The world looks to China for leather goods, with Guangzhou at its center. Guangzhou‘s leatherware supply chain is mature and comprehensive, covering raw materials, accessories, and the production of finished leather goods. Today, I will focus on analyzing Guangzhou Baiyun Leather City—replica bag heaven, plus 4 other leading leather markets.
Guangzhou Baiyun World Leather Trading Centre
Guangzhou Baiyun World Leather Trading Centre, also known as Baiyun Leather City, attracts a large number of international visitors looking for great deals, especially during the Canton Fair.
Why are so many replicas made in Baiyun?
Baiyun initially specialized in OEM production for luxury brands and tried to develop its own brands, but struggled to gain popularity. Until 2007, a group of businesses from Shenzhen moved in to start producing high-quality replicas, and the market gradually took off. For example, when Real Madrid visited Guangzhou in 2011, manager José Mourinho bought luxury replica bags from Baiyun Leather City.
Driven by:
- High-profit margins in the replica industry.
- The experience and speed gained from OEM production. For example, when Hermes releases a new design on Monday, Baiyun can have a replica ready by Friday.
- Rising consumer demand, particularly from buyers in places like Dubai, the EU, the US, etc.
Baiyun Leather City has become the go-to place for quality replicas, including bags, shoes, belts, watches, clothing, and accessories, with bags being its strongest category.
Baiyun replica bags reach a level where they can easily pass for authentic. What’s most important is that these replica bags are incredibly affordable, priced at just one-tenth of the original, with a 95% likeness to the authentic version.
How is the quality of Baiyun replica bags?
Replica luxury bags generally fall into 3 categories: low, medium, and high quality. There’s a big difference in both price and quality.
Grade-A replica bags
They look similar to the real thing, but it’s easy to tell they’re not genuine, with things like stiff leather and rough hardware. These are usually made in small private workshops with poor materials and a lack of quality control. That’s why they’re so cheap—around several hundred RMB for an A-grade replica LV or Gucci bag. Click to enlarge the comparison images below.
Super grade-A replica bags
These bags are 80-90% similar to the original. They cost around 1k or more RMB, but they look and feel much better, with finer leather and better craftsmanship. To the untrained eye, they’re almost identical to the real thing. Only hardcore fans of LV, Hermes, or Chanel, or experts who know their bags, might spot the difference. This grade is popular, making up the largest share of the replica bag market. Click to enlarge the comparison images below.
Top-tier superfakes
Every detail—materials, craftsmanship, and design—is copied exactly from luxury brands, making the quality and appearance nearly identical to the real thing, with a 95% similarity. Unless you’re an expert and use special equipment, it’s almost impossible to tell the difference. Plus, the price is much lower than the authentic version. For example, a bag that costs around 20,000 RMB at a brand boutique can be found for just 2k+ RMB as a top-tier superfake.
Here are 3 key comparisons between the authentic Carryall and a high-quality replica (3K RMB), very close to the original. Click to enlarge.
Factories often dissect authentic bags, carefully analyzing the shape, size, leather, fabric, lining, hardware, and stitching. Then, they reproduce knockoffs exactly based on these specifications. Some even surpass the originals in workmanship and quality.
3 points to know when purchasing in Baiyun Leather City.
Basic info
Baiyun Leather City is located at No. 1356-1358, Jiefang North Road, Sanyuanli, Yuexiu District, Guangzhou. It’s right next to Guangzhou Train Station. You can exit at Sanyuanli Station (Exit A) on the metro or take a bus to Guihuagang Station.
Baiyun Leather City includes Phase 1 and Phase 2. Usually, it’s enough to explore Phase 1, as it has more big brands, more booths, and a wider range of products compared to Phase 2. The prices are generally higher in Phase 1 as well.
If you’re short on time, just visit floors 1-3, as the basement floor (B1) has fewer booths.
Open time: 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM. Afternoons are better, as fewer shops open in the morning.
The displayed samples don’t have original brand logos.
