Moscow at night. [Photo by Tang Shulei/cnnb.com.cn]

In recent years, the textile and apparel industry has been one of the sectors hardest hit by the downturn in foreign demand, prompting a search for new opportunities and markets. The Russian market, often described as a blue ocean for textile and apparel, has caught the attention of experienced foreign trade professionals from Ningbo.

On the evening of May 11, a trade delegation from Ningbo arrived in Moscow, quickly convening with representatives of leading textile and apparel companies from Ningbo and Russia for a discussion on industry cooperation.

Marina Paramonova, president of MAP Industries, with over 15 years of experience in the textile and fashion industry, noted that the Russian textile and apparel market exceeds 250 billion yuan ($34.5 billion), with a significant reliance on imports due to limited domestic production.

"Due to issues such as supply chain decoupling and poor coordination, we hope to leverage Ningbo's manufacturing capabilities and financial advantages to enhance our manufacturing capacity and strengthen localized brands," Paramonova said.

Representatives from the Central Union of Consumer Cooperatives of the Russian Federation conveyed similar sentiments at the meeting – hoping to move beyond traditional trade boundaries and seek deeper cooperation with Ningbo in investment, projects, and branding.

"Russians value personal friendships, so for Ningbo enterprises looking to enter the market, building trust is key. By establishing trust and then collaborating with Russian companies through a combination of online e-commerce and offline stores, new projects can be developed and localized brands jointly created," the representative stated, expressing willingness to assist Ningbo in establishing a presence on Russia's largest cross-border e-commerce platform.

Dmitry Liyabining, a former-football-player-turned-entrepreneur who founded the Vaxter Five brand seven years ago and owns his production factory, is eager to explore Ningbo's robust capabilities in the textile and apparel industry.

"I love China, and I want to expand production and promote my leisure and sportswear brand in China. Ningbo enterprises are my ideal partners," Liyabining said.

Dmitry Liyabining. [Photo by Tang Shulei/cnnb.com.cn]

Editor: Xu Zhitian