Zhuang brocade, a traditional textile craft from Guangxi, has found a new stage at the FIFA World Cup.
At a studio in South China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, local artisans have been busy making a range of World Cup souvenirs inspired by Zhuang brocade. The products include footballs, jerseys, caps, mouse pads and figurines.
The products created by Tan Xiangguang's team have been selected as official licensed World Cup merchandise in China. It is the first time that this national intangible cultural heritage craft has been used in products linked to a top global sporting event.
Tan, a master artisan and inheritor of the Zhuang brocade weaving technique, said the collaboration offers an important opportunity for the craft to grow. Working with a global sports event, she said, is also a valuable test of the team's skills.
Zhuang brocade is known as one of China's four famous brocades, along with Shu, Song and Yun brocade. It is admired for its bright colors, detailed patterns and fine hand-weaving. The craft dates back more than 2,000 years, with ancient brocade fragments found in a Han Dynasty tomb in Guangxi.
In 2006, Zhuang brocade weaving was included in China's first national intangible cultural heritage list. Other heritage-inspired products selected as official World Cup merchandise feature traditional crafts such as boxwood carving, Ru porcelain and hemp weaving.
One of Tan's new designs combines a traditional Zhuang mascot with football. The mascot is based on a mother figure from ancient Zhuang legends who protects children. In the new version, she holds a football, symbolizing World Cup dreams wrapped in the warmth of Zhuang brocade.
The football in the doll's arms is made from 24 panels of Zhuang brocade with traditional python-and-dragon patterns. Black, a classic color in traditional Zhuang clothing, forms the base of the design, while the bright patterns suggest people from different backgrounds coming together on the football pitch.
Tan's team adjusted the colors, patterns and production techniques many times. They wanted to keep the special features of Zhuang brocade, including its complex warp-and-weft weaving and rich motifs, while making the designs feel modern and sporty.
Another product Tan is proud of is the Zhuang brocade football. A football is smooth and elastic, while brocade is a woven textile. Simply printing patterns on the ball would not show the beauty of the craft. Adding the World Cup logo also required repeated experiments with colors and patterns.
"We went through countless rounds of refinement before finally creating our Zhuang brocade-inspired cotton football," Tan said. "Perhaps this is what it means to carry on a traditional craft: not fearing challenges, striving for perfection, and paying close attention to every detail."
Tan believes that preserving a craft does not mean keeping it unchanged. Instead, it means giving the craft new life and helping it reach a wider stage.
Although the products will not go on sale until June, Tan's team said it has already received more than 5,000 orders from around the world.
In ancient times, Zhuang brocade was a precious textile used as tribute and reserved for nobles and high-ranking officials. A skilled weaver could produce only about 10 centimeters of brocade in one day. Today, with modern machinery, as much as 20 meters can be woven in a single day, according to Tan.
What was once a luxury item has now become part of clothing and household products for daily life. For Tan, this is the best way to preserve and carry forward the heritage.
A national standard for Zhuang brocade came into effect in May 2025. It lays the groundwork for digital preservation and industrial development, helping the traditional craft move toward a more scientific and standardized form of inheritance.
Wu Weifeng, former curator of the Museum of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, said Zhuang brocade shows the beauty of cultural exchange. He said the craft is becoming part of modern lifestyles and gaining attention both in China and abroad.
Tan hopes the collection will allow football fans to experience the charm of Guangxi's traditional culture and encourage more young people to appreciate the craft.