The samples displayed in the shops usually don’t have brand logos. If you want to see products with logos, the salespeople will show you pictures on their phone or iPad, as the actual items with logos are kept in the warehouse.
Because counterfeit products are illegal. The Guangzhou government conducts annual crackdowns on counterfeit goods, usually focusing in June.
Visit more booths and make comparisons.
The quality of bags varies greatly, with prices ranging from low to high. Some booths may source their products from the same factory, but prices can still differ, which is common.
So, buyers should carefully compare the workmanship, leather, and hardware, etc. Don’t assume a lower price means it’s directly from the factory. Good factories usually have a steady flow of customers and reliable resellers, so they don’t need to risk setting up stalls in the market—they sell online instead.
For the products you’re interested in, you won’t be able to get them immediately. There are generally 2 ways:
Pay a deposit first, then check replica bags nearby at night. If you’re satisfied, pay the remaining balance to complete the purchase.
Pay and leave your address (e.g. hotels). Then, the seller will send the products to you.
This applies during government crackdowns on counterfeit goods in Baiyun Market.
Make sure to ask about the return policy, particularly regarding returns for non-quality issues. Once you receive bags, carefully check the style, size, color, leather, hardware, and craftsmanship. Only remove the protective straps once you’re satisfied, to avoid issues with returns or exchanges.
In short, Guangzhou Baiyun Leather Market is a hotspot for shoppers worldwide looking for great deals, especially those searching for high-quality replica bags. With the right eye, you can find good items. If you’re new to this, though, you might need to “pay your dues” to learn how to select the premium replicas.
Regarding shipping, sellers usually work with specialized freight forwarders who have specific channels, but the logistics cost is higher than general shipment. Be cautious of those promising 100% customs clearance, as there is always some risk.
Major 2 leather material markets in Guangzhou
Sanyuanli leather goods/material market cluster
Located at No. 222, Guangyuan West Road, the Sanyuanli market cluster is home to many specialized leather goods and material markets. For example:
Mensa Leather Hardware No.1 Center (名商天地皮具材料五金龙头市场) – The world’s largest and most complete high-end leather and hardware market, also the biggest market for rare exotic leathers. This is a primary center for sourcing premium leather materials for high-end leather goods.
Jiahao Leather and Hardware Market (佳豪皮料五金市场) – It specializes in mid-to-high-end leather, hardware accessories, zippers, fabrics, and woven materials for leather goods and bags.
Shiling leather goods and raw material procurement hub
Shiling, a town in Huadu District, Guangzhou, is known as “China’s capital of leather goods,” with almost every household involved in the leather industry.
The most famous markets here include
- Shiling International Leather City (狮岭国际皮革城)
- Shengdi Group Shiling International Leather Center (圣地集团狮岭国际皮革城)
- Shiling Leather Hardware No.1 Center (狮岭皮革五金龙头市场).
These three markets primarily focus on synthetic leather, PU, PVC, fabrics, and accessories.
Guangzhou Zhanxi Shoe Market and nearby leather markets
Zhanxi Shoe Market (站西鞋城) is located in the western section of Zhanxi Road, focusing on men’s and women’s footwear wholesale. The surrounding area hosts several key raw leather markets, including:
Xinhaopan Leather and Hardware Market (新濠畔皮料五金市场) is one of the largest leather markets in Guangzhou, offering a wide range of raw materials, including cow and sheep leather.
Buyun Tiandi Leather and Shoe Market (步云天地皮料鞋业市场) provides various grades of leather, catering to both high-end and budget segments.
Hongyun Leather, Hardware, and Shoe Market (宏运皮料革五金市场) provides a wide range of leather and hardware accessories.
Guangzhou Hongsheng Leather Belt Market
Guangzhou Hongsheng Leather Belt Market (广州鸿昇皮具皮带城) is located at 78 Sanyuanli Avenue. This market specializes in full leather belts, belt buckles and other accessories. It primarily serves wholesalers, although some booths also sell individual items.
The bottom line
Hope this blog helps you navigate Guangzhou’s leather markets! If you found it useful, feel free to share. Got any questions? Drop a comment below.
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