People try on hanfu at a studio at Daiji town, Caoxian county, Shandong province. [Provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

With Children's Day around the corner, Zhao Ying, who is in her 30s, has entered the busiest time of the year for her business making hanfu — Chinese traditional costumes — mainly for children. During the whole month of May, the mother of two children needs to stay up late almost every night to prepare orders placed in her online shops.

"Inquiries about my products keep popping out on my Taobao shops, even though it's night," Zhao said.

Located in Sunzhuang village of Daiji town, Caoxian county, Shandong province, Zhao's workshop is a five-minute drive from the village's main road, which is lined with shops involved in costume production, ranging from cloth production to pattern printing.

A cloth production factory in Daiji town. [Provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

In May, the best month for business, Zho is able to earn more than 70,000 yuan ($10,900) a day selling hanfu. On some days, her daily income can exceed 100,000 yuan, Zhao said.

Like Zhao, hundreds of businesses in Daiji town are working overtime to meet the demand for hanfu. The town has been a center for the manufacture of performance costumes for decades and account for 70 percent of the total sold in the country, according to the town government.

Zhao Ying shows hanfu made at her workshop in Daiji town, Caoxian county, Shandong province. [Provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, sales of the performance costumes slumped last year, but demand is growing substantially now.

In the online sector, hanfu from Caoxian are responsible for one-third of the country's total, according to the e-commerce service center of Caoxian.