In Nantong's home textile industry, Hang Weiping, chairman of Joe's Home Textiles, has crafted an extraordinary transformation story — evolving from distributor to premium brand pioneer in the tech-enhanced sleep sector.

About 30 years ago, Hang launched his venture as a home textile distributor. His market acumen led to the rapid expansion of the business. However, recognizing the limitations in his distributorship, he established the proprietary brand "Joe's" in 2003 in his hometown of Nantong. Within a decade, he achieved annual sales surpassing 100 million yuan ($13.93 million) through offline marketing channels.

When the e-commerce wave surged, Hang decisively realigned its strategy by prioritizing R&D and focusing on specific consumer needs, instead of lowering prices. His team developed functional corrective pillows addressing mothers' concerns about infant head shape and designed 1.5-meter pregnancy support pillows — both of which are products that sell over 100,000 units annually.

This success bolstered Hang's confidence in his approach. He targeted higher-spending consumers by launching a 3,000-yuan silk pillow infused with hyaluronic acid gel, which has been sold 65,000 units and generates daily sales surpassing 200,000 yuan. The pillow elevated the brand's positioning, driving Joe's steadfast advancement in developing differentiated, high-value products.

To sustain innovation, Hang established a 10-million-yuan innovation fund. His future strategy focuses on advancing sleep-related technology in products, positioning Chinese home textiles as global premium contenders.