Zhangjiagang

Zhangjiagang (張家港, Jiangsu Province, China)

Quick look

• Country: China
• Specialisation: Primary Chinese hub specifically for professional hair scissors
• Production model: Factory-scale with imported Japanese steels and domestic alloys
• Steel grades: Japanese imports (440C, VG-10, ATS-314) alongside domestic equivalents
• Manufacturing complexity: 170–200 individual production steps per pair

Why it matters

While China has several major scissors production regions, Zhangjiagang in Jiangsu Province has emerged as the country’s primary hub specifically for professional hairdressing scissors. The distinction matters. Other Chinese centres focus on household or industrial scissors; Zhangjiagang targets the salon market directly and has developed the infrastructure, tooling, and skilled workforce to produce mid-range to premium-grade professional shears.

The city’s manufacturers import Japanese steel grades — including 440C, VG-10, and ATS-314 — and combine them with the kind of multi-stage production process that would be recognisable to makers in Seki or Solingen. A single pair of scissors can pass through 170 to 200 individual manufacturing steps before completion.

Key manufacturers / brands

Razorline Manufacturing is the most prominent name associated with Zhangjiagang’s professional scissors output. The company produces approximately 1.2 million pairs per year and counts major international brands among its OEM clients, including Wella, Revlon, L’Oréal, and Sally Beauty. Razorline’s scale and client list demonstrate that Chinese-made professional scissors have moved well beyond entry-level production.

Much of Zhangjiagang’s output, like Sialkot’s, leaves the city under other companies’ brand names. Stylists who believe they are buying a European or American brand may in some cases be using Zhangjiagang-made scissors — which is not inherently a quality concern, but is worth understanding when evaluating price and provenance.

Quality positioning

Zhangjiagang occupies a middle ground in the global scissors market. Its best output approaches Japanese quality at significantly lower price points, while its lower-end production competes with Sialkot on volume. For stylists and retailers, the city represents a credible source of professional-grade scissors, provided the specific manufacturer and steel grade are verified.

See also: Yangjiang

Seki City

Sialkot

Verified Sources

1. Primary Razorline Hair Scissors — Official (manufacturer official)
2. Secondary Cosmetics Business — China Hair Scissors OEM/ODM (trade publication)

Frequently Asked Questions

What distinguishes Zhangjiagang from other Chinese scissor regions? +

Professional hairdressing focus. While Yangjiang concentrates on household scissors and Hangzhou on heritage household products, Zhangjiagang has emerged as China's primary hub specifically for professional hair scissors. The city's manufacturers have developed the infrastructure, tooling, and skilled workforce needed for salon-market production, with a single pair of scissors passing through 170 to 200 individual manufacturing steps before completion.

What Japanese steels do Zhangjiagang factories import? +

Common imports include 440C, VG-10, and ATS-314 — the same steel grades used in premium Japanese production. Factories combine these imports with domestic alloy equivalents depending on the product tier and target price point. The imported Japanese steels allow Zhangjiagang's higher-end output to approach Japanese quality at significantly lower price points, which is why the city's professional scissors have become credible alternatives to premium Seki-made shears for value-conscious buyers.

Which international brands source from Razorline in Zhangjiagang? +

Razorline Manufacturing, the most prominent name associated with Zhangjiagang's professional output, produces approximately 1.2 million pairs per year and counts major international OEM clients including Wella, Revlon, L'Oréal, and Sally Beauty. Much of the output leaves the city under those companies' brand names rather than Razorline's own. Stylists buying what they believe to be a European or American brand may in some cases be using Zhangjiagang-made scissors — not inherently a quality concern, but worth understanding when evaluating price and provenance.