From small tailoring workshop to globally protected brand
In 1976, Mr. Gao Dekang gathered 10 craftsmen and eight sewing machines and started a small tailoring workshop in Changshu, Jiangsu Province. That humble workshop would eventually become Bosideng International Holdings Limited (“Bosideng”) — one of the world's largest down apparel brands.
Initially manufacturing garments for other labels, Mr. Gao quickly recognized the power of building his own brand. In 1992, he registered the "Bosideng" trademark — a name carrying a simple yet powerful aspiration: to “bring warmth” to the world.
The brand has remained devoted to that mission, continually redefining its craftsmanship, advancing technology, and elevating design. The result? Bosideng is recognized as one of the largest producers of down jackets globally. It has been China’s best-selling down apparel brand for more than 30 consecutive years and, for two successive years, has featured among the nation’s brands valued at over 100 billion Chinese Yuan (~US$14.5 billion).
Taking Chinese down clothing brand to the global fashion stage
Through five decades of technological advancement, Bosideng has evolved from a small enterprise in southern China into a globally recognized brand, warming winters across 72 countries. Translating technical expertise into tangible experiences — stable warmth, lightweight comfort, and ergonomic fit — the brand empowers people to engage with life freely and confidently, whether navigating urban environments or exploring the great outdoors.
Committed to becoming a pioneering force in the global fashion functional tech apparel sector, Bosideng has made its mark at all four major international fashion weeks — New York, Milan, London, and Paris — elevating the image of Chinese down jackets on the world stage.
Bosideng also strives to broaden the very meaning of warmth. As a member of the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC), the company actively supports the Sustainable Development Goals and implements carbon-reduction initiatives across every stage of production — giving warmth an even deeper meaning.
Why should fashion brands protect their trademarks internationally?
As Bosideng set its sights on global markets, it faced the same daunting challenge confronting many ambitious Chinese brands: the ever-present risk of trademark squatting and counterfeiting in unfamiliar territories.
In the fashion industry – where brand equity is everything – the stakes could not be higher. One bad-faith registration in a key market could block market entry; one counterfeit product could erode consumer trust painstakingly built over decades.
For a Chinese heritage brand with five decades of craftsmanship and a global reputation to protect, strategic intellectual property (IP) protection could not be an afterthought — it had to be the foundation of international expansion.
How Bosideng manages its global trademark portfolio
To meet this challenge, Bosideng turned to WIPO's Madrid System for the International Registration of Marks – a solution that aligned perfectly with the needs of a dynamic, multi-brand fashion group: one application; protection across multiple export markets.
Bosideng filed its first international trademark application in 1997, seeking protection across 50 export markets – a registration that remains active and fully protected almost 30 years later.
The Madrid System has delivered concrete, measurable benefits for Bosideng's global trademark management:
- Cost efficiency. For a group managing multiple brands across numerous product categories, cost savings are substantial compared to separate national filings.
- Streamlined process. Bosideng can file a single application in Chinese directly with the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA), eliminating the need for separate translations, notarizations, and local legal counsel in every target country.
- Centralized management. The Madrid System enables Bosideng to monitor the status and renewal deadlines of every international trademark registration from a single portal, ensuring no deadline is missed.
- Flexible expansion. Bosideng can extend protection to new markets at any time through the Madrid System's subsequent designation procedure — a flexibility that perfectly matches the pace of an expanding global fashion brand.
Scaling Bosideng with strategic global branding
Through the Madrid System, Bosideng has built a portfolio of 14 active international trademark registrations – nearly all designating dozens of export markets right across the globe. What makes this remarkable is that those 14 registrations represent the equivalent of hundreds of individual national rights — secured, managed, and renewed through one centrally managed system.
This robust foundation has enabled Bosideng to complete a profound strategic transformation: from "product export" to "brand export." No longer merely shipping garments abroad, the company now builds global brand equity — opening flagship stores in London, staging fashion shows in Paris, and integrating traditional Chinese cultural elements into internationally protected designs.
“With the Madrid System as a cornerstone of our IP strategy, we have been able to focus on what we do best — crafting world-class down apparel — with the confidence that the Bosideng brand is protected wherever it goes. This gives us the freedom to pursue our vision of bringing warmth, style, and Chinese craftsmanship to consumers worldwide.”
Bosideng
Bosideng's journey is a compelling testament to what becomes possible when authentic craftsmanship, bold innovation, and foresighted global trademark protection work in unison. It is the proven path from local success to global phenomenon.
Find out more about Bosideng’s international trademark registrations.
More about the Madrid System
The Madrid System is a convenient and cost-effective solution for registering trademarks across 130+ countries by filing one application in one language and paying one set of fees in one currency.
