Yangjiang

Reference sectionYangjiang (陽江, Guangdong Province, China)

Quick lookQuick look

• Country: China
• Heritage: 1,400+ years of cutlery tradition
• Title: “Chinese City of Knives and Scissors” (中国刀剪之都)
• Output: Over 70% of China’s total scissors production
• Primary focus: Household and industrial scissors; growing professional segment

Why it mattersWhy it matters

Yangjiang holds the official designation “Chinese City of Knives and Scissors” (中国刀剪之都), and the numbers support the title. The city in western Guangdong Province accounts for over 70% of China’s total scissors production, making it one of the largest scissors-producing regions on earth by volume. Its cutlery tradition stretches back more than 1,400 years, placing it among the oldest continuously active blade-making centres in the world.

The city’s strength has historically been in household scissors, kitchen knives, and industrial cutting tools. Yangjiang’s massive cluster of factories produces the kind of everyday scissors found in shops, schools, and homes across dozens of countries. This is not a criticism — producing reliable, affordable cutting tools at enormous scale is a genuine manufacturing achievement.

DetailProfessional scissors segment

Yangjiang’s professional hairdressing scissors segment is smaller and less established than Zhangjiagang’s, but it is growing. Some manufacturers in the region have begun investing in higher-grade steels and more refined finishing processes to compete for salon business. The city’s deep institutional knowledge of scissor production provides a foundation for this move upmarket, though the professional segment remains a secondary focus relative to the household and industrial core.

DetailKey manufacturers / brands

Yangjiang’s production model is overwhelmingly OEM and export-oriented. The city supplies scissors to brands and retailers worldwide, most of which carry no visible connection to Yangjiang. Individual manufacturer identities are less prominent than in regions like Solingen or Seki, where brand heritage is a selling point. The Yangjiang International Hardware Knives and Scissors Fair, held annually, is one of the industry’s major trade events and offers visibility into the region’s manufacturing breadth.

Source trailSources

1. Yangjiang municipal government industrial reports
2. China Light Industry Federation — cutlery industry data
3. Yangjiang International Hardware Knives and Scissors Fair trade publications

Compare contextContext and comparison

Yangjiang’s position in global scissor production is defined by scale and price-tier specialisation. At the mid-grade professional range — 4Cr13MoV and 5Cr15MoV shears at the $30–$100 retail tier — Yangjiang manufacturers have progressively improved heat-treatment consistency since the early 2000s. The city’s 1,400-year blade-making history is cited by regional trade bodies as the cultural foundation of the modern industry, though the contemporary professional scissors segment is driven by manufacturing efficiency and material quality rather than traditional craft techniques. For professional buyers, Yangjiang instruments are evaluated on stated hardness specification and brand quality assurance rather than geographic origin alone.

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