Hebei Qingzhu Art Materials Technology Co., Ltd.

Interviewee: Cao Huali, Manager of Planning Department

Q1: Why did you initially choose to focus deeply on the pigment track?

· Industry Foundation and Experience Accumulation: 

Founded in 1987, Qingzhu Art Materials embarked on pigment production from the very beginning, accumulating a solid foundation and rich experience in this field. After Chairman Liu Qitong took over the enterprise in 1992, he decided to further explore and develop the pigment business based on the existing production system, which proved to be a convenient and feasible strategic choice.

· Existing Market Demand: 

As essential materials for artistic creation, art pigments enjoy extensive market demand. Professional artists, art college students, and art enthusiasts alike all rely on pigments for their creative endeavors. With the continuous development of the cultural and artistic industry, the demand for pigments keeps growing steadily, providing a broad market space for Qingzhu Art Materials to deepen its presence in the pigment sector.

· Need for Enterprise Transformation and Development: 

When Chairman Liu Qitong took over, the enterprise was on the verge of bankruptcy with a debt of 300,000 yuan. To turn the loss-making business around and achieve transformation-driven development, it was imperative to identify a promising core business for focused breakthroughs. As the only product of the enterprise at that time, pigments became the key. By upgrading products, reducing costs, and expanding market reach, intensive cultivation of the pigment business emerged as a crucial path to drive the enterprise forward.

· Founder’s Insight and Determination: 

Chairman Liu Qitong, the founder, boasts keen market insight and unwavering entrepreneurial spirit. Back in 1995, when promoting poster colors, he developed a solution to produce high-quality yet affordable products by creating concentrated poster colors in bags, which significantly enhanced product competitiveness. Later, during a business trip abroad, he spotted the promising market potential of new-type acrylic paints and resolutely led his team to conduct research and development. In 2005, the company successfully launched formaldehyde-free pigments, securing a leading position in the "healthy pigments" track. Such acute market awareness and pioneering resolve have driven Qingzhu Art Materials to firmly commit to the in-depth development of the pigment business.

Q2: As an established art materials enterprise, what attempts have you made in product design and development in recent years?

· Developing Special-Function Pigments: Qingzhu Art Materials has developed matte acrylic pigments specially designed for online marking, effectively solving the problem of light reflection. Featuring soft and subdued colors with a "matte finish" that creates diffuse reflection, these pigments offer enhanced moisture retention after formula upgrading. In addition, the company has launched special art supplies such as metallic powder pigments, pearlescent pigments, and texture pastes, which add unique texture and visual impact to artworks.

· Optimizing Product Packaging Design: 

Qingzhu Art Materials has upgraded its pigment packaging. The brand name and establishment year are clearly displayed on the packages, with green tones and bamboo-like patterns to emphasize the brand’s natural attributes. Natural elements such as flowers and birds, along with geometric lines, are incorporated into the design, and different main colors are adopted to distinguish product series or styles. Meanwhile, the classic rectangular box design facilitates stacking, transportation, and storage.

· Expanding Product Application Fields: 

The company has developed water-based glass painting pigments, water-based ceramic painting pigments, and textile pigments, which can be directly applied to glass, ceramics, T-shirts, cashmere scarves, and other items, thus expanding the application scenarios of pigments.

· Focusing on the Concept of Health and Environmental Protection: 

Qingzhu Art Materials has continuously rolled out a series of formaldehyde-free pigments, including formaldehyde-free gouache, formaldehyde-free traditional Chinese painting pigments, and formaldehyde-free acrylic pigments for wall painting. These products feature pure colors, are eco-friendly and non-toxic, and some even have antibacterial and washable properties, safeguarding consumers’ health.

· Upgrading Traditional Art Supplies: 

The company has upgraded its traditional art products. For example, the newly upgraded Luminous White Charcoal Pencils adopt an innovative carbon core formula, available in soft, medium, and hard hardness levels to precisely meet diverse painting needs. The gradient pen holder design combines aesthetic appeal with practicality, and the pull-out packaging highlights the product’s premium quality.

Q3: As a key cultural industry supported by the state, what do you think are the brand advantages of Qingzhu Art Materials?

· Strong R&D and Innovation Capability: 

Qingzhu has established R&D centers at its headquarters and in Shijiazhuang, equipped with world-class R&D equipment such as inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometers and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry systems. The company consistently invests in R&D, having accumulated 73 authorized patents (including 11 invention patents) and 15 software copyrights. It has also led or participated in the formulation and revision of 23 national and industry standards.

