 |
RST Umbrellas
Starting from her grandparents, Real Star rose to prominence from the Umbrella City in Shangyu, Shaoxing, and has long engaged in international trade. Its products are now popular across Spain, Germany, Dubai, South America, and Asia. Ms. Zhang Jiying, Jiayuan's mother and the previous owner, transformed Real Star into a leading enterprise in Yiwu's umbrella market and was among the first to embrace e-commerce in the region.
As the daughter stepped into the business, new e-commerce models like livestreaming surged, the domestic market gained momentum, and brand-oriented strategies became essential. She started exploring a branding path by strengthening the company's unique style, enhancing fashionability of its products, and establishing an ingenious brand image.
To meet the high demands for fast product updates, high design expectations, and strong acceptance of premium products in the Chinese market, Real Star has collaborated with various independent illustrators in the country, in addition to its "RS" (Real Star) brand registered in over 100 countries and regions. It also recruits fresh visual arts graduates annually to maintain an active, original design team that participates in various domestic and international competitions, using these opportunities to showcase its brand to global buyers while learning from other industry experts. Additionally, the company has integrated the personal image of its owner, into product design as a fusion of company and personal branding, which has significantly strengthened its impression among both domestic and international clients, forming a unique and sustainable brand style and company culture.
Real Star umbrellas are not only highly original, with a considerable speed of new product release, but also feature targeted theme designs catering to the preferences of different cultural elements. In the Chinese market, designs reflect a love for national and traditional culture, while in the international market, there is a range of regional styles. The design team's attention to umbrella cases and packaging helps position their umbrellas as not only a functional item but also a gift and cultural creative product, attracting orders from well-known brands and cultural organizations. In a matter of years, Real Star has transitioned from a purely export-driven enterprise to one with balanced growth, with about 30% of sales now in the domestic market.
Two years ago, influenced by the trend of Dunhuang-inspired art, Real Star's Dunhuang-themed series became an instant hit. Other distinct original series, such as "Abundance of Prosperity," saw over 20,000 units sold at the retail level within a month of launch, despite a high price point. Many customers chose these items as gifts for friends.
As Real Star's creative design capabilities have become more recognized within cultural and creative fields, it has signed partnerships with institutions like the China Umbrella Museum in Hangzhou, Lishui Cultural Tourism Investment Development Co., Ltd, Ningbo Foreign Affairs School, and the Yuwangtai Park Scenic Area in Henan. The company has also maintained a longstanding relationship with China Daily, one of China's leading media agencies.
Zhang Jiayuan shared that in addition to its strong design capabilities, Real Star's craftsmanship honed over more than fifty years remains excellent. Take their ultra-light carbon fiber umbrellas as an example: creating a foldable umbrella that is wind-resistant and durable is challenging. While industry standards generally achieve a weight of 300g-500g for umbrella frames, Real Star has managed to create an ultra-light version that weighs around 100g without compromising wind resistance and durability, a series particularly popular with young people.
Real Star also retains a group of skilled artisans dedicated to producing high-quality umbrellas. It takes them more than six times longer to hand-sew an umbrella than with machine processes, yet the intricate craftsmanship and unique ribbing techniques rely on their expertise. Today, these artisans, together with Real Star Umbrella, are experiencing renewed vitality, supported by the e-commerce platform Yiwugo, and embodying the spirit of a flourishing modern enterprise.