A foreign buyer examines a piece of sample clothing at the 136th China Import and Export Fair, popularly known as the Canton Fair, in Guangzhou, south China's Guangdong Province, Nov. 4, 2024. (Xinhua/Hong Zehua)

A huge robot made from 20,800 bottle caps waves its arms, turning its head to look around at the children and adults who have gathered to take photos. The scene was one of many at the 136th Canton Fair, which concluded on Monday in Guangzhou, the capital of south China's Guangdong Province.

You Dongwei, design director of Hongqiao Packaging, said that the company's aim in developing the robot was to convey a message about living greener, and about recycling and reusing products.

"We aim to produce more environmentally friendly packaging, which can be degraded and recycled after the printed layers are peeled off," You said.

He noted that he has many clients from countries or regions like the U.S., Europe and Southeast Asia, and they place emphasis on environmental protection and hope to boost their sales through innovative design.

Acquiring certifications in areas such as environmental protection, safety and working conditions has become a trend for Chinese companies participating in the Canton Fair. The latest session included booths showcasing international certifications like the Global Recycled Standard, the Oeko-Tex Standard 100, and the Business Social Compliance Initiative.

Founded in 1979, Zhejiang Aiyimei Garment Co., Ltd. has been producing garments for over 40 years. According to Yan Jianfeng, the company's general manager, over 90 percent of its products are sold to the European market, and the EU has established standards for market entry.

Yan said that companies must take measures to ensure their products meet climate requirements and reduce the harmful impacts of production on people, while also guaranteeing the traceability of each production process.

"However, these measures have significantly increased production costs. As a result, we have to continually innovate and improve our production processes to enhance efficiency, leading to better product quality and cost-effectiveness," Yan said.

Founded in 1999, Guangzhou Aopiya Leather Industrial, LLC has evolved from a leather factory that supplies goods to international brands into a company that develops its own brands. It brought several of these brands to the latest fair, including BAGCO and SUSEN, which have market shares in Europe, the Middle East and Southeast Asia.

"With over 40 years of experience, China's leather industry has cultivated skilled craftsmen and advanced production techniques," said Song Wenming, head of Aopiya. "We are now striving to deliver products of a higher quality, designed uniquely with Chinese characteristics like Chinese knots and the brick-red color."

A foreign buyer talks with an exhibitor at the 136th China Import and Export Fair, popularly known as the Canton Fair, in Guangzhou, south China's Guangdong Province, Nov. 3, 2024. (Xinhua/Hong Zehua)

Aopiya is one of over 8,800 leather bag and luggage production enterprises in Guangzhou's Huadu District, where the leather industry has agglomerated.

Guangzhou Aushan Viviin Co., Ltd, which processes raw materials in the upper stream of the leather industrial chain, also participated in the recent Canton Fair. The company showcased water-based and solvent-free leather materials, which were produced with reduced pollution and toxic emissions and drew significant attention from buyers.

"Environmentally friendly products have become essential for companies doing business with the U.S. and EU markets. Through continuous innovation and upgrading, we are taking the lead in this field," according to a salesperson at the company's booth.

Approximately 1.04 million eco-friendly and low-carbon products were featured at the latest Canton Fair, a 130 percent increase from the previous session.

Established in 1957, the Canton Fair is held twice a year in Guangzhou. It is the longest-running of several comprehensive international trade events in China, and has been hailed as the barometer of China's foreign trade.

The intended turnover of export transactions at the 136th fair totaled 24.95 billion U.S. dollars, 1 percent higher than the previous session.

"I think this is a new direction for products made by Chinese companies, and we're also looking for vendors that prioritize sustainability in their production processes," said Jennifer Patton, Mexican department store chain Coppel's general manager for Asia.