Chinese brands in spotlight at Winter Olympics

As the Milano-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics concluded on Sunday, the increasing visibility of Chinese brands on the global stage highlighted a transition toward proprietary innovation and wider international endorsement within the high-performance sports industry.

A prime example of this trend unfolded during the freestyle skiing events. Chinese skier Eileen Gu Ailing, who secured a gold medal in halfpipe and a silver medal in both slopestyle and big air, captured global attention for her distinctive competition suit. The apparel, which she helped design, featured a dragon motif that appeared to "swim" along the seams and over the shoulders.

Gu explained on her social media account that the blue-and-white aesthetic drew inspiration from traditional Chinese porcelain. "I hope to bring Chinese culture to the world stage," she said.

Following the slopestyle qualifiers on Feb 7, she also detailed the suit's intricate features in interviews, saying that the design seamlessly integrated cultural elements with functional tools, including a thermometer and a compass on the sleeve.

The performance apparel was developed by sportswear giant Anta Group, which provided professional gear for 13 Chinese national teams during the Games. The brand's technological capacity has increasingly earned international recognition, with the delegations of Greece and Singapore also entering the stadium outfitted with Anta equipment.

Petros Synadinos, chairman of the Marketing Commission of the Hellenic Olympic Committee, said the partnership was a win-win, benefiting athletes who appear in world-class events wearing performance-leading sports equipment.

Backing this global footprint is a steadfast commitment to research and development. Over the past decade, Anta Group has funneled 20 billion yuan ($2.89 billion) into innovation, with another 20 billion yuan earmarked for independent research and development over the next five years.

To date, the group has established a global innovation network comprising seven design and R&D centers across China, the United States, Japan, South Korea, Italy, the Netherlands and Germany.

Ding Shizhong, chairman of Anta Group and Amer Sports, who served as an Olympic torchbearer for the fifth time on Feb 6, said: "It is an honor to provide equipment for national teams. We are here to cheer for the athletes."

Other Chinese brands also integrated their solutions into the Milano-Cortina 2026 ecosystem. Panpan Food Group provided 15 snack products at China House, earning praise from international guests. The brand also launched a tasting activity on the streets in Milan, Italy, to engage global tourists.

Fitness equipment maker Shuhua Sports provided professional gear for the athletes' villages, while tech giants like Alibaba and display provider TCL ensured seamless technical support throughout the event.

Huang Haiyan, a professor at Beijing Sport University, said that when Chinese gear becomes an athlete's preferred choice, a connection of professional trust is built. "Mastering core technology is a compulsory question for global survival and dignity," Huang told Fujian Daily.

These brands are building a global partnership network driven by technical excellence and respectful cultural dialogue, he said, adding that globalization no longer represents a one-way export, but a two-way flow of mutual empowerment and value co-creation.

Yang Jie contributed to this story.