· Rich and High-Quality Product Range: 

The company’s products cover more than 11,000 varieties and specifications, including gouache, acrylic paints, oil pastels, etc., catering to the needs of various groups such as professional painters, art exam candidates, and children. Its professional-grade watercolor pigments are made of high-quality imported color powders, featuring pure and transparent colors, high saturation, excellent color rendering, diffusion, and stability. The paintbrushes come with soft bristles and strong water retention capacity, and the packaging adopts laser gilding technology and specially made eco-friendly recycled materials, reflecting outstanding product quality.

· Prominent Health and Environmental Protection Concept: 

With the corporate mission of "Healthy Art Materials, Healthy Environment, Healthy People", Qingzhu Art Materials has developed innovative products such as the formaldehyde-free series of art pigments, whose quality has been certified by the China National Light Industry Council as reaching the international advanced level. Many of the company’s products have obtained the China Environmental Label (Type Ⅱ) certification issued by the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, complying with the international standards of ASTM D-4236 (USA) and EN71 (European Community), thus boasting the advantages of health, safety, and environmental protection.

· High Brand Awareness: 

The "Qingzhu Art Materials" trademark has been recognized as a "China Famous Trademark". The company serves as the Vice Chairman Unit of the China Stationery and Sporting Goods Association, holding significant voice and influence in the industry. In 2008, its textile pigments were selected as the art painting pigments for the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympic Games, further boosting the brand’s visibility and reputation.

· Extensive Market Channels: 

Qingzhu has established a comprehensive sales network, including online flagship stores and specialty stores, as well as offline image stores, experience stores, and flagship stores. This network enables the company to better serve consumers and expand its market share.

Q4: In your opinion, where are the future opportunities for the domestic art materials industry?

· Green and Eco-Friendly Development: 

With the increasing awareness of environmental protection, the application of green materials such as non-toxic water-soluble pigments, natural mineral pigments, and biodegradable drawing paper will be further expanded. Aligning with consumers’ demand for health and safety, this trend will drive the industry towards sustainable development.

· Integration with Digitalization: 

The integration of emerging technologies such as AR virtual painting, digital drawing tablets, and cloud-based creation platforms with traditional art materials will expand the application boundaries of art supplies, meet the diversified needs of the new generation of creators, and bring new growth drivers to the industry.

· Cultural IP Integration: 

Creating co-branded and limited-edition products by integrating traditional culture, animation and games, museum cultural and creative products, and other content will become a key strategy for brands to achieve differentiated competition. This approach can attract more consumers and enhance brand added value.

· Growing Market Demand: 

With the implementation of aesthetic education policies, the improvement of public aesthetic literacy, and the rapid development of the cultural and creative industry, the market demand for art materials will grow steadily, especially in the fields of art education and free creation.

Q5: What are your expectations for the 120^th China Stationery Fair (CSF) next year?

The 120^th CSF will be held from June 26 to 28, 2026, in Halls E1-E7 of the Shanghai New International Expo Centre. We expect the fair to accurately address the industry’s pain points through three strategic highlights: channel sinking, cultural globalization, and cross-border cultural creativity. By expanding the boundaries of resource docking and strengthening the terminal retail network, the fair can help brands accurately capture the demand of the sinking market; by leveraging the advantages of global resource integration, it can assist enterprises in opening up overseas channels; with cross-border innovation as the core, it can build an open platform integrating design, content, and scenarios, promoting industrial innovation and differentiated competition.

We also hope that CSF 2026 will continue to lead important trends such as the new national fashion, the release of cultural and creative IP value, the concept of green sustainability, and technology-enabled experiences, responding to the call for sustainable development.

About Hebei Qingzhu Art Materials Technology Co., Ltd.

Founded in 1987, Hebei Qingzhu Art Materials Technology Co., Ltd. is an innovative enterprise specializing in the R&D, design, production, and sales of art materials, and is recognized as a key cultural industry supported by the state. The Qingzhu brand has established a sound reputation in the art materials industry. The company’s main products include art painting pigments and other art supplies, covering more than 11,000 varieties and specifications such as gouache, acrylic paints, oil pastels, oil paints, traditional Chinese painting pigments, ink, watercolors, paintbrushes, and drawing paper.

Adhering to the core values of "Integrity, Diligence, Science, Innovation" and the corporate mission of "Healthy Art Materials, Healthy Environment, Healthy People", Qingzhu is committed to continuously developing new products that meet consumers’ needs in terms of product performance, quality, safety, and environmental protection.