The 14th China (Qingdao) International Fashion Week and the 3rd Qingdao SME New & High-end Products Exhibition kicked off on April 26, attracting nearly 500 enterprises.

"Qingdao Fashion Week is connecting closer and closer with the [overall garment] industry," Xiang Yangqing, director of the Qingdao Municipal Commission of Economy and Information Technology, said. "The transformation of the fashion week will aim at helping enterprises to expand the market and promote industrial upgrading."

The Qingdao Hongni Clothing Company, a company that focuses on underwear, has been participating in the week for 12 years running. It used to be a small company with less than 10 million yuan (US$1.6 million) in sales volume, but now that number reaches 300 million yuan (US$47.9 million). "Fashion week is an important carrier for brand promotion and exchange and cooperation," a responsible person for the company said.

During last year's fashion week, the Qingdao Youni Technology Company released 3D printing products, creating a sensational buzz and expanding the market. This year, it released its multi-functional 3D garment printer that can print elastic soft material clothing.

Qingdao Fashion Week has transformed from a fashion brand promotional platform to an industrial upgrade platform. It has promoted more than 50 women's clothing brands and 500 high-end brands such as the abovementioned 3D printing company, which increases its role in speeding up the industry transformation and upgrade of Qingdao.