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A fashion show is held in Puyuan Fashion Town in Puyuan town, Tongxiang, a county-level city of Jiaxing, Zhejiang province. [Photo/tidenews.com.cn]

Puyuan, a small town in Tongxiang, a county-level city of Jiaxing, Zhejiang province, is the world's largest sweater distribution center, with seven out of every 10 sweaters in the world originating in the town.

From January to November, the town's sweater turnover reached 120.85 billion yuan ($16.93 billion), up 19.8 percent year-on-year.

Puyuan has a long history of clothing production that dates back to the Ming and Qing dynasties (1368-1911), when it was famous for its Puyuan silk. The sweater industry started here in 1988, and over the next 10 years, it developed into a national sweater distribution base, creating many well-known local brands and offering jobs to 100,000 people.

In 2010, the Puyuan sweater became a regional brand in Zhejiang province. However, with the rise of e-commerce, the offline market faced challenges and competition.

In search of new breakthroughs, Puyuan began developing Puyuan Fashion Town in 2013, covering an area of about 1,287 mu (85.8 hectares) and with a total investment of about 7.1 billion yuan. It became a provincial 5A-level scenic town this year and the goal is to turn it into a trendy water town.

Adhering to the ancient town's fashion theme, Puyuan also held Puyuan Fashion Week this year, inviting famous Chinese designers to showcase their works. A series of fashion activities in the town also attracted much attention.

Behind the fashion scene, Puyuan's sweater industry relies on its strong research and development, design, production and sales capabilities. Some companies cooperate with online anchors, some focus on the European and American markets, and some invest in advanced equipment and technology. They all strive to win with both speed and quality, achieving strong development momentum.