Taobao Maker Festival kicks off in Hangzhou

"It is a place to showcase merchants' creativity and realize their dreams," Tung told a media briefing ahead of the gala's official opening. "It is also an unparalleled offline trade show where vendors share their concepts of designs and tell the stories of their entrepreneurship through products."

The event will run for two weeks starting Sept 12, which is a significant extension from last year's four days. It is staged at two venues: the Hangzhou Boiler Factory and the West Lake.

Alibaba said more than 1,000 unique products will be on display during the event, with categories including cultural heritage, high-tech, novel designs and street fashion.