Lin Qiuxiang, an overseas sales manager at a gift factory in Chenghai district, Shantou, south China's Guangdong Province, is introducing a small electric fan to foreign customers.

This summer, fans made in Chenghai have become a popular choice for beating the heat. In the production workshop of the factory, workers are busy fulfilling orders, packing products and shipping them to overseas markets.

"Orders from Europe and South America have grown the most this year," Lin said. The company upgrades its products in terms of functions and craftsmanship every year. For example, optimized motors have extended the battery life of some small fans to up to 10 hours.

The popularity of Chenghai's small fans is supported by the district's well-established toy and creative industry ecosystem, featuring a complete industrial chain and a thriving cross-border e-commerce network.

"We can find all the components we need here," Lin said. The company has added production lines and streamlined manufacturing processes, reducing delivery times to just seven days under normal circumstances.

At the UV-protection clothing and accessories section of the Yiwu International Trade Market in Yiwu, east China's Zhejiang Province, buyers from around the world are browsing products.

Covering needs ranging from basic protection to innovative designs, the section offers a wide variety of products, including sun-protection clothing and arm sleeves.

From April 1 to July 17, purchases of cooling arm sleeves in Yiwu rose 72.42 percent from the same period last year.

"We entered peak production and sales season in February, with orders from domestic e-commerce platforms and supermarkets accounting for 80 percent of the total," said Chen Jia, manager of a branded store.

This year, the store's team has developed products using innovative fabrics such as cool-touch nylon, which provides effective sun protection while remaining breathable and lightweight. The products also feature new colors and designs, adjustable fits and watch-face cutouts. These small innovations have made cooling arm sleeves more practical and stylish, with sales reaching 600,000 pairs so far this year.

Dong Wei, head of a knitting company, recently secured an order for 3,000 pairs of cooling arm sleeves. The factory has been working overtime in recent days, with orders already scheduled through the end of August.

To meet the needs of people with sensitive skin, the company developed new styles made from natural materials such as mulberry silk and linen. These new products have already sold more than 30,000 pairs.

Meanwhile, exports of cooling arm sleeves are also gaining momentum, with customers in countries such as Spain, Italy and Germany placing repeat orders.

On July 18, machinery was humming in the workshops of hat-making companies in Ligezhuang town, Jiaozhou, east China's Shandong Province. At one factory, workers were efficiently carrying out processes including edge binding, shaping and hook-and-loop fastener sewing. A batch of functional sun-protection baseball caps featuring wider and longer brims was rolling off the production line and would soon be shipped overseas.

Jia Wen, head of the production workshop, said the factory is currently operating two production lines simultaneously, producing both casual baseball caps and summer sun protection styles to maximize capacity. Many hat manufacturers in the town are upgrading products based on mature baseball cap production lines, incorporating key summer features such as cooling quick-dry materials, breathable sun protection mesh fabrics and extended brims.

After more than 40 years of development, Ligezhuang has grown into home to more than 400 hat manufacturers and over 200 upstream and downstream suppliers. The town produces nearly 500 million mid-to-high-end sports and casual hats annually, with products exported to more than 100 countries and regions.