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Stella Huang purchased her initial Jellycat brand cuddly companion during a time of unemployment during the global health crisis. Prompted by a friend's passion for these British-designed creatures, her curiosity was fully ignited when she saw a distinctive gingerbread house plushie circulating on a widely-used social networking app.

While Christmas isn't widely celebrated across China, serving more as a retail occasion than a religious festival, the concept of gingerbread houses appealed with her. "The festival doesn't hold much to me... But I have always loved the sight of those sweet houses," she explains. This led her to eventually ask an old friend from her hometown to purchase it for her.

That purchase took place in 2021, just as Jellycat was on the cusp of achieving significant popularity across China and internationally. "Everyone felt jittery, and no-one knew what was going to happen," recalls Stella, who developed a habit of petting and hugging her plushies for comfort throughout a difficult period. Living in Beijing, a city with some of the strictest lockdowns globally, she passed a great deal of time indoors.

Now 32 with a new job in sales manager professional, Stella continues to grow her assortment. It has swelled to approximately 120 items, with a total an investment of about 36,000 yuan. "As an adult, there are many things that you cannot share with other people... and the problems we encounter are far more complicated than before," she notes reflectively. "These soft toys help me managing my emotions."

Initially designed for children, these squishy creatures have become an international phenomenon, especially within China where a somewhat disillusioned younger generation has been turning to them for emotional support.

The Rise of Adult Toy Enthusiasts

Her gingerbread cottage toy is part of their "Amuseables" line, a set of characters with tiny faces inspired by everyday items, ranging from toilet rolls and boiled eggs. These toys are considered the "breakout products" that "appeal to a broad younger adult demographic" globally, according to market observers.

Their growing popularity "could have a connection to a desire to feel a sense of connection," propose experts. It is hard to say for sure if the launch of the iconic Amuseable line in 2018 was a deliberate strategy to engage the young adult consumer, toy manufacturers increasingly must find alternative audiences due to falling fertility rates in many parts of the world.

Jellycat entered China as early as 2015. By laying significant "foundation", the toy maker was well-positioned to tap into "the mood during Covid"—a time when people sought solace during widespread uncertainty—and built on this momentum there, according to industry experts.

Jellycat's popularity was also propelled through engaging pop-up experiences. These retail events sometimes offered a menu of exclusive "food" themed items. Many enthusiasts would film themselves interacting and post the clips online.

Localisation proved to be a core approach. As an example, customers could purchase plush interpretations of traditional British fare like fish, chips and mushy peas during a temporary shop in London. Conversely, items like teapot and teacup plushies were featured at exclusive stores in Chinese metropolises last year.

In 2024, the British firm's sales reportedly rose significantly to reach a substantial sum. During the same period, sales of roughly $117 million worth of its products to Chinese consumers via leading e-commerce platforms, per research estimates.

This growth reflects a wider boom in China's collectable-toy market driven by adult consumers in search of emotional comfort and community. Total revenue of collectable toys nationally are projected to top 110 billion yuan this year, according to a recent analysis.

The remarkable popularity of other toys such as Labubu, elf-inspired dolls from Chinese toy maker Pop Mart, highlights the market's growing demand towards collectable toys. The so-called "kidult" phenomenon is not exclusive to China; adults globally are increasingly question "outdated notions of what it means to be an adult," note academics.

Particularly, items like the aubergine plushie—nicknamed "the boss" by Chinese fans—have also spawned numerous memes, with many sharing frustrations regarding the pressures of adulthood. The "aubergine boss" tag is a space where people sketch different expressions on their toy, depicting it in various moods enjoying a drink to forcing a smile.

As an illustration, a marketing professional from Hong Kong, Wendy Hui, modified her eggplant Amuseable adding dark circles around its eyes and putting a pair of glasses on the toy. She then posted an image on a social platform with the caption: "The mood of employees on Monday." "I kept working from home even on time off," the 30-something says. "I merely intended to convey how exhausted I felt."

In this way, Jellycat has become an unexpected, whimsical outlet for young Chinese to air their grievances over economic challenges, where dedicated effort doesn't always guarantee comparable returns. Despite heavy content regulation, the internet have become a crucial, if not the only, arena for these types of conversations.

Its regular releases of limited-edition designs and the discontinuation of certain lines—a strategy sometimes referred to as "scarcity marketing" locally—has further fueled {