprises. Over 50 companies have long-term operations in the Russian market, offering products ranging from basic denim to casual wear, cold-weather jackets and functional fabric apparel, covering both Russian brick-and-mortar retailers and major e-commerce platforms.
This deep connection has made Yudu a key sourcing hub for Russian textile buyers. On March 24 this year, Ganzhou and Kaliningrad formally signed a sister-city agreement.
From Jiangxi to Russia, this story reflects not only the evolution of "Made in China" to "Quality Created in China," but also a vivid example of win-win cooperation between two cities across continents. ■
