Military coats are on fire again! College students: the king of cost performance

A video of college students in northeastern China wearing military style cotton coats to class has trended on social media platforms. Meanwhile, many young women have started to buy floral coats, which are often on sale. 

With the price of down jackets increasing, college students in China have picked up floral cotton-padded jackets and military coats to fend off the winter cold. Thanks to their low cost and high quality, cotton coats have made a major comeback this winter and stormed college campuses.

The general thinking among students is that it isn’t about whether or not they can afford a down jacket, but that cotton coats simply provide better quality at a much lower price.

One can buy ten cotton coats at the price of one down jacket. The cheapest military style cotton coat costs less than 100 yuan and they have become the most fashionable winter wear for college students in northern China.

“As long as I don’t feel awkward wearing the coats, it is others who will feel the cold of not wearing them,” said another student. 

A single person wearing one of these coats is noticeable, and a couple people might be laughed at. But when a group wears them, it’s the latest fashion.

With their light weight, down jackets have been a must-have for many Chinese people. However, the prices have increased. 

According to data from the China National Commercial Information Center, the average price of down jackets increased from 438 yuan ($62) in 2015 to 656 yuan ($92) in 2020. 

The price of goose down has increased, mainly due to the demand at the downstream. Many brands have started to move towards high-end development, resulting in a more significant increase in demand for high-quality materials like white goose down, according to a down jacket seller, surnamed Si, in Jiangsu province