Sun protection products from "facekinis" to arm sleeves are on hot sale as the heatwave continues to hit China this summer. Among them, “facekinis” which hide most of the face apart from the eyes are very popular, with over 300,000 have been sold in Yiwu, known as the world's capital of small commodities, in Zhejiang Province.

As temperatures hit a record roasting 40 degrees Celsius across many cities in China, how to protect one’s skin from the sun has become a hot topic in the country. In Yiwu, many sun protection products have been upgraded, for example, there are dozens of kinds of sunscreen gloves, including those that expose fingers as well as that allow people to use mobile phones with them on, and "facekinis" with different colors are also hot selling products here.

Some shop owners said that they could feel that people have attached more importance to face sunscreen than before so they promoted “facekinis” which can even cover one’s neck and “sunscreen blush masks”.

“The sales volume of this face mask which can cover the corner of eyes to prevent sunspots has grown by 30 percent year on year,” said a shop owner in Yiwu.

Data from e-commerce platforms shows that consumers from Guangdong, Beijing, and Jiangsu spend more on sun protection products than that from other provinces and cities in China, and the turnover of the new generation of sun protection apparel has increased by 180 percent year on year.

Meanwhile, men’s demands for sun protection products are also growing rapidly, with relevant products such as jackets and pants which are able to resist ultraviolet rays, cool off skin, and absorb sweat becoming popular. Some have been sold for more than 10,000 in a month on some e-commerce platforms.

New market demands are attracting more sun protection apparel brands. Data from e-commerce platforms shows that this June, the number of new sunscreen products for men increased by two times year on year, including clothing, hats, men's oversized parasols, and masks that can protect necks from the sun.