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Stella Huang acquired her initial Jellycat cuddly companion in the midst of a time of unemployment during the global health crisis. Inspired by an acquaintance's fondness for these UK-created toys, her curiosity was fully sparked when she saw an adorable gingerbread house plushie circulating on a major social networking platform.

Although Christmas is not traditionally observed in China, serving more as a retail occasion rather than a cultural tradition, the sight of festive cottages resonated with her. "It doesn't hold a lot for me... But I always like the look of gingerbread houses," she explains. This prompted her to eventually request a friend from her hometown to purchase it for her.

That acquisition occurred back in 2021, coinciding with the brand was on the cusp to achieve massive popularity in China and beyond. "Everyone felt uneasy, and no-one knew what was going to happen," says Stella, who picked up a habit of stroking and hugging her soft toys to cope throughout a difficult period. Residing in Beijing, a city with among the most stringent restrictions globally, she spent a great deal of time at home.

Now aged 32 and working in tourism sector professional, Stella still expand her assortment. Her collection has reached approximately 120 items, with a total an investment of roughly 36,000 yuan. "As an adult, there are many things that you cannot share with others... and the problems we face are a lot more complex than in the past," she notes with a sigh. "These soft toys help me regulate my feelings."

Initially marketed for children, these soft creatures have transformed into a global sensation, particularly within China where a somewhat disillusioned youth demographic has been turning to them as a source of comfort and solace.

The Rise of Adult Toy Enthusiasts

Her Gingerbread house plushie belongs to their "Amuseable" collection, a range of toys featuring small faces inspired by commonplace items, ranging from toilet rolls to boiled eggs. These toys are considered the "breakout products" that "resonate with a broad younger adult audience" globally, according to market observers.

Their growing appeal "may have something to do with a desire for companionship," suggest cultural commentators. It is hard to ascertain if the introduction of the iconic Amuseable line in 2018 was a deliberate move to engage the adult market, companies in the sector increasingly need to find alternative audiences amid declining fertility rates in many parts of the world.

Jellycat entered China as early as 2015. Having laid the necessary "foundation", the company was well-positioned to tap into "the tone during Covid"—when individuals looked for solace during widespread uncertainty—capitalizing on its early momentum there, as explained by industry experts.

Jellycat's popularity was also boosted by engaging temporary events. These retail events sometimes offered a selection of limited-edition "culinary" products. Numerous fans would film their experience interacting and post the clips online.

Adaptation to local tastes has also been an essential strategy. As an example, customers could purchase plush interpretations of classic UK dishes such as fish and chips during a pop-up overseas. Conversely, products including teapot and teacup plushies were sold at exclusive stores in Chinese metropolises the previous year.

In 2024, the UK-based firm's revenue is said to have increased significantly to a substantial sum. During that period, it sold an estimated $117 million in value of toys in China via leading online marketplaces, per market intelligence data.

This growth reflects a wider boom in China's collectable-toy market driven by adult consumers seeking emotional comfort and community. Total revenue of collectable toys in China are expected to exceed 110 billion yuan this year, as per a recent industry report.

The remarkable success of other toys such as Labubu, elf-like figures from domestic company Pop Mart, highlights the market's increasing demand for collectable toys. The so-called "adult-child" trend is not unique to China; young adults globally are increasingly question "traditional notions of what it means to be an adult," observe academics.

Amuseables, especially the aubergine character—affectionately dubbed "the boss" in China—have inspired a wave of memes, where users expressing frustrations about adult life. On social media, the "eggplant boss" tag is a space where fans draw various emotive faces on the plushie, depicting it in different states from drinking to fake-smiling.

As an illustration, one Hong Kong-based, Wendy Hui, modified her eggplant toy by drawing bags around its eyes and placing a pair of glasses on the toy. She then posted a picture online captioning it: "The mood of employees at the start of the week." "I was working at home even on time off," the 30-something says. "I just wanted to convey the level of exhaustion I felt."

Thus, the brand has emerged as an unexpected, light-hearted outlet for China's youth to air their frustrations over economic challenges, where dedicated effort doesn't always guarantee comparable rewards. Despite strict online censorship, the internet have become an important, if not the only, arena for these types of conversations.

The brand's regular launches of exclusive designs coupled with the retirement of certain lines—a strategy sometimes referred to as "hunger marketing" locally—has further fueled {