The Xiabu fashion light show takes place in Southwest China's Chongqing Municipality. Photo: VCG

If you're looking for ways to beat the 35 C heat but you've grown bored with the usual light "clean fit," clothing made from traditional fabrics like Xiangyunsha (Gambiered Canton Gauze) and Xiabu (literally meaning summer cloth) might be a refreshing alternative.

In recent years, the rise of neo-Chinese fashion has fueled a booming market for traditional Chinese fabrics, state broadcaster CCTV reported. For example, in 2024, the combined sales revenue of 50 leading silk enterprises across China exceeded 3.8 billion yuan ($530 million), marking a 4.2 percent year-on-year increase.

Li Xiaoying, vice president of the China Silk Association, told the Global Times that Xiangyunsha has been the fastest-growing niche category in the silk industry over the past decade. It now accounts for 20 percent of the entire silk market, with retail sales expected to reach 110.8 billion yuan by 2025.

Traditional Chinese fabrics like Xiangyunsha and Xiabu, whose craftsmanship has been recognized as national intangible cultural heritage, nowadays blend centuries-old techniques with modern design. Known for their breathability and cooling properties, these fabrics are becoming fashionable summer choices, gaining popularity both at home and abroad.

Old yet new

Zhao Yunliang, who has been making Xiangyunsha in Shunde, South China's Guangdong Province, for 30 years, told the Global Times that producing this fabric is an intricate craft.

The dyeing and finishing process involves more than a dozen steps, including soaking the fabric in shuliang (plant dye) water, drying it under the sun, repeatedly sprinkling and soaking it in dye baths and coating it with river mud, a process that takes about 15 days in total.

"The key ingredients are natural shuliang and river mud," Zhao explained. "We crush shuliang roots to extract the juice and repeatedly soak raw silk in it. After multiple rounds of sun exposure, the fabric develops a brown sheen."

Thanks to the chemical reaction between the shuliang and river mud, Xiangyunsha is known for its two-tone luster, smooth texture, and cooling feel when worn— qualities that make it especially popular in summer.

However, these same natural characteristics limit the fabric to mostly dark shades with subdued tones and simple styles, which may not appeal to younger consumers. To reach a wider audience, many in the industry are exploring innovations.

Katherine, a German designer who has lived in Beijing for 24 years, is among them. She first encountered Xiangyunsha in Paris and was instantly captivated by its quiet elegance paired with a sense of resilience and vitality.

With this fresh perspective, Katherine began experimenting with natural dyes made from pomegranate peels, woad root, and other plants. She combines these with traditional Chinese tie-dye techniques, producing yellow and purple hues with unique textures.

"These natural colors pair beautifully with Xiangyunsha and open up more possibilities for my work," she said, adding that she finds great satisfaction in breathing new life into a fabric with over a century of history.

Katherine hopes that by respecting both nature and the fabric's heritage, these cross-material experiments will expand the use of Xiangyunsha and seamlessly merge traditional fabrics with modern trends, allowing more people to experience its unique allure.

Models showcase garments made from Xiangyunsha fabric in Guangzhou, South China's Guangdong Province in October 2023. Photo: VCG

Weaving in coolness 

Xiabu is a traditional Chinese textile craft with a history of over 2,000 years. Handwoven from ramie, it is as light as a cicada's wing and as thin as rice paper. Once the go-to fabric for summer in ancient China, it is now regarded as a classic example of Chinese textile craftsmanship, according to CCTV.

In 2008, Xiabu weaving techniques were added to China's national list of intangible cultural heritage.

One of the most notable features of Xiabu lies in its fibers, which make it breathable and exceptionally cool, allowing air to flow freely. "With ordinary fabrics, sweat tends to stick to the skin," Ma Linqin, a municipal-level inheritor of Rongchang Xiabu craftsmanship, told the Global Times. "But Xiabu is different. It absorbs sweat quickly and dries fast, so it stays separate from the body."

Made from ramie, also known as "Chinese grass," Xiabu production involves a complex series of steps — from retting and bleaching to spinning, twining and threading. The process is dependent on skilled handwork, making it a highly intricate craft.

According to Ma, Xiabu can be used to make all kinds of garments, from everyday summer T-shirts to traditional Chinese qipao (a close-fitting woman's dress with high neck and slit skirt).

Its natural texture and raw, rustic patterns also make Xiabu well-suited to minimalist and modern Chinese design aesthetics, Ma said. "Its elegance and organic feel give it a refined, natural sense of charm." 

Ma's mission is to make Xiabu relevant in the modern world. "My main goal is to bring Xiabu into everyday life," she said. "That includes bedding, crafts, clothing and accessories, even home decor."

In addition to blending traditional craftsmanship with modern design, Ma has experimented with new materials, replacing silk threads with cotton in embroidery to make Xiabu products more attractive and functional for today's market.

Today, Rongchang Xiabu is exported not only to Japan and South Korea, but also to countries across Europe, the Americas and Southeast Asia, according to CCTV.

With an international study experience under her belt, Ma is both a cultural inheritor and an active promoter for Xiabu. She believes that the future of intangible cultural heritage lies in participation. "Only when more people get involved can we truly preserve and develop these traditions," she noted.