Straining at the leash for high fashion

Doggies in ancient Chinese costumes, internet-famous dog Niu Niu and robotic dog LOVOT as well as hundreds of furry friends in designer clothing shared the same stage during this year's pet fashion show in Shanghai, indicating a booming market for the pet industry.

Over 1 million pet dogs and more than 1.2 million cats attended the annual pet week with their owners, according to the rough estimate of the event organizer.

The 2025 Pet Fashion Trend report revealed during the fourth Petjoy Fashion Week held in Shanghai from March 28 to 30 that China's pet industry reached a scale of 701.3 billion yuan ($96.6 billion) in 2024, with year-on-year growth of 18.3 percent. It is projected that the pet products market will reach 48.4 billion yuan in 2025.

Pet food and medical services still hold core positions, but pet products such as clothing, toys, and health supplements are expanding rapidly at a compound annual growth rate of 13.6 percent, according to the data jointly released by Shanghai Petjoy Fashion Week and China's fashion information platform POP Fashion.

In addition, traveling with pets is gaining ground. Data shows that the "pet travel" category has increased by 33 percent year-on-year, with a surge in demand for lightweight backpacks, windproof jackets, and leashes.

The four-corner insect-proof clothing launched by the South Korean brand Tailhigh at the fashion week, which uses microcapsule essential oil and physical barrier technology, triggered a buying frenzy in the South Korean market upon its release.