Located in southeastern Xinjiang, Bayingolin Mongolian Autonomous Prefecture features diverse landscapes ranging from mountains and grasslands to deserts and lakes, and is home to numerous historical sites, including the ruins of the ancient city of Loulan, offering Gong a rich source of inspiration for his designs.

　　Among his team's newer products are ceramic plates and coffee cups made with sand from local desert and Gobi areas. After repeated trials, the team found that the sand and local water gave the ceramics a distinctive blue-green finish.

　　Beyond experimenting with local materials, Gong also draws on both technology and traditional craftsmanship to bring Xinjiang's cultural heritage into contemporary life. His AR fridge magnets, for instance, are inspired by the well-known Han Dynasty brocade armband inscribed with the Chinese characters "five stars rise in the East." Scanning a QR code takes users to a slideshow explaining the historical artifact and its cultural significance, adding context to the designs.

　　He has also reimagined traditional motifs for embroidered cashmere scarves and blankets, adapting clustered-grass, vine-and-grass and flame patterns to contemporary tastes. Gong develops the designs and works with local embroiderers, who bring them to life by hand.

　　"For example, I incorporated traditional motifs symbolizing flourishing growth and career advancement into the scarf design to resonate with young consumers' aspirations for success," Gong said.

　　Turning these designs into finished products requires close cooperation with traditional craftspeople. Gong's team now works with 13 family-run workshops in the region, and producing a single handmade blanket can involve 10 to 16 embroiderers.