I. Industry Risk Analysis

(1) Policy Risk

From the perspective of entrepreneurs, the policy risks currently faced by the Chinese-style ink painting ware industry are concentrated in the uncertainty of policy implementation and adjustment. As the national support policies for traditional culture enter the deepening stage, although the cultural and creative industries enjoy tax incentives and subsidy preferences, some localities may reduce their support due to financial pressure or changes in the priority of resource allocation. At the same time, environmental protection policies have tightened the supervision of traditional handicraft materials (such as mineral pigments and special glazes), which may increase the compliance costs of the supply chain in the short term. In addition, the dynamic adjustment of content review standards in the cultural industry (such as the standardized use of cultural symbols) poses hidden risks. If product innovation deviates from the mainstream orientation, it may face publicity restrictions or market access barriers.

(2) Economic Risk

From the perspective of economic cycle fluctuations, the Chinese-style ink painting ware industry is currently squeezed by both shrinking consumer demand and rising costs. During the period of slowing macroeconomic growth, non-essential cultural products bear the brunt: the shrinkage of the disposable income of the middle-class group has led to a decline in the willingness to buy handicrafts with a unit price of more than 300 yuan, while the young customer group has turned to low-priced fast-fashion cultural and creative alternatives. At the same time, the prices of upstream raw materials such as rice paper and mineral materials have increased by 20% – 30% due to supply chain fluctuations. Coupled with the rigid increase in labor costs, the industry’s profit margin has been compressed to less than 5%. The sharp decline in offline channel traffic has forced enterprises to invest in e-commerce operations, but the traffic cost accounts for more than 15% of the revenue, and the threshold for new brands to break through has increased significantly. At this time, those who enter the industry need to be vigilant against the risks of inventory backlog and cash flow break.

(3) Social Risk

The intergenerational consumption gap has led to the dual risks of an aging core user group and insufficient penetration into the young consumer market in the Chinese-style ink painting ware industry: Generation Z shows a “symbolic” consumption tendency towards traditional culture and is more willing to pay for lightweight and highly social cultural and creative derivatives. However, the high premium and weak scenario characteristics of traditional ink painting ware are difficult to meet their immediate aesthetic needs. At the same time, although the silver-haired group has consumption ability, the low penetration rate of e-commerce and the long repurchase cycle have led to high market education costs, and the industry is caught in a dilemma of “cultural sentiment being difficult to monetize and practical value lacking a rigid demand”.

(4) Legal Risk

The legal risks faced by the Chinese-style ink painting ware industry are concentrated in three aspects: intellectual property rights, product compliance, and publicity norms: unauthorized use of traditional ink painting elements (such as famous paintings and font designs) is likely to trigger copyright disputes. If the ware is used for food contact (such as tea sets), it needs to meet the national mandatory quality standards (such as the GB 4806 food contact material certification), otherwise, it will face product withdrawal and administrative penalties. The abuse of labels such as “intangible cultural heritage inheritance” and “health preservation effects” in publicity may violate the Advertising Law and the Anti-Unfair Competition Law. Against the background of stricter industry supervision, the differences and update frequency of local traditional culture protection regulations further increase the compliance costs and uncertainties.

II. Entrepreneurship Guide

(1) Suggestions on Entrepreneurial Opportunities

The current entrepreneurial opportunities in the Chinese-style ink painting ware industry are concentrated in the development of differentiated products and precise scenario penetration: relying on the dual attributes of “culture + practicality”, focusing on the deep recognition of the Chinese fashion culture by the young consumer group, developing niche and segmented products (such as tea sets, incense burners, and cultural and creative ornaments) that combine ink painting aesthetics with modern functions, and building brand barriers through “scenario-based content marketing + private domain traffic operation”. Launch customized solutions for vertical scenarios such as new Chinese-style home furnishings, tea spaces, and Chinese-style photography. At the same time, integrate the resources of intangible cultural heritage craftsmen to create limited co-branded products, and break through the low-price involution with “cultural premium + experience value-added”. Focus on the integrated channels of short video live broadcasts, Chinese-style vertical e-commerce, and offline experience stores, and strengthen user stickiness through immersive product stories (such as process tracing and usage scenarios).

(2) Suggestions on Entrepreneurial Resources

Focusing on the integration of core resources, entrepreneurs in the Chinese-style ink painting ware industry should first establish a cooperation network with traditional craftsmen to ensure the quality of raw materials and the inheritance of intangible cultural heritage skills. Use e-commerce platforms (such as the handicraft section of Douyin and the cultural IP incubation on Xiaohongshu) and offline cultural and creative markets to open up sales channels. Cooperate with art departments of universities or independent designers to develop modern ink painting element products that meet the aesthetics of young people. Apply for special funds and subsidies from local governments for the development of the cultural industry, and use the cultural and tourism integration scenarios (such as cultural and creative stores in scenic spots and museum co-brands) to increase brand premium. In the initial stage of light-asset operation, they can connect with ceramic industrial belt manufacturers and adopt the “small-batch customization + pre-sale crowdfunding” model to reduce inventory risks.

(3) Suggestions on Entrepreneurial Teams

Entrepreneurs in the Chinese-style ink painting ware industry should form a team around the three elements of “culture + product + market”. The core members should include experts with a background in traditional culture research or craft inheritance (to ensure the cultural core of the products), industrial designers familiar with modern consumer product design (to balance traditional aesthetics and practical functions), and marketing talents with experience in operating new Chinese fashion brands (to accurately reach the young consumer group). The team needs to strengthen the supply chain integration ability (such as ceramic firing and ink painting process manufacturers’ resources) and establish a flexible cooperation mechanism. Through regular cross-border co-creation meetings, it can connect the links of cultural interpretation, product iteration, and market feedback. At the same time, introduce intangible cultural heritage inheritors or art consultants as an external think tank to make up for the lack of cultural depth and avoid the team falling into the single trap of “emphasizing design over the market” or “emphasizing tradition over innovation”.

(4) Suggestions on Entrepreneurial Risks

Entrepreneurs in the Chinese-style ink painting ware industry should focus on accurate market positioning and first enter segmented scenarios (such as high-end gifts and new Chinese-style home furnishings), avoiding blind expansion. Strengthen the stability of the supply chain, lock in high-quality raw material suppliers and establish alternative plans to reduce the delivery risks caused by the dependence on handicrafts. Pay attention to the balance between product iteration and traditional craftsmanship, and broaden the consumption scenarios through lightweight and functional design to prevent the products from being “well-received but not well-sold”. Establish differentiated sales strategies such as cultural IP co-branding and limited customization to improve the premium ability and avoid price wars. Strictly control the initial inventory scale, adopt the pre-sale system and order-based production model to relieve the financial pressure, and simultaneously layout online content marketing and offline experience spaces to form a closed loop of brand recognition.