The industrial city of Anshan, Liaoning Province, is redirecting traditional garment and luggage wholesale markets into the pet economy, part of China’s first municipal-level pet industry ’15th Five-Year’ development plan. The initiative targets a ‘China Cute Pet Capital’ positioning and leverages Anshan’s existing base of roughly 30,000 people employed in pet breeding.
At the Xiliu garment market, merchants are using idle fabric capacity and fast-response apparel supply chains to produce pet raincoats, four-legged suits, physiological pants, and decorative apparel. Local brand Xiaojuzi Pet Clothing represents a fourth-generation family garment business that pivoted entirely to pet clothing design. Xiliu Group showcased more than 80 products at the 2026 Yiwu International Pet Supplies Fair as a group pavilion.
Meanwhile, the Nantai luggage market is applying luggage hardware, zippers, and assembly expertise to pet travel gear, including portable carriers, in-car crates, and travel bags. The shift is driven by rising Chinese demand for human-pet mobility products, a theme also visible in NIO’s ONVO sub-brand exhibiting at Pet Fair Asia 2026.
The pivot is not without challenges: most production remains OEM/wholesale with low value-add, and e-commerce and cross-border channels are still underdeveloped. Local authorities are responding with live-streaming e-commerce centers and cross-border platforms. Anshan is the latest example of how China’s pet economy is absorbing legacy manufacturing clusters — a pattern that will increase global supply of pet apparel and travel accessories while putting margin pressure on undifferentiated manufacturers.
