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A woman named Stella purchased her initial Jellycat plush toy amid a time of unemployment during the global health crisis. Inspired by an acquaintance's passion for the UK-created creatures, her curiosity was truly captured when she saw a unique gingerbread house plushie circulating on a widely-used Chinese social media platform.

Although The Christmas holiday is not widely celebrated in China, acting more as a commercial event than a religious festival, the imagery of gingerbread houses resonated with her. "The festival doesn't mean much for me... But I always like the appearance of those sweet houses," she explains. This prompted her to eventually ask a friend from her hometown to buy it for her.

That acquisition took place back in 2021, coinciding with the brand was about of achieving massive success across China and beyond. "People were anxious, and nobody knew what would happen," says Stella, who developed a habit of petting and squeezing her plushies for comfort during that stressful time. Residing in Beijing, a city with among the most stringent restrictions in the world, she spent extended periods indoors.

Now aged 32 with a new job in tourism sector in the tourism industry, Stella still grow her collection. Her collection has swelled to approximately 120 toys, representing a cost of about 36,000 yuan. "As an adult, there are many things that you cannot discuss with other people... and the troubles we face are far more complex than in the past," she says with a sigh. "These soft toys help me managing my emotions."

Initially created for children, these soft creatures have become an international sensation, especially within China where a somewhat disillusioned youth demographic has been turning to them as a source of comfort and solace.

Understanding the Adult Toy Enthusiasts

Stella's Gingerbread house toy belongs to their "Amuseable" series, a range of toys featuring small expressions inspired by everyday items, ranging from bathroom tissue to boiled eggs. These items are considered a key "breakout success" which "attract a broad younger adult demographic" around the world, as noted by industry analysts.

Their growing appeal "could have something to do with a desire to feel companionship," suggest experts. While it's difficult to say for sure if the launch of the now-iconic Amuseable line in 2018 was a deliberate move to target the adult consumer, toy manufacturers increasingly need to find new markets due to falling birth rates across numerous parts of the world.

The brand entered the Chinese market back in 2015. By laying the necessary "foundation", the toy maker was well-positioned to capture "the tone during Covid"—a time when people sought solace during heightened uncertainty—and built on this momentum there, as explained by industry experts.

Its popularity was further boosted by engaging pop-up experiences. These in-store activations sometimes offered a menu of exclusive "culinary" products. Many fans would film themselves being served and post the clips on social platforms.

Adaptation to local tastes has also been an essential strategy. For instance, fans were able to buy stuffed toy versions of traditional UK dishes such as fish, chips and mushy peas at a temporary shop overseas. Conversely, items like teapot and teacup toys were sold at exclusive outlets in Beijing and Shanghai the previous year.

In 2024, the British company's sales is said to have increased by two-thirds to an impressive figure. During that timeframe, it sold roughly $117 million worth of toys in China on leading online marketplaces, per research estimates.

This growth parallels a wider boom in China's collectible toy sector driven by young adults in search of emotional comfort and connection. Total revenue from collectible items in China are projected to top 110 billion yuan annually, according to a recent industry report.

The remarkable success of brands like Labubu, elf-like dolls from domestic company Pop Mart, highlights the country's growing demand towards collectable toys. The so-called "kidult" phenomenon isn't unique to China; adults globally are starting to re-evaluate "outdated understandings of adulthood," note academics.

Amuseables, especially the aubergine plushie—affectionately dubbed "the big boss" by Chinese fans—have spawned a wave of online jokes, with many sharing frustrations regarding adult life. On social media, the "eggplant boss" tag serves as a platform where fans sketch different expressions on the plushie, depicting it in various moods from drinking to fake-smiling.

As an illustration, one Hong Kong-based, Wendy Hui, personalized her eggplant toy adding bags around its eyes and placing spectacles on the toy. She then posted a picture online with the caption: "The mental state of employees on Monday." "I kept working from home even on my days off," the 30-something says. "I just wanted to convey the level of exhaustion I felt."

Thus, the brand has emerged as a surprising, whimsical channel for young Chinese to air their grievances over a slowing economy, in which hard work no longer guarantee comparable returns. Amid strict content regulation, the internet have become a crucial, if not the only, arena for these types of discussions.

Its regular releases of limited-edition products and the discontinuation of older designs—a strategy sometimes referred to as "scarcity marketing" in China—has further fueled {