“China has emerged as a pivotal player in the global eyewear industry, achieving remarkable advancements in technology, design trends, and market size in recent years. Duqiao, being a significant base for this sector, boasts entrepreneurs who are deeply committed to product quality and brand development, thus offering global consumers a wider array of high-quality options. I’ve been collaborating with Duqiao for a decade now.”
On October 18, during the 2024 Taizhou (Duqiao) International Eyewear Expo, a major event held in Duqiao Town, Zhejiang Province, Indonesian buyer Ong Shuli shared her insights on the exhibition.
“The expo spans three days and covers over 40,000 square meters, featuring six major exhibition halls, including sections for eyewear, accessories, equipment, and packaging. It gathers top-quality companies from across the eyewear supply chain, showcasing a diverse range of products such as raw materials, packaging design, optical frames, sports glasses, smart eyewear, and fitting equipment.”
Duqiao is known as the “Home of Chinese Eyewear.” As the birthplace and core area of the eyewear industry in Taizhou, this town boasts a complete industrial ecosystem that integrates R&D, design, production, and sales. The local supply chain encompasses everything from raw materials and manufacturing equipment to electroplating, secondary processing, smart manufacturing, and final assembly.
Currently, the local eyewear industry includes over 1,000 supporting companies and 27 regulated enterprises, with a total industry scale exceeding 7 billion yuan (approximately $1 billion). The area is also home to over 600 eyewear e-commerce platforms, generating more than 2 billion yuan (around $280 million) in annual online transactions. Additionally, the region’s total annual export value stands at 3 billion yuan (about $420 million), with products reaching over 50 countries and regions, including Europe, America, and Southeast Asia. Today, Linhai has become the largest eyewear procurement market in the Middle East, West Asia, and North Africa.
“The theme of this International Eyewear Expo is ‘Procurement from Source Factories.’ Here, we can find products that cover the entire eyewear industry. This year, I noticed exciting new products such as sports glasses and pet eyewear; these fresh design concepts and fashionable elements inspire me greatly in terms of sales,” remarked Turkish buyer Ramaza Tamer.
The expo attracted over 400 buyers from more than 50 countries and regions, including Singapore, Canada, South Korea, the United States, and Italy. On that day, domestic and international buyers explored Duqiao’s source factories, witnessing firsthand the eyewear production processes and technologies. They examined industry resources and strengths while understanding each step from raw materials to finished products, engaging directly with manufacturers for their orders.
“We aim to continuously strengthen our connections and collaborations with international institutions and organizations to provide our member companies with more precise and effective ‘going global’ services,” said Dai Viping, Vice President and Secretary-General of the China Eyewear Association.
