A Global Hub Through Local Roots
Danyang City in east China's Jiangsu Province may be a county-level city home to fewer than one million people, but its impact on the eyewear industry is truly global. With over 1,600 businesses powering an ecosystem of eyewear design, production and assembly, this former manufacturing powerhouse now produces half of the world's ophthalmic lenses and 75% of those used in the Chinese mainland.
Innovation at Every Step
For a Turkish businessman who's visited weekly for more than 50 years, Danyang remains a source of fresh inspiration. 'I come here nearly every week to pick up new stock,' he says. He credits the city's commitment to quality and affordability—and a constant push toward automation, smart manufacturing and 3D printing—for keeping him coming back.
Navigating New Challenges
Even U.S. tariff hikes haven't slowed growth. In the first half of 2024, Danyang's eyewear sector recorded 2.5 billion yuan in import-export volume, a 2.8% year-on-year rise. Local companies are diversifying their markets, adopting AI quality control and forging partnerships across Asia, Europe and Africa to stay resilient.
Looking Beyond Production
Today, Danyang is as much about research parks and sustainability as it is about assembly lines. Green factories equipped with water-recycling systems and solar panels cut environmental footprints, while export labs focus on lens coatings that reduce eye strain and block blue light – a nod to health-conscious consumers worldwide.
A Lens on the Future
From immersive factory tours for digital nomads to virtual-reality try-on apps, Danyang continues to evolve. As global demand for eyewear grows alongside aging populations and screen-heavy lifestyles, this nimble city's mix of tradition and tech offers a blueprint for industrial reinvention. What innovative hubs have you discovered overseas? Share your stories below.
Reference(s):
Through the lens: How China's eyewear capital smartly reinvents itself
cgtn.com
