The Qipu Road area in Hongkou is Shanghai's largest wholesale and retail clothing market — a multi-block concentration of indoor markets and street stalls selling fashion at prices well below retail. The market serves the wholesale trade but is accessible to individual buyers willing to navigate the density and negotiate prices.
The best experience is to walk through without a specific purchase in mind, observing the scale of textile trade and the speed at which Shanghai fashion moves from production to retail. Prices are lowest early in the morning and on weekdays; weekend tourist traffic has raised prices in the most visible stalls. The Qipu Road area around the market has additional fabric and button dealers that serve the local garment industry. Metro Baoshan Road or North Sichuan Road.