By Jin Lu

Escaping the urban hustle and embracing nature through camping has become a global lifestyle trend. In China, the popularity of "glamping" is on the rise, driven by the appeal of a comfortable experience, novelty, and its photogenic nature. Against this backdrop, Chinese outdoor brands are thriving, successfully navigating through international competition to carve out a presence in the global market.

Naturehike, an outdoor gear company from Ningbo, stands out as a leader in this field. In April 2022, for the first time, Naturehike secured nearly 100 million yuan in external financing. According to Shoptop's "2023 Outdoor Camping Industry White Paper", Naturehike's annual global sales growth exceeds 40%.

Success in China and on Global Markets

Naturehike founder Ji Jianming had previously worked in outdoor gear manufacturing and is an avid outdoor enthusiast. "I didn't want China to be a mere manufacturer for foreign brands," he said, describing his motivation for founding Naturehike in 2010. Leveraging his extensive experience in global trade, Ji set his sights on the international market, consistently optimizing the supply chain, improving quality management, and boosting investment in product development. Eventually, by utilizing platforms such as Tmall and Taobao Global, Naturehike transformed from a Chinese manufacturer to a respected Chinese brand. With products priced at about one-third of other international brands, Naturehike has drawn a significant number of loyal overseas customers.

When "glamping" first gained traction overseas, Naturehike quickly caught onto the trend. "Outdoor activities are becoming a popular lifestyle abroad in recent years," Ji said,"They are opportunities for socialization that are strongly associated fashionable lifestyles, which is why we want our products to be on top of the latest trends." There are tens of thousands of exporters in Ningbo. The twelve-year-old Naturehike is considered a newcomer. However, unlike more established companies, Naturehike has focused on product research and design from the outset. The brand was registered in 2013, and the company entered Tmall shortly thereafter. To date, Naturehike has secured nearly 200 utility model and design patents.

"In the early years, we were primarily selling to the domestic Chinese market," recalled Hong Chen, Naturehike's sales director. As Naturehike's reputation grew, an increasing number of vendors began distributing its products on cross-border platforms, garnering positive feedback from customers. Some overseas vendors even sought to become the company's sales agents. In response, Naturehike took the initiative in 2017 to list its products on international e-commerce sites like Amazon, AliExpress, and Shopify. They started with a professional tent and gradually expanded their range. Today, Naturehike's products are available in over 80 countries and regions.

Since 2019, Naturehike has increased its investment in response to this trend, receiving widespread acclaim for its glamping-related products like cotton tents, canopies, wooden tables, chairs, cookware, and ambient lighting in China and around the world.

Accurately Predicting a Major Trend

Today, Chinese social media platforms like Weibo, Douyin, and WeChat Moments are filled with images of people enjoying the outdoors, seated on folding chairs under canopies, cooking food on portable stoves atop collapsible tables, with the sunset as a backdrop. In China, glamping embodies a sense of sophistication and comfort. According to iiMedia Research, the core market size of China's camping economy reached 74.75 billion yuan in 2021, a 62.5% increase from the previous year. The core market size is expected to grow to 248.32 billion yuan by 2025.

Attracted by a market with less competition, tens of thousands of companies are getting into the camping gear game. But Naturehike has always been a step ahead of the latecomers. "Back in 2019, by observing the Japanese and Korean markets, we predicted that glamping would eventually be popular in China, thus securing a 'first-mover advantage'," said Hong.

Although 2020 is widely recognized as the first year of the outdoors industry in China, the global camping market has a much longer history. Hiking and backpacking have long been popular in Europe and the U.S., but these activities remained niche in China. Meanwhile, in neighboring Japan and South Korea, glamping began gaining popularity between 2015 and 2018. This form of camping is designed to be comfortable and photogenic, with gear that is easy to pack and carry, making it appealing even to outdoor amateurs.

This observation significantly influenced Naturehike's strategy. In 2018, after frequent overseas trips to study international markets and participating in professional exhibitions like the Japan Camping Car Show, the company became more confident in its future plans for China. "The popularity of camping is closely tied to a region's economic development and per capita income," said Hong, "Once per capita GDP exceeds a certain value, people will start to embrace glamping. We believe glamping is the future of the Chinese market."

Good marketing can drive short-term success, but long-term success relies on quality products. Although Naturehike's achievements might appear to be a result of seizing the right opportunities, the company had been strategically planning all along. By developing its brand image and investing in research and design, Naturehike ensured its sustained growth.

With camping gear now a booming industry in China, Naturehike aims to build on this foundation to continue expanding globally while promoting a positive image of China.