Chinese-made turtleneck jumpers have become the second most popular hit among European buyers after electric blankets, according to the report.
"Searches for men's turtlenecks have increased 13 times in the last 30 days in our company's online shop," chief of Xiamen Premium Import and Export Co, Luo Jun, said, as quoted by the newspaper.
Luo noted that many Chinese clothing manufacturers in the southeastern Chinese provinces of Fujian and Guangdong predicted such an increase in demand for turtleneck sweaters in April.
"We provided samples and accepted orders in April, and started to work overtime in May and June, then it would be possible to catch up with the sales boom," Luo added.
Requests for sweaters and pullovers on the Chinese Aliexpress platform have jumped to the first place in the menswear category over the past month, the newspaper said. According to Aliexpress, sales of thermal underwear in Europe surged by 246% compared to the previous month, the demand for flannel pajamas also increased by 95%.
According to the report, in addition to warm shoes and clothing, electric blankets also became a necessity for Europeans. Thus, in the first eight months of the year, the city of Yiwu, located in the eastern Chinese province of Zhejiang, which is also the world's largest wholesale market for small household goods, exported various heating products, including air conditioners, heat pumps, water heaters and electric blankets, worth $26.5 million, which is 41.6% more year-on-year.
Earlier in the day, the Chinese financial news publication Caixin reported that surging energy prices in Europe sparked a boom in cheap Chinese goods such as electric blankets and heaters. According to China Household Electrical Appliances Association, from January to July, Chinese exports of electric blankets to European countries increased by 97% compared to the same period last year, and the demand for electric heaters increased by 23%.
The outbreak of hostilities in Ukraine in February exacerbated the energy crisis that has been unfolding in Europe over the past year. Disruptions in logistical and financial operations due to the crisis and Western sanctions against Russia have undermined supply chains and led to a spike in energy prices worldwide.