Mascots of the 2018 FIFA World Cup are displayed at Kayford Holdings Ltd, a Hangzhou-based firm which is the global exclusive manufacturer. [Photo by Long Wei/For China Daily]

As a hardcore soccer fan, 42-year-old Hu Hao has his predictions and preferences for the 2018 FIFA World Cup－he hopes Germany can defend their title but thinks the chance is small.

However, as a veteran businessman who has been making national flags for almost a quarter of a century and three World Cups, he is not going to apply any of his knowledge or decadelong study of the sport to his business decisions－how many flags he should make for each country.

"The most important thing (about making national flags for the World Cup) is you don't make or stock products according to any of the predictions, unless it's from Paul (the prophetic octopus)," quipped Hu, the owner of Donghao Flag Manufacturer in Hangzhou, East China's Zhejiang province.

Collaborating with traders and distributors from every country that his flags are exported to, Hu only starts his assembly line when his partners place their orders.

"Of course, it means less profit, but also far less loss," said Hu, who left a State-owned flag-making factory and started his own business in 2012.

Today, his plant, covering 1,500 square meters with 30 or so workers, is one of the largest in China. It produces flags worth about 20 million yuan ($3.12 million) every year, covering all the 196 countries around the world except China, which requires special authorization to make its flags.

For the upcoming World Cup, he has already exported 400,000 or so flags since January. After the top four teams for the finals are picked, he expects there will be orders for tens of thousands of more flags.

"The reason we don't stock flags for the World Cup is mainly because the ones made for the game are of the lowest cost. The enthusiasm for the game might be immense during the two weeks, but it's also a flash in the pan. Once it's over, few would pay for the flags," said Hu, who also makes flags for other sports games, corporate sponsorship events and political campaigns.