Every year, Taobao Maker Festival selects and celebrates a product that most represents the innovation and entrepreneurial spirit of China’s young creators. Following online public voting and judging from a professional panel, Ninghang batik made by Miao artisans was named the best creation at this year’s Taobao Maker Festival, reflecting how a traditional craft can be revitalized as a new trend on the e-commerce platform.
Ninghang batik is an intangible cultural heritage of the Miao ethnic minority group from Danzhai county in Guizhou province. The age-old craft involves drawing intricate, vivid patterns onto fabric with skills that have been passed down from generation to generation. By combining traditional artistry with modern design, Ninghang batik has recently experienced a rejuvenation that has led to a massive surge in its popularity among young Taobao consumers.
Merchants at this year’s Taobao Maker Festival who sell Ninghang batik and products related to it have been added to the event’s rating system, which was introduced last year to increase support for unique and creative stores on the online marketplace. As of June, merchants featured in the rating system have achieved a much higher average sales growth than that of China’s overall online retail commerce industry.
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