Zhejiang Huachen raising curtain on new era

The export volumes of Zhejiang Huachen New Material Co Ltd, one of China's biggest curtain exporters by market share, will grow by 8 percent year-on-year to $13 million by the end of this year, thanks to its growing investment in the research and development of high value-added products.

The Hangzhou-based company is a typical example of how textile and garment makers in China are responding to weak demand in developed markets and moving up the value chain with high-end products, as well as reducing their dependence on the original equipment manufacturer business model to ensure their global market share.

It decided in 2014 to invest more than 7 million yuan ($1.04 million) annually in the research and development of home textile products such as fire-retardant, heat-insulation, anti-bacterial and deodorant high-end curtain products.