"The outfit was light and breathable. I couldn't help but marvel at the existence of such an extraordinary fabric," Zhang recalls.

He never mentioned closing down the factory again. Instead, he followed Shao to the factory every day, humbly learning the various production processes of the gauze.

Continuous innovation, including enriching the colors of the fabric, has been effective in helping to evolve hangluo in recent times.

In order to change the impression that hangluo is a luxury beyond the reach of many, Zhang plans to introduce it into ordinary households through brand building and product development.

"We will cooperate with companies from different fields and use modern media communication methods to enable everyone to see the charm of hangluo," Zhang says.

Contact the writer at xuhaoyu@chinadaily.com.cn