Chinese-made padded coats are selling rapidly in markets in Hyesan, according to a source in Ryanggang province recently.
The source said that Chinese winter coats are outselling locally produced alternatives in Hyesan’s markets.
The imported coats, known as “duck down winter clothes,” feature fur-lined hoods and come in various colors including white, black and red. They are available in sizes for both children and adults.
Prices range from 250 to 2,000 Chinese yuan ($35 to $280), with the most expensive models primarily purchased by North Korea’s wealthy class, known as donju. At current exchange rates, the basic 250-yuan coat costs the equivalent of 70 kilograms of rice in Hyesan, putting even entry-level models out of reach for many people.
While North Korean-made coats are cheaper, priced between 100 and 1,000 yuan, they are heavier and less fashionable, leading to low demand, the source said.
Chinese-made sweaters are also popular, commanding prices of 300 yuan or more due to their quality materials.
“The market has changed since last year,” the source said. “Clothing companies now focus on higher-quality items that appeal to wealthy and young customers, rather than bulk imports.”
A Hyesan clothing smuggler in his 40s said the strategy shift came after struggling to sell cheaper inventory. “We switched to importing smaller quantities of premium items, and we sold all our 2,000-yuan coats within a week,” he said.
Young consumers, many of whom earn money making fake eyelashes or wigs, are particularly interested in brand names and scrutinize design and material quality, the source said.
In response, importers are requesting designs targeted at youth preferences from Chinese suppliers. The source expects more high-quality items to appear through the New Year, noting that padded coats represent the first premium products to enter the market since the COVID-19 pandemic.
Daily NK works with a network of sources in North Korea, China, and elsewhere. For security reasons, their identities remain anonymous.
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