An Italian guest tries Hanfu at a Hanfu base in Caoxian County, east China's Shandong Province, April 8, 2025. (Xinhua/Guo Xulei)

　　JINAN, May 13 (Xinhua) -- In an exhibition hall in east China's Shandong Province, Italian fashion blogger Camilla Pedersini explored with rapt attention, carefully learning the intricate process of Hanfu making before slipping into her first Hanfu outfit.

　　“This kind of clothing is gorgeous,“ she marveled. “It brings you back to ancient times. Chinese culture is fascinating.“

　　Hanfu, the traditional attire of China, has evolved over the centuries and in recent years has enjoyed a revival, driven by a renewed interest in traditional culture among young people and its growing visibility on social media platforms. Yet, few people know that the country's largest Hanfu production hub is Caoxian County in Shandong.

　　Caoxian's connection with Hanfu started about 17 years ago, when a few villagers began experimenting with making Hanfu costumes for photo studios and performances. With the rise of e-commerce in China, local Hanfu makers opened online stores and were pleasantly surprised by the strong demand for their dresses.

　　With a population of over 1.3 million, Caoxian is now home to 2,753 Hanfu businesses. Last year, the county's combined online and offline Hanfu sales surpassed 12 billion yuan (about 1.67 billion U.S. dollars), accounting for nearly half of the national market share. In the first quarter of 2025 alone, Hanfu sales exceeded 3.14 billion yuan, marking an increase of 15.8 percent from last year.