THE REAL THING: A stallholder at the 30-year-old market showing off a specially designed Silk Street scarf. -- PHOTO: TRACY QUEK

Now the market, which has been sued repeatedly by international labels for copyright violations, wants to shake off its reputation as 'fake goods central' by launching an original range of products under its own brand.

The market unveiled the first items - neckties, scarves, men's shirts, table cloths and bedcovers - carrying the 'Silk Street' brand on Wednesday, and in an ironic twist, warned that legal action will be taken against copycats.

Sold exclusively at the market in Beijing's eastern Chaoyang district, the items are marked 'quality guaranteed' with a label which tells buyers that 'the goods are certified by the Silk Street Market'.

Prices are not fixed for the specially designed goods, which are now on sale at 92 of the market's 1,200 stalls, as bargaining is a common practice at the market.

There are plans to get more stalls on board and to expand the range to include T-shirts, and denim and cotton apparel over the next few months, said general manager Wang Zili.

Rolling out the Silk Street brand is part of the market's continuing efforts to fight copyright violations, and its drive to raise the visibility of local brands in the run-up to the Olympic Games, Mr Wang told The Straits Times.

He added that he hopes to also remake what the Silk Street Market stands for in the minds of international customers.

'When people think of the Silk Market, they think fake products. But actually, we are world-famous because we offer good quality products at unbeatable prices,' said Mr Wang, wearing a pink Silk Street shirt.

The 30-year-old clothing market is often used as an example of China's failure to deal thoroughly with piracy and intellectual property rights violations - issues that have created friction in Beijing's ties with its trading partners such as the United States and the European Union.

Fake goods had been blatantly and rampantly on sale at the market until a crackdown in 2005 when the management closed down stalls and fined offenders.

Now, stalls rarely sell knock-offs openly, said Mr Wang. He admits, however, that many still do so on the quiet.

'To make the Silk Street brand a success, we hope that international consumers will work with us, to spend their euros and dollars on Chinese local brands, including the Silk Street brand,' he said.

'This way we can protect intellectual property together.'

Three quarters of the 30,000 to 50,000 customers who shop at the market every day are foreigners. The majority who snap up fake goods are from EU countries and the US, said Mr Wang.

But it looks like customers need some major convincing. The sales tally since launch day: a grand total of two shirts and three ties.

Mr Lin Zonglong, a stall owner who sells Silk Street ties, said: 'I had some customers yesterday who looked at the Silk Street brand but were not interested.'

Mr Wang, however, is not daunted.

'We'll continue with our publicity campaign and hope to win over customers gradually,' he said.

'Perhaps, our brand will catch on as an 'alternative' label. Customers who want to rebel against established brands can buy Silk Street.'

tracyq@sph.com.sg