Cultural heritage weaves global success for Chinese fashion

Material wealth

Sandriver is a high-end cashmere brand that combines intangible cultural heritage items such as the Inner Mongolia autonomous region's hand-felt and Tibet's pulu (a kind of woolen fabric) with modern designs. Since its establishment in Shanghai's Jinshan district in 2012, it has gone global and achieved remarkable success.

With multiple appearances at Paris Fashion Week, and it becoming the first Chinese brand featured at Le Bon Marche festival in Paris, Sandriver recently wrapped up its participation in the 2025 Maison & Objet trade show in the French capital.

"During the exhibition, we received a lot of praise," said Guo Xiuling, the founder of Sandriver. "I brought Gesang Zhuoma, a Tibetan woman who had never been abroad before, to Paris. She sat on the floor at the booth, skillfully hand spinning yarn and demonstrating the pulu-making process. The scene was always surrounded by a large crowd.

"The global reputation of Chinese traditional handicrafts and art is earned by our courage to showcase them," she added.

Guo said Sandriver has a series of upcoming major shows planned worldwide.

In April, the company is scheduled to present its brand story and explain the allure of intangible cultural heritage at Harvard University's auditorium.

"I take great pride in showcasing Chinese traditional culture and the skills of intangible cultural heritage to a global audience, helping the world appreciate the allure of Chinese brands," she said.