Disabled man reaches new heights with garment business

Zhang Xueyi's physical disability did not affect his success in the clothing business. With hard work and determination, Zhang's factory can now generate a profit of more than 300,000 yuan ($43,465.16) each year.

The 36-year-old, from Northeast China's Liaoning province, has suffered from osteogenesis imperfecta since he was a child. The disease makes him vulnerable to fractures.

According to Zhang, his bones were broken at least once a year between the ages of 12 to 16, and each time it took over half a year for him to recover. After the age of 16, his condition improved, with fractures seldom occurring, but his height stayed at about 1.2 meters.

Zhang said it was not easy for him to find a job due to his physical condition, so he decided to start his own business in apparel in 2001. However, Zhang's first attempt failed a few years later. Then he made a living through electric welding, tailoring and repairing devices for others.

He opened a garment factory in 2012, and later registered an online store on Taobao, China's largest e-commerce platform. Initially, Zhang lived in the factory almost every day, carefully checking every piece of clothing and replying to every message from customers.

Online sales sometimes are more true and pure, as customers care more about the quality of the products instead of him, he said.