Qingdao brings China's eyelash manufacturing to the fore

From playing host to South Korea eyelashes makers in the early 2000s to seeing these ventures shut down during the 2008 financial crisis, Qingdao has come into its own in this line. Building from inherited technology and factories, local suppliers took up where foreign investors left off, and have since multiplied and nurtured the industry.

Helping this expansion is Qingdao's geographic advantages. Situated between Beijing and Shanghai, the metropolis hugs the Yellow Sea coast and has an ice- and silt-free natural bay. There are the Port of Qingdao, one of the 10 busiest in the world, and the Jianggezhuang Naval Base, the headquarters of China's North Sea Fleet.

This location has also made Qingdao an industrial center,one strengthened by a dynamic business environment that continues to attract domestic and foreign investment. Such economic advantages include a fair market order, an efficient government system, guaranteed social securities and world-class infrastructures.The last, in particular, facilitates access to China's extensive upstream and downstream markets. The result is a proliferation of industries, which encompass the electronics, home appliances, textile and clothing, food and beverage, automotive and railway, machinery and steel, petrochemicals, and ship and ocean engineering fields. Haier and Hisense are based there.

For the eyelash manufacturing sector, although still a minority among these pillars, there are coming opportunities. A report posted by China Daily announces the Qingdao government's plans to turn the city into a fashion destination much like Beijing and Shanghai, and New York, Milan, London and Paris.

Qingdao is host to about 500 companies involved in eyelash production and is the largest production base for the line in China.

Manufacturing pool

Suppliers of eyelash extensions in Qingdao put a premium on craftsmanship as the production process is about 90 percent manually done, with auxiliary equipment reserved for cutting and shaping. They employ a highly skilled workforce, which includes specially trained personnel that oversee design and QC.

Companies usually turn to Henan province for mink hair and chemical fiber. They also source the latter input from providers in Qingdao itself and the province of Hebei. Many import materials.

Qingdao Cheery Hair Co. Ltd combines automated and manual manufacturing methods. Cold pressing is used. The maker offers short- and long-stem premade fans from PBT purchased from Germany. Its annual output is more than 5 million trays.

At Qingdao Credit Import & Export Co. Ltd, the monthly production capacity is about 100,000 trays. Top-grade imported materials are adopted in entirely handmade releases.

The Luving Hair Lashes Product Co. Ltd runs six production lines, which can churn out between 1 million and 1.5 million pairs every month. It offers over 1,000 handmade silk and mink choices.

Qingdao Rich Sky Industry & Trade Co. Ltd imports high-end materials and maintains a dust-free workshop. All products are 100 percent handmade. Two million pairs are turned out yearly.

Qingdao Hongfutian Eyelash Co. Ltd specializes in purely handmade models made from soft and thin synthetic fibers.

Releases from Qingdao Hongking Hair Products Co. Ltd are based on PBT from South Korea.

Lunamoon Beauty Co. Ltd utilizes high-temperature and aseptic sterilization instead of chemicals at its own facility. Natural and soft materials are used.

Qingdao Lymee International Trading Co. Ltd turns entirely to providers of materials from South Korea. It sends shipments to the US and Canada.

South Korea-sourced silk fiber is the staple at Qingdao Radiance Beauty Products Co. Ltd. The supplier churnsout more than 300,000 trays every month from a dust-free workshop. Between 30 and 50 styles are introduced each year.

Qingdao Super Far Imp & Exp Co. Ltd adopts high-quality PBT for the material's soft, flexible and lightweight attributes. It has the capability to supply more than 300,000 trays of handmade products every month.