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It's back to the future according to one trend-watcher in China, as Chinese companies try to regain a reputation for high-quality products.
In centuries gone by, Chinese goods like porcelain and silk were synonymous with quality and luxury said chief executive of Megatrends Asia Foong Wai Fong.
"China was regarded as a premium brand," said Foong.
Now, "made in China" represents cheap, mass-produced products - a reputation the Japanese had 30 years ago, said Foong.
Foong said Chinese companies are moving from producing cheap, mass-market goods to using technology to enhance their products.
Part of this transformation is using manufacturing expertise from world-leaders Taiwan.
Foong has also seen a move to "green" products.
Foong said the colour green in the Chinese context is the mix of yellow and blue, rather than the environmentally-friendly association it has elsewhere.
Yellow is the colour of tradition and blue represents the new and technological edge of the products.
Foong said Chinese consumers still look to global trends but are increasingly after products with a local design twist.
"But slowly but surely we are seeing a move to "China chic".
Foong said over the next few years the world will see China's greatest period of creativity drawing from thousands of years of civilisation.
