Workers work on a dinosaur-shaped light at Zhejiang Changshuo Lighting Co. [Photo/taizhou.com.cn]

Dongcheng town in Taizhou, Zhejiang province, is the largest production base for festive lights in China. The town's colorful light enterprises have honed their focus on advancing research and development and crafting products aligned with evolving consumer preferences, thereby propelling the industry forward.

Zhejiang Changshuo Lighting Co has pivoted towards the high-end market since 2020, channeling substantial investments into producing sophisticated smart products. This year, its design and development team spent over seven months refining a dinosaur-shaped light before finally securing the order.

The company's product lines currently span smart LED, tree lights, and outdoor yard lights, with 70 percent exported to upscale supermarkets in North America. Anticipated to surpass 200 million yuan ($27.54 million) in output value this year, Changshuo Lighting exemplifies the industry's growth trajectory.

In addition to R&D capacities, staying attuned to market dynamics remains pivotal for colorful light enterprises in Dongcheng.

Mubenjie Lighting Co seized the opportunity brought about by the European Championship by switching its focus to lighting products in the shape of balls.

"The stock quantity of football-shaped products is no less than 200,000 units. We also launched new products in the shapes of basketballs, baseballs, volleyballs, and rugby balls," said Qin Rui, the company's head.

The sales of football-shaped light accessories have exceeded 400,000 units, with a year-on-year growth of over 50 percent, according to Qin.

Rooted in a rich history dating back to the late 1970s, Dongcheng town's colorful light industry comprises over 1,000 enterprises, boasting a global reach encompassing over 100 countries and regions. With a dominant market share nationally and a burgeoning international presence, the town stands as a prominent player in festive light production.