Must-see shopping in China

This impressive nonprofit enterprise aims to bolster traditional Tibetan handicrafts in the face of rising Chinese and Nepali imports. Products are unique…

High on creative flair, Spin offers a modern take on Chinese ceramics with oblong teacups, twisted sake sets and all manner of plates, chopstick holders,…

A curio hunter's heaven or an Everest of fakery? Panjiayuan is both, and marvellous fun to boot. Picking over the wares of some 4000 dealers, you won't…

This renovated Qing dynasty stretch of Middle Fangbang Rd is lined with specialist tourist shops, spilling forth with shadow puppets, jade jewellery,…

The Tung Choi Street Market is a cheek-by-jowl affair offering cheap clothes and trinkets. Vendors start setting up their stalls as early as noon, but it…

Right off the Bund, this cute boutique sells exquisite hand-embroidered silk slippers, bags, hats and clothing. Patterns and colours are based on the…

In a city in thrall to the mall, this futuristic, ecofriendly pyramid stands out from the crowd. Hong Kong–owned Parkview Green is a fabulously ambitious,…

Tucked away on the southern coast of Ap Lei Chau, this enormous outlet housed in a converted factory building contains 100 shops over 25 storeys. Most…

Trading under the name of the artist (Zhang Mingshen) who invented Tianjin's most famous craftwork almost 200 years ago, the inconspicuous first-floor…

This charming boutique upcycles shards of porcelain vases smashed during the Cultural Revolution into unique and desirable jewellery, boxes, ornaments and…

This beautiful shop carries dozens of canned seafood brands (representing hundreds of varieties) from Portugal, all labelled with details on the history…

There are dozens of 1920s brooches and pearl necklaces in glass display cabinets, rock and roll on the stereo and brilliantly kitsch bits and bobs like a…

This upstairs gallery has an outstanding collection of antique maps, lithographs, photos and posters for sale. Rarely will you find such an extensive…

A visual celebration of Beijing in all its chaotic glory, the T-shirts, hoodies, tote bags and gifts at this iconic streetwear shop make funky and…

A delicious bookshop specialising in cultural and academic titles, Old Heaven also doubles as a vinyl-music shop, cafe, live venue and community creative…

Goods of Desire – or G.O.D. – is a cheeky local lifestyle brand, selling homewares, clothes, books and gifts with retro Hong Kong themes. Fun buys include…

Run by esteemed interior-design duo Neri & Hu – the last word on everything tasteful in Shanghai – Design Republic has set up this multilevel showroom…

This five-storey behemoth is one of only a few old-school Chinese department stores left in the city. Products include silk scarves, traditional Chinese…

One of the coolest born in Hong Kong shops around, G.O.D. does irreverent takes on classic Hong Kong iconography. Think mobile-phone covers printed with…

The artist/owner of this woodblock printing workshop, Mr Yin (尹), is a fifth-generation artisan whose family has been in business for more than 200 years…