A woman sells Hanfu via livestreaming in Ancailou Township of Caoxian County, east China's Shandong Province, July 6, 2023. (Xinhua/Guo Xulei)

　　In Caoxian's Ancailou township, workers at Huaqianyuexia Textile Co., Ltd. are bustling to fulfill a flood of orders. Six jacquard machines run around the clock, producing 600 meters of fabric daily for the horse-faced skirt, a distinctive Hanfu style known for its high, flat front and pleated sides.

　　There has been particularly strong demand for the horse-faced skirt. “We have orders for around 10,000 meters of fabric to be delivered by the end of June,“ said An Peng, general manager of the company. “While we're working flat out to complete these orders, new ones keep coming in.“

　　In the face of a booming Hanfu market, innovation has become key. Luoruyan, a designer brand where a single dress can sell for thousands of yuan, has embraced this trend. Last year, it launched its “fragrant Hanfu“ line, incorporating fibers from flowers such as peony, rose and lotus blossom into the fabric.

　　“We would like to find a way to inject modern fashion into traditional Hanfu,“ said Yao Chixing, founder of the brand.

　　He added that the brand has also collaborated with universities to develop an antique-style brocade weaving technique in an attempt to successfully restore traditional patterns with over 90 percent accuracy. They have also introduced an “AI+ Hanfu“ intelligent design system, which has already generated more than a thousand innovative patterns using algorithms.

　　“The Hanfu industry is a vivid manifestation of the vitality of Chinese culture,“ said Pan Lusheng, chairman of the China Folk Literature and Art Association.