Business Daily Yiwu: Christmas city
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Dec 24, 2025 Han Lin, China Director at The Asia Group, discusses Yiwu's unique role in global trade, highlighting its massive market with 75,000 traders. Ashley Dudarenok, founder of a research consultancy, shares insights on how local entrepreneurs shaped Yiwu's dominance in Christmas goods. Mac Harmon, CEO of Balsam Hill, reveals how US tariffs are impacting pricing and orders for festive decor. The conversation navigates trade tensions, the shift in market focus, and a cautious optimism among traders adapting to new opportunities.
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Yiwu Is The Global Christmas Hub
- Yiwu evolved from a small market into a sprawling global hub for small commodities and Christmas decor.
- It now supplies roughly 60% of global Christmas ornament production and serves buyers from about 200 countries.
Specialised Cities Power Low-Cost Exports
- Chinese cities often specialise in single-product clusters, creating deep economies of scale and competitive pricing.
- Local policy and entrepreneurship combined to turn towns into global centres for specific goods like shoes or small commodities.
Two-Second Christmas Balls
- A company in Yiwu can assemble a Christmas ball in about two seconds using specialised machines.
- That automation improved factory efficiency by roughly 20%, showing local innovation beyond low-cost labour.