This　article　reports　a　novel　strategy　to　design　and　synthesize　hierarchical　SAPO-34@kaolin　composites　as　catalysts　for　methanol　to　olefins.　This　strategy　includes　two　key　steps:　the　first　is　the　top-down　depolymerization　of　kaolin　microspheres　into　active　silicon　and　aluminium　species　via　thermal　treatment,　and　the　second　is　the　bottom-up　rearrangement　and　reorganization　of　the　resulting　active　silicon　and　aluminium　species　and　the　external　phosphorous　source　into　hierarchical　SAPO-34@kaolin　composites　both　outside　and　inside　the　calcined　kaolin　microspheres　which　are　co-templated　by　hexadecyltrimethyl-ammonium　bromide　(CTAB)　and　3-(trimethoxysilyl)propyl　dimethyl　octadecyl　ammonium　chloride　(TPOAC).　It　was　found　that　CTAB　functions　as　an　in　situ　growth　promoter　to　increase　the　SAPO-34　content　in　the　resulting　composites.　Meanwhile,　TPOAC　serves　as　a　mesoporogen　to　generate　mesopores　in　the　SAPO-34　phase　of　the　SAPO-34@kaolin　composites,　and　both　CTAB　and　TPOAC　play　the　role　of　a　crystal　growth　inhibitor　leading　to　the　formation　of　SAPO-34　with　a　small　crystal　size.　Distinctly　different　from　the　semi-synthesis　products　that　were　obtained　by　physically　mixing　and　binding　SAPO-34　with　kaolin　in　appropriate　proportions,　the　SAPO-34@kaolin　composite　synthesized　involving　both　CTAB　and　TPOAC　exhibits　outstanding　performance　in　methanol　to　olefins,　with　the　selectivity　to　ethylene　and　propylene　being　increased　by　20%　and　the　catalyst　lifetime　being　remarkably　prolonged　from　50　to　200　min.　This　is　attributed　to　the　high　content,　small　crystal　size,　and　hierarchical　micro-mesoporous　structure　of　the　SAPO-34　crystallites　in　the　composites.　©　2019　The　Royal　Society　of　Chemistry.