Every winter, social media in China fills with complaints about the soaring cost of down jackets. Posts lamenting, “The factory price of down jackets is approaching 1,000 yuan” or “Even with a monthly salary of 20,000 yuan, I still can’t afford a down jacket” go viral across platforms. Offline, finding a quality down jacket under 1,000 yuan has become increasingly difficult.
Data from the China National Commercial Information Center shows that from 2015 to 2020, the average price of down jackets rose from 438.6 yuan to 656 yuan. By 2023, prices for most down jackets were generally between 500 and 800 yuan. By 2024, the trend continued, with notable growth in mid-range brands priced between 1,000 and 2,000 yuan, whose market share rose by 1.82 percentage points year-on-year.
Underlying this price surge is a sharp increase in the cost of down itself, the primary material in these jackets. According to Down Gold Net, white duck down and white goose down have risen steadily since January 2023. White duck down climbed from around 350 yuan per kilogram to roughly 500 yuan, while white goose down increased from 700 yuan per kilogram to nearly 1,100 yuan. Although raw material prices slightly retreated in the summer of 2025, they surged again starting in October, particularly for mid- and low-end materials.
Down comes in four main types: white duck, grey duck, white goose, and grey goose. Goose down is more expensive than duck down, and white down is higher quality than grey down. The current spike has largely been driven by rising prices of mid- to low-end materials, which are more widely used in mass-market jackets.
Several factors are driving the cost increases. First, supply has decreased. The livestock industry in China has experienced a trough in the pork cycle, prompting consumers to buy more pork while reducing demand for duck and goose meat. Fewer ducks and geese are being slaughtered, which has caused a decline in feather by-products. Data from the Waterfowl Branch of the China Animal Husbandry Association indicates that meat duck supply has fallen at a compound annual rate of 12.2% over the past five years. Average prices for commercial ducklings and live ducks have also declined, placing stress on the supply chain.
Second, national standards implemented in 2022 have increased production costs. The new GB/T 14272-2021 standard measures down cluster content rather than total down content, excluding waste material and improving quality. While this raises the product standard, it also pushes up prices. Some analysts predict that a colder-than-usual winter could further escalate the cost of down.
This spike in raw material costs directly affects jacket prices. The China Down Industry Association reports that for jackets filled with 150 grams of 90% white duck down, raw material and production costs total no less than 126 yuan. Jackets using higher-quality goose down can easily exceed 300 yuan per unit in production costs.
Despite consumer complaints, several domestic brands have embraced higher prices and brand-focused strategies. Bosideng, the market leader, illustrates this trend. Before 2017, Bosideng struggled with outdated designs and marketing, selling jackets around 500 yuan. Inventory piled up, forcing the closure of more than 8,000 stores and pushing the company toward bankruptcy.
The company pivoted in 2018, inspired by the entry of Canada Goose into China. Bosideng made its debut at New York Fashion Week and raised average product prices to 1,000–1,800 yuan, a 30%–40% increase. Marketing campaigns including celebrity endorsements, international collaborations, support for Antarctic expeditions, and technological upgrades in down manufacturing helped revamp the brand. Bosideng reported revenue of 25.902 billion yuan in fiscal 2024/25, an 11.58% year-on-year increase, and net profit of 3.514 billion yuan, up 14.31%.
Gaofen, another domestic brand, pursued a similar strategy. In 2020, it focused on premium goose down jackets in the 2,000 yuan range, emphasizing fashion and craftsmanship with elements like Miao embroidery and Yunjin brocade. At the 2024 Double 11 shopping festival, Gaofen recorded a 107% increase in transaction volume, generating 510 million yuan in sales and achieving an 11% market share in goose down jackets.
Meanwhile, mid-range and traditional brands such as Xuezhongfei, Yalu, and Yaya have also introduced lines priced above 1,000 yuan. According to Bain & Company, domestic brands’ market share in the 2,000–5,000 yuan apparel segment rose from 15% in 2020 to 28% in 2024. International high-end brands such as Moncler and Canada Goose maintain premium pricing, providing opportunities for domestic brands to expand in mid- to high-end segments.
While brands pursue higher prices, some consumers are questioning the value of premium labels. On Xiaohongshu (RED), the hashtag #Refuse brand premium has gained more than 50 million views. Reports that Adidas down jackets sold online were actually OEM products made by Xuezhongfei fueled complaints about middleman markups. Comparisons show that a 579-yuan Adidas jacket with 80% duck down is similar to a 519-yuan Xuezhongfei jacket with 90% duck down, raising questions about the justification for high prices.
Bosideng has leveraged these insights by strengthening its OEM operations. As of March 2025, the group’s OEM management business generated 3.373 billion yuan, 13% of total revenue, a 26.4% increase year-on-year.
Down jackets are more than winter essentials; they have become a form of social currency. The challenge for both consumers and brands is balancing affordability, quality, and brand prestige. Domestic brands have shown that higher prices can coexist with strong sales if supported by quality, design, and strategic marketing.
As the winter season unfolds, the cost of down remains a key driver of prices, while consumer sentiment is pushing brands to rethink value. Whether mid-range and high-end domestic brands can maintain growth amid rising raw material costs and increasing competition will be a defining question for the industry in the coming years.
