480In recent years, the global apparel market has continued to expand. According to Statista data, the global apparel market reached $673.6 billion in 2023, and in the coming years, it is expected to maintain a strong growth momentum.
Image source: Statista
Among them, the demand for homewear is rising along with the trend of "home comfort", making this sub-category one of the fastest-growing tracks. More and more consumers are no longer satisfied with clothing for a single scenario, but are instead seeking multifunctional apparel that can be worn both for relaxing at home and for socializing outside.
Against this trend, a homewear brand from Shenzhen, China, EKOUAER, has successfully broken through the fiercely competitive overseas apparel market with precise market positioning and flexible strategies, with its products exported to more than 180 countries and regions worldwide.
In 2023, its sales achieved a year-on-year growth of 140% during Black Friday and Cyber Monday, and the total annual sales for 2023 exceeded 1 billion yuan in one fell swoop! It has become a benchmark case under Saiwei Era.
Image source: EKOUAER
Avoiding Red Ocean Competition, Opening the Market with Differentiated Positioning
It is understood that the EKOUAER brand was established in 2015 and is one of the core brands under Shenzhen Saiwei Era.
In the field of cross-border e-commerce apparel, the presence of giants and serious homogenization are common pain points. Facing the supply chain advantages of platforms like SHEIN and the traffic strategies of brands like Cider, EKOUAER chose a differentiated path.
That is, focusing on the homewear niche track, highlighting the multi-scenario adaptability of "home + leisure", and launching a rich product line covering underwear, pajamas, swimwear, and other categories, which not only meets daily home needs but also adapts to yoga, sports, daily outings, and other scenarios. It is precisely this differentiated product strategy that has enabled it to form a unique competitiveness in the fierce market competition.
Image source: EKOUAER
In addition, in response to the complex sizing needs of the European and American markets (for example, American consumers have a wide range of body types and prefer loose fits), EKOUAER has independently developed a fashion trend system. This system can analyze global fashion data and consumer preferences in real time, helping the brand quickly adjust pattern designs and size standards.
For example, in the North American market, EKOUAER launched detailed designs such as extended cuffs and elastic waistbands to solve the problem of traditional Asian patterns being "unsuitable for local conditions". This data-driven product iteration model enables it to respond quickly to market demands and optimize product design, thereby establishing a good reputation in overseas markets.
Image source: EKOUAER
Focusing on Social Media Marketing, Touching Diverse Users with Real-life Scenarios
The overseas expansion of apparel brands cannot be separated from deep interaction with consumers, and social media is the core battleground for EKOUAER to connect with global users. The brand has built a differentiated content matrix on platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube, using multi-dimensional marketing to get closer to users.
TikTok: Breaking Cultural Barriers with Authenticity
On TikTok, EKOUAER attracts a wide audience by emphasizing authenticity and inclusivity, and has currently accumulated 162,600 followers and received 1 million likes. Its video content features models of different skin colors, body types, and age groups, showcasing outfits for various scenarios such as working from home, weekend leisure, and fitness, meeting the needs of different audiences.
Image source: TikTok
EKOUAER also actively collaborates with mid-tier and micro-influencers, using product reviews, outfit tutorials, and other formats to leverage their influence to further attract the attention and purchases of potential audiences.
For example, TikTok influencer @realbadjaz, who has 121,200 followers, shot a product review video for EKOUAER, showcasing the fit, which sparked high user interest. Many users commented under the video, "Very beautiful", "Great figure, these clothes fit well", and even proactively asked about purchase channels, driving product conversions.
Image source: TikTok
Instagram: Shaping Brand Tone
Instagram has become a key platform for EKOUAER to shape its brand tone. By publishing high-quality outfit guides and lifestyle content, it attracts users who value fashion. This soft marketing strategy has helped the brand accumulate 189,000 followers on Instagram.
Image source: Instagram
Facebook: Building a Lifestyle Community
EKOUAER's official Facebook account has the most followers among all its social media platforms, with 970,000 fans following it.
On this platform, the brand focuses on event previews and user-generated content (UGC), such as launching a "Stay-at-home Outfit Challenge", encouraging consumers to share photos and giving gifts to enhance participation.
Image source: Facebook
YouTube: Deep Content to Strengthen Trust
However, EKOUAER's official YouTube account has fewer subscribers, only 7,100, and is still developing. It mainly relies on collaborations with influencers, who post product review videos to emphasize brand storytelling and further boost brand exposure.
Image source: YouTube
Channel Layout: Dual Track of Amazon + Independent Website
For cross-border e-commerce brands, channel selection directly affects market penetration and risk resistance.
To this end, EKOUAER has adopted a "third-party platform + independent website" collaborative model: leveraging Amazon's traffic advantage while accumulating user assets through its own website.
On Amazon, the brand uses a broad SKU strategy to cover mainstream needs, with multiple categories such as pajamas, underwear, and sportswear. It also ensures delivery timeliness through FBA (Fulfillment by Amazon) and accumulates initial users by taking advantage of the platform's traffic dividends.
Image source: Amazon
On its independent website, the brand further enhances user trust and satisfaction by optimizing the official website experience, such as size guides and one-click returns and exchanges.
The advantage of an independent website is that when third-party platforms restrict purchases, consumers can place orders directly on the independent site, and this multi-channel layout can effectively spread risk.
At the same time, directly reaching consumers through the independent website also helps EKOUAER to better accumulate user data, providing strong support for future sustainable development.
Image source: EKOUAER
Inspiration for Chinese Brands: Overseas Markets Still Hold Great Potential
Competition in overseas markets has never stopped, and opportunities always exist.
As EKOUAER's growth from a Shenzhen company to a global brand has proven: as long as you find the right positioning, lay out multi-channel marketing, and proceed steadily, "Made in China" is fully capable of transforming into a "global brand".
For domestic companies that are still on the sidelines, now may be the best time to set sail for overseas markets!
