467With the development of the apparel industry and the global economy, big brands are no longer the standard by which consumers measure the value of clothing. Instead, cost performance has become the new pursuit of consumers.
As a result, the route of affordable alternatives to big brands has also become a common business model for most brands.
A supply chain company in Xiamen has taken this approach. Its brand, baleaf, has even defeated many overseas competitors and successfully won the 2023 Amazon Annual Most Valuable Brand Award, becoming a well-deserved benchmark enterprise.
From cycling shorts to a self-owned brand with five core categories, what has baleaf done?
In 2014, baleaf was established under Xiamen Junyi Supply Chain Co., Ltd., which at that time was only engaged in the apparel supply chain business.
After the establishment of baleaf, Junyi set its sights on the international market, aiming to sell its own apparel brand overseas. Through excellent product design and strict quality control, it sought to break the prejudice against "Made in China" in the international market and establish a new image for Chinese brands.
However, going overseas is not that easy. In the early stages of its international expansion, baleaf faced many challenges. Issues such as cultural differences in overseas markets, different consumption habits, and insufficient brand awareness once troubled baleaf. However, baleaf did not back down. Instead, it actively explored and continuously adjusted its strategies, eventually successfully opening the door to overseas markets.
Take the supply chain as an example. Since the original company was engaged in the apparel supply business,baleaf has always attached great importance to supply chain optimization.
By selecting high-quality garment factories and integrating fabric suppliers and garment suppliers, baleaf has formed an OBM model of "independent R&D + outsourced production", and ensures product quality consistency through strict quality control.
Later, baleaf independently developed an IT platform and introduced digital systems, achievingfull-link digital management from front-end R&D, supply chain, and operations to back-end human resources, administration, and finance.
This digital transformation not only improved the efficiency of supply chain management, but also enabled the brand to respond quickly to market changes.
In the process of gradually shaping the brand, baleaf has continuously enhanced its brand influence and laid out a global market. In 2019, baleaf began to build anindependent website as a platform for brand display and direct contact with consumers. Through membership management and points system, baleaf has enhanced user stickiness.
At the same time,baleaf also attaches great importance to multi-channel promotion strategies. In addition to traditional e-commerce platforms such as Amazon and eBay, baleaf actively explores social media channels such as Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, etc., and improves brand awareness and reputation through influencer collaborations and user interactions.
For example: morning run gear showcase.
baleaf shot a series of videos showcasing morning run gear, from sportswear and running shoes to smart wristbands, paired with popular background music and exquisite editing, attracting a large number of viewers and likes. The videos also included morning run tips, enhancing their practicality and fun.
In addition, baleaf has also launched sports challenges, encouraging users to shoot short videos of themselves exercising in baleaf products and tag them with specific hashtags.
These marketing initiatives not only helped baleaf increase brand exposure, but also enhanced user engagement and loyalty.
No matter how the market changes, product quality has always been the foundation of baleaf. baleaf strictly controls every production process, from design and material selection to manufacturing and quality inspection, striving for excellence. High-quality products have not only won consumer praise but also established a good image for the brand.
Today, baleaf is upgrading its brand based on the needs of offline consumer groups, starting from the concept of a positive and healthy sports lifestyle, creating all-category and multi-scenario products, and exploring the interoperability of several major categories.
With the improvement of consumption levels in the European and American markets and the gradual recovery of the market, new trends are constantly emerging in the sports apparel industry. baleaf will continue to adhere to long-termism, make great efforts in supply chain integration, digital empowerment, and brand concept communication, and further realize the internationalization and localization development of the brand.
At the same time, baleaf's journey overseas has also set an excellent example for other foreign trade brands. Through continuous efforts and innovation, Chinese brands are fully capable of gaining a foothold in the international market and achieving a magnificent transformation from "manufacturing" to "creation".
It is hoped that baleaf's successful experience can inspire more foreign trade brands and factories, and jointly create a new chapter for Chinese brands going global!
