从渔网转型到球网，这家湘企做了什么？
A volleyball net, shaped like a cross, designed for a four-player match, and a baseball pitching target with a half-hollow net surface that allows the ball to pass straight through are not exactly standard forms of sports equipment.
一张十字交叉、为四人排球赛设计的排球网，以及一个网面半镂空、能让球直接穿过的棒球投掷靶，这些都并非标准样式的体育器材。
These are just two of the innovative creations of Hunan Xinghai Sports company, based in Central China's Hunan province. So distinctive and complex are these products that they are listed in the company's product catalog simply via serial numbers, rather than names.
却是来自中国中部湖南省的湖南星海运动用品有限公司（以下简称星海运动）众多创新产品中的两样。这些产品独特又复杂，以至于在该公司的产品目录中，它们仅以编号而非名称列出。
Photo by Voice of Hunan.
Its parent company, Hunan Xinhai, has a nearly 50-year history of fishing net production. But it began to rethink its business model, as many fishermen sought alternative livelihoods, since the government had ramped up efforts to protect fishery resources in the Dongting Lake, China's second-largest freshwater lake, and the Yangtze River, the country's longest waterway.
其母公司湖南鑫海股份有限公司（以下简称鑫海公司）专门生产渔网，已有近 50 年历史。随着政府对洞庭湖和长江渔业资源保护的日益重视，以及越来越多的渔民转产转业，该公司也因此开始重新思考其商业模式。
Recognizing that sports nets shared similar manufacturing elements with fishing nets, the company founded Xinghai Sports in 2016, and started engaging in the manufacturing of sports nets.
在了解到球网和渔网在制造方面的相似之处后，鑫海公司在2016年成立了子公司星海运动，开始球网生产。
According to Zhang Yong, general manager of Xinghai Sports, compared with fishing nets, sports nets require greater resilience and durability to withstand the impact of high-speed balls, so the company improved its manufacturing techniques.
据星海运动总经理张勇介绍，与渔网相比，球网需要更强的回弹性和耐用性，以承受高速球的冲击，因此他们改进了生产工艺。
While improving manufacturing techniques was straightforward, finding a market for their nets proved more challenging. As China's traditional sports net market was already saturated with established brands, Xinghai Sports had to spend a lot of time looking for new business opportunities. The breakthrough came when it noticed numerous niche sports nets being sold on Amazon.
从渔网到球网，改进生产工艺的转型难度不算太大，但寻找市场的难度却不小。由于中国传统球网市场已经饱和，星海运动不得不花费大量时间寻找新的商机。最终，转机出现在销售许多小众体育用网的亚马逊上。
"We realized unlike in China at that time, where sports were traditionally associated with specific locations and techniques, many other countries treated sports as a lifestyle — accessible to anyone, anytime and anywhere," Zhang says. "This meant that leisure sports nets designed for different ages, groups and settings were always among the best-sellers in such markets."
张勇介绍：“我们发现，与当时的中国不同，在国外，体育运动是一种生活方式，任何人随时随地都可以进行。因此，适合各年龄段、不同人群和不同场景的便携式体育休闲类球网在国外非常畅销。”
With this insight, it began reaching out to international dealers and agents via email, and by attending trade fairs worldwide.
意识到这一点后，星海运动开始通过电子邮件以及参加全球各地的贸易展会，与国际经销商和代理商取得联系。
Initially, it produced net products such as portable football goals and tennis rebound nets, which, though not yet mainstream, were in demand. Thanks to its fine craftsmanship and competitive pricing, it gradually gained recognition among overseas customers.
最初，星海运动生产的还是如可移动足球门、网球反弹网等虽不是主流但有一定市场需求的产品。但凭借精湛的工艺和实惠的价格，逐渐在海外客户中获得了认可。
As the brand grew, it started receiving custom orders from creative clients. Last year, it welcomed two international clients to Hunan, who brought with them a design draft for a cross-shaped volleyball net. They had invented a volleyball game where four players compete individually, requiring a net unlike any other.
随着品牌知名度的提升，星海运动开始收到一些“奇葩”客户的定制订单。去年，星海运动接待了两位国际客户，他们带来了一张十字交叉排球网的设计草图。他们发明了一种四个人各自为战的排球游戏，需要一张与众不同的球网。
"It seemed easy at first, but the net required advanced craftsmanship, especially in ensuring the connections had both the necessary hardness and toughness," says Deng Zhuobin, manager of the company's R&D department. After about 15 days of design efforts, it managed to successfully deliver 1,000 nets.
星海运动研发部经理邓卓斌介绍：“一开始看起来很简单，但这张球网工艺要求很高，尤其是两张球网的连接处必须具备足够的硬度和韧性。”经过半个多月的精心设计，最终这项1000张“四面排球网”的任务成功交付。
"These creative and personalized net products have inspired us to explore the market further," Zhang says, adding that it has partnered with sports schools and associations in China to develop niche net products tailored to the country's emerging sports market demands.
“这些创意十足的个性化定制产品给了我们深入研究市场的灵感和动力。”张勇补充说，星海运动已与中国高校及运动协会合作，开发针对国内新兴体育市场需求的小众球网产品。
As China continues to promote extensive fitness-for-all activities, its sports population has grown, driving a surge in demand for sporting goods. Data shows that the country's sports market value is expected to reach 2.8 trillion yuan ($390.48 billion) by 2025.
随着我国持续大力推进广泛开展的全民健身活动，参与体育运动的人口数量不断攀升，有力推动了体育用品需求的激增。相关数据显示，预计到2025年，我国体育消费市场规模将达2.8万亿元人民币（约合3904.8亿美元）。
The 2024 sports consumption report highlights how niche and emerging sports are transitioning into mass-market activities in the country, effectively broadening the scope of sports consumption.
2024年体育消费报告显示，小众及新兴体育项目正逐渐在中国转变为大众、普及运动项目，将进一步拓展体育消费领域。
Currently, Xinghai Sports offers more than 1,300 types of net products across 11 ball games, including football, volleyball, basketball and baseball. Over 100 of these are innovative designs tailored to niche markets.
目前，星海运动提供涵盖足球、排球、篮球、棒球等11种球类运动的1300余种球网产品。其中，有100多种是专为小众市场量身打造的创新设计产品。
The annual sales of the company exceeded 120 million yuan last year, with 53 percent of its products exported to countries, such as the United States, Canada, Chile, the United Kingdom, Germany and France.
去年，星海运动的年销售额已超过1.2亿元，其中53%的产品远销至美国、加拿大、智利、英国、德国、法国等国家。
"Many globally popular sports originated as simple games, and we apply the same concept to our products and business," Zhang says. "What starts as an innovative product, which cannot be accurately named yet, may become a household name in the future."
“许多风靡全球的运动项目，都是从一个游戏慢慢发展起来的，我们做产品、做企业也是这样。”张勇期待，“这些现在还无法精准命名的产品，未来或许会成为广为人知的热门商品。”
