A shop owner inspects her clothes. [Photo/Hangzhou Daily]

Hangzhou's Sijiqing Garment Market resumed full operations on March 3, marking a strong post-Spring Festival reopening for the place known as China's No 1 clothing mall.

By 9 am, crowds had already filled the T9 menswear market. Shop owner Zhu Zhuang said his stores reopened on the 10th day of the Chinese New Year, with daily shipments reaching several hundred pieces. Last year, sales at his stores rose 50 percent, driven by trend-focused designs, loyal customers and short-video marketing that has attracted more than 100,000 followers online.

In the women's wear section, shop owner Tang Jing reported brisk business as well. Her store, stocked with more than 3 million yuan ($435,363) worth of goods before the holiday, has been selling about 3,000 items a day since reopening.

Buyers from across China are returning to the market. One purchaser from Shandong province said she spent about 100,000 yuan on her first post-holiday sourcing trip. According to local officials, daily visitor numbers have climbed to around 80,000 as the market fully resumes operations.

This year, the Sijiqing fashion mall aims to transform into an international tourism and shopping hotspot. Plans include upgrading product quality, expanding overseas markets, leveraging digital technology, and promoting AI-powered tools to support merchants and accelerate the fashion industry's transformation.

Shop owners examine newly arrived clothes. [Photo/Hangzhou Daily]