01 Conclusion First: Place Names Can Also Turn into "Gold"
"Ruxiu" has obtained the Geographical Indication (GI) Certification Trademark!
This means – the same meter of embroidered fabric, which used to sell for 4.2 yuan, now fetches 6.8 US dollars overseas with the GI mark; bank credit starts at 5 million yuan; and Fortune 500 companies take the initiative to cooperate.
For counties, districts, cooperatives, and associations still watching, this is a ready-made "example": without a 100-billion-GDP scale, characteristic small products can still grow into regional pillar industries.
02 Background Card: A Coal City's "Embroidery" Self-Rescue
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Ruzhou, Henan, once a "hundred-li coal sea," relied on coal for 60% of its fiscal revenue.
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After coal prices plummeted, the livelihoods of 100,000 miner families were at stake, and the "resource curse" loomed.
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"Machine embroidery," which occupies little space, has low energy consumption, and high output value, was included in the plan, with the ambitious goal of "building China's second-largest textile city."
Today, 1,300 intelligent embroidery machines, 160 upstream and downstream enterprises, and an annual output value of 21 billion yuan have transformed the coal city into a new textile hub.
03 Three Achievements: "Embroidery" Revitalizes a City in 8 Years
① Industrial Scale: The industrial park expanded from 300 mu to 1,200 mu, with an annual output of 360 million meters of embroidered fabric – enough to circle the equator 9 times.
② Employment Data: 18,000 people directly employed, 90% of whom are local left-behind women, with an average monthly salary of 4,800 yuan, driving the prosperity of express delivery, catering, and rental industries.
③ Economic Driving Force: The proportion of textile output value in the city's GDP rose from 2.7% to 34.6%, with tax revenue exceeding 1.2 billion yuan, replacing coal as the fiscal "ballast stone."
04 What is a GI Mark? In One Sentence
Officially endorsed "place name + product" with specific quality, designated production area, and unique reputation;
The registrant obtains not a monopoly on the text, but the right to manage the "exclusive mark";
Whoever wants to use the term "Ruxiu" must be from Ruzhou and meet the group standards – otherwise, it constitutes infringement.
05 Ruzhou's 7-Step Roadmap to Securing the GI Mark
① Research Historical Records – "Exquisite silk craftsmanship, countless skilled hands" from the Qianlong-era
Ruzhou Chronicles proves a 200-year heritage.
② Establish Standards – The Henan Textile Research Institute and industry associations issued the
Ruzhou Machine Embroidery Group Standards, with 127 indicators turning "ordinary embroidery" into "Ruxiu" overnight.
③ Full-Category Registration – Submit applications for 7 major categories and 70 subcategories, covering yarn, fabric, clothing, home textiles, and luggage, blocking "trend-leeching" attempts.
④ Build Traceability System – Invest 3.8 million yuan in a blockchain QR code platform, enabling one-click tracking of a bolt of fabric from yarn to machine to quality inspection, leaving no room for counterfeits.
⑤ Collect Data – Archive 86,000 public reviews, exhibition awards, and tax records to facilitate proof of "secondary meaning."
⑥ Seize the Moment – Revise application materials 26 times and obtain the certificate before industrial boom, avoiding "fame = counterfeiting."
⑦ Finance Integration – Cooperate with ABC's "Ruxiu Loan," where the GI certificate equals a 5 million yuan credit line with a 15% interest rate discount, ensuring uninterrupted production expansion.
06 One Certificate, Four "Gold Mines"
① Premium Pricing: Dubai buyers take the initiative to offer 10 times the price, only requesting the "Ruxiu" GI thread on fabric edges.
② Investment Attraction: Singapore Golden Eagle Group signed a 2 billion yuan green fiber project within a month – a GI mark serves as a credibility endorsement.
③ Employment Retention: Post-90s no longer migrate away; Zhengzhou Fashion College set up its first "Machine Embroidery Industry College" in a county-level city, with a starting salary of 6,500 yuan + five insurances and one housing fund.
④ Discourse Power: Release the "Ruzhou Textile Index," aiming to rank alongside the "Keqiao Index" as a national benchmark for machine embroidery prices.
07 Before Following the Example, Answer These 6 Questions
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Does the product have a strong "region + quality" correlation? (Soil, climate, or traditional craftsmanship all qualify.)
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Can historical documents, local chronicles, or old photos prove a heritage of over 200 years?
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Are you willing to first formulate group standards to translate "characteristics" into quantifiable indicators?
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Can the county finance allocate 3-5 million yuan for a traceability platform, full-category trademarks, and testing center?
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Can associations/cooperatives unify branding, packaging, and sales to avoid internal competition?
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Are there supporting facilities such as finance, logistics, and live e-commerce to turn good products into high cash flow?
If you answer "YES" to ≥4 questions, congratulations – you're just one step away from obtaining a GI mark.
08 Practical Routes for Different Entities
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County/District Governments: Copy the "Ruzhou Model" – historical records + standards + traceability + full-category registration, all in one step.
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Industry Associations: First establish a "XX Product Group Standards" working group to lock core indicators, then apply for the GI mark.
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Leading Enterprises: Lay out 45-category full trademark registration in advance; upon obtaining the GI mark, immediately implement "trademark + copyright + patent" comprehensive protection.
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Cooperatives/Family Farms: Maintain production records and origin files, join the GI management association, and share brand premiums.
09 Three Pitfalls to Avoid in Advance
× Applying only after the GI mark becomes popular – counterfeits will have proliferated, leading to costly and tedious opposition and litigation.
× Registering only one category – neighboring counties may squat on "XX Embroidery Clothing" or "XX Embroidery Luggage," diverting business.
× Valuing registration over operation – obtaining the certificate but lacking unified quality control; a single quality incident will damage the entire county's reputation.
10 Conclusion: It's Never Too Late to Turn a "Place Name" into a "Famous Brand"
Ruzhou has proven in 8 years: as long as you identify the right product, set strict standards, and protect the mark early, even a single thread can weave a bright future; even a small county can turn a geographical indication into a national business card going global.
The next "Ruxiu" may be in your hometown – that old street, that craft, that specialty. Don't let them exist only in oral legends. Hurry to register, set standards, build traceability, and tell your story – let the world hear the new rural vitality of China's counties!
