Down industry in Shandong’s Yanggu: From “a single feather” to warming the world

LIAOCHENG, China, Feb. 26, 2026 /Xinhua-AsiaNet/–

On the morning of Feb. 16, a van loaded with down products departed from Liaocheng’s Xinxing Shangyu Down Products Co., Ltd., bound for Vietnam via Qingdao Port. For Liu Hailiang, the company’s deputy general manager, this shipment represents more than just product export, it is the warmth of “Yanggu-made” goods reaching the world. “Our down is warming the world,” he said.

In Jindouying Town, Yanggu County, Liaocheng City, Shandong Province, a small town renowned for its down industry, “a single feather” is being transformed into a remarkable economic story. From fine down cleaning to high-end product manufacturing, the town has built a complete industrial chain. Its products are not only popular domestically but also exported overseas, becoming a key driver of local economic growth and increased household income.

Inside Shangyu’s advanced cleaning workshop, automated production lines operate efficiently. Through a seven-step process including washing, drying, and cooling, pure white down floats as lightly as snowflakes. Li Xianwei, the workshop supervisor, highlighted the company’s proud “Golden Six-Hour Fresh Down” process, which ensures optimal quality: ducks from contracted farms are processed within two hours of slaughter, and the down is refined in just four hours.

Quality is the cornerstone. Founded in 2017, the firm now operates 10 automated lines, produces 3,000 tons annually, and in 2025 achieved an output value of 1.49 billion yuan, earning recognition as a provincial manufacturing champion. Its innovations – including antibacterial, anti-mite, and odor-resistant “three-proof down” – have set new industry benchmarks.

At Shangyu’s product showroom in Yanggu County, customers were seen selecting down quilts. “I used to think that high-end down products were all from out-of-town brands. I didn’t expect the locally made ones to be this good, and more affordable too,” one customer noted.

On the global stage, Shangyu’s products have obtained rigorous international certifications. They reach markets across Europe, Southeast Asia, and beyond, integrating into the global high-end supply chain.

The industry’s strength lies in its closed-loop industrial chain and commitment to green development. From duck breeding and feed production to contracted farming, slaughtering, down processing, and finished product manufacturing, Shangyu Group ensures full traceability and control. The company’s self-built wastewater treatment facility handles 30,000 tons of water daily, with a recycling rate of 97%, driving the industry toward greater environmental sustainability.

Jindouying Town is now home to four down and down product enterprises. In 2025, the industry’s output value reached 2 billion yuan, accounting for over half of the town’s total economic output and tax revenue.

From a single feather in Jindouying Town, Yanggu’s down industry continues to soar globally, propelled by quality and innovation.

Source: Information Office of Yanggu County People’s Government