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Stella Huang acquired her initial Jellycat brand soft toy in the midst of a time of unemployment during the global health crisis. Encouraged by an acquaintance's passion for these UK-created toys, her interest was truly captured when she saw an adorable gingerbread cottage plushie featured on a major Chinese social media app.

Although Christmas isn't widely celebrated in China, being more of a retail occasion rather than a religious festival, the sight of festive cottages appealed to Stella. "It doesn't mean a lot to me... However, I always like the appearance of gingerbread houses," she states. This led her to request a friend from her hometown to purchase it for her.

That acquisition took place back in 2021, coinciding with the brand was on the cusp of achieving significant popularity in China and internationally. "Everyone felt uneasy, and no-one knew what exactly was going to happen," recalls Stella, who developed a routine of stroking and squeezing her plushies for comfort throughout that stressful time. Residing in Beijing, which experienced among the most stringent restrictions in the world, she spent extended periods at home.

Now aged 32 and working in tourism sector professional, Stella continues to grow her assortment. Her collection has swelled to approximately 120 items, with a total an investment of roughly 36,000 yuan. "At my age, there are many things that you cannot share with others... and the problems we encounter are a lot more complicated than in the past," she says with a sigh. "These soft toys assist me in regulate my feelings."

Initially designed with kids in mind, these soft creatures have transformed into an international phenomenon, especially in China where an somewhat disillusioned younger generation is seeking solace in them for emotional support.

Understanding the Adult Toy Enthusiasts

Her Gingerbread house toy is part of their "Amuseable" line, a range of toys with tiny faces based on everyday items, ranging from bathroom tissue and hard-boiled eggs. These items are considered a key "standout success" which "attract a wide Gen-Z and millennial audience" globally, according to market observers.

The surge in appeal "could have a connection to wanting for a sense of connection," suggest cultural commentators. It is difficult to say for sure if the introduction of the now-iconic series in 2018 was a deliberate move to target the adult market, companies in the sector are under pressure to need to find new markets due to declining fertility rates across numerous parts of the world.

The brand entered the Chinese market as early as 2015. By laying the necessary "groundwork", the toy maker was well-positioned to tap into "the tone during Covid"—when people sought solace during widespread anxiety—and built on this success in the country, according to industry experts.

Its fame was further boosted through engaging pop-up experiences. These retail activations often featured a menu of exclusive "culinary" themed items. Many fans would film themselves interacting and share the videos online.

Localisation has also been a core approach. For instance, fans were able to buy stuffed toy interpretations of classic UK dishes like fish and chips at a temporary shop in London. Meanwhile, items like teapot and teacup toys were sold at special stores in Chinese metropolises last year.

In 2024, the British firm's sales is said to have increased by two-thirds to reach a substantial figure. During that period, sales of an estimated $117 million in value of toys in China on major online marketplaces, per research estimates.

This expansion parallels a broader surge within China's collectible toy market among young adults seeking emotional support and connection. Total revenue from collectible items nationally are projected to exceed 110 billion yuan annually, according to a recent analysis.

The runaway popularity of other toys such as Labubu, elf-like dolls from domestic company Pop Mart, underscores the country's increasing appetite towards designer collectibles. This "adult-child" trend isn't exclusive to China; adults globally are increasingly re-evaluate "outdated notions of adulthood," note cultural experts.

Particularly, especially the eggplant plushie—affectionately dubbed "the big boss" in China—have inspired a wave of memes, with many expressing grievances regarding the pressures of adulthood. On social media, the "eggplant boss" tag serves as a platform where fans draw different expressions on the plushie, depicting it in various moods enjoying a drink to forcing a smile.

For example, one Hong Kong-based, Wendy Hui, modified her eggplant Amuseable by drawing bags under its eyes and placing spectacles on the toy. She then shared a picture online captioning it: "The mood of workers at the start of the week." "I kept working from home even on time off," she explains. "I merely intended to convey the level of exhaustion I felt."

Thus, Jellycat has become an unexpected, light-hearted channel for China's youth to voice their frustrations about economic challenges, where dedicated effort no longer ensure comparable returns. Amid heavy online censorship, the internet have become an important, if not the only, arena for these types of discussions.

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