"Tang Niangdi: 8,228 yuan; Peng Caihong: 5,623 yuan; Peng Qiuyan: 6,100.39 yuan..." In the quiet late-night hours of Luhe County, Shanwei City, Guangdong Province, Peng Tingting is busy auditing payrolls for her employees. Since launching her clothing company in 2024, she has expanded her operations to seven factories. "We plan to further increase the proportion of sales through cross-border e-commerce channels," she said.
Peng's story is a reflection of a growing trend in Luhe: a wave of entrepreneurs returning to their hometown to seize opportunities in cross-border e-commerce. By leveraging platforms like Shein and AliExpress, they are shipping "Made in Luhe" T-shirts to markets in the United States, Africa, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East.
A rapidly growing industrial cluster
The clothing industry in Luhe has witnessed an extraordinary boom. Over the past three years, more than 300 new cross-border e-commerce enterprises have emerged in the county. Today, these facilities produce over 350,000 T-shirts daily for overseas markets. This growth is not accidental; in just three years, Luhe has cultivated a cluster of over 900 apparel-related companies, creating more than 20,000 local jobs.
According to Cheng Yongdong, Secretary of the CPC Luhe County Committee, this strategic focus fits the county's unique geography. Nestled in the mountains of eastern Guangdong, Luhe faces land constraints that make large-scale heavy industry difficult. However, the local population has decades of experience working in the garment industry in larger cities like Guangzhou, providing a rich pool of technical expertise and business networks to draw upon.
Bringing the industry home
Kong Weizhen, President of the Luhe Apparel Association, is one of the key figures driving this transformation. After spending over 20 years in the Guangzhou garment sector, he led efforts to bring production back to his hometown. "Our people have the skills and the channels," Kong noted. By establishing 23 factories and 4 e-commerce companies in local villages, he has created a model that allows residents to earn a stable income without leaving their families.
To address the challenge of labor skills, the local government collaborated with Shenzhen's assistance teams to launch free sewing training programs. This "train-and-hire" mechanism has allowed stay-at-home mothers and older laborers to quickly master the craft, transforming them into productive members of the workforce. For many families, a single sewing machine has become a tool for stability, with annual incomes reaching tens of thousands of yuan.
Economic vitality and rural revitalization
The hum of thousands of sewing machines now forms the heartbeat of Luhe's economy. In 2025, the county's GDP reached a record high of 15.14 billion yuan. The impact on rural villages is equally significant. The operating income of 128 villages and communities exceeded 100,000 yuan. Among them, 66 villages generated over 300,000 yuan—a 50% increase compared to the previous year.
As Luhe moves forward, the goal of "a factory in every village and employment for every household" is quickly becoming a reality. By connecting traditional craftsmanship with modern global e-commerce, this mountain county has found a powerful engine for industrial revitalization and sustainable growth.
Authors: Dong Han, Huang Jin, Peng Jun, Peng Lin
Photos: Chen Baoliang, Wang Xuying
