Chuxiong Yi Embroidery is a 1,800-year-old traditional craft from Chuxiong Yi Autonomous Prefecture in Yunnan, China. Known for its vibrant colors and diverse stitching techniques, it is often described as “an epic worn on the body” and is recognized as a provincial-level intangible cultural heritage. The craft has been showcased at international fashion weeks in New York, Milan, Paris and beyond, with products exported to the UK, France, Italy and other markets. It has also been selected by UNESCO as a global model case for “Heritage and Fashion Design.”

Recently, the Madrid international trademark registration for “Chuxiong Yi Embroidery” passed the WIPO formal examination and received a Certificate of International Trademark Registration. As China’s first regional public brand for intangible cultural heritage apparel, the milestone gives the centuries-old craft an official international legal passport for global expansion.

Backed by strong government support, the industry’s value-added output has grown more than tenfold in recent years, while embroiderers’ average incomes have risen nearly fivefold, creating jobs for rural women, people with disabilities and the elderly. The international trademark registration will further raise the global profile of Chuxiong Yi Embroidery, injecting fresh momentum into economic development and cultural prosperity.