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Stella Huang purchased her initial Jellycat brand soft toy in the midst of a period of job loss during the global health crisis. Inspired by an acquaintance's enthusiasm for these UK-created toys, her curiosity was fully sparked upon seeing an adorable gingerbread cottage plushie circulating on a major Chinese social media platform.

Although Christmas isn't widely celebrated in China, being more of a commercial event rather than a religious festival, the sight of gingerbread houses appealed with her. "It doesn't hold a lot to me... But I always like the sight of gingerbread houses," she remarks. This led her to ask a friend in Guangzhou to buy the item on her behalf.

That purchase was made in 2021, coinciding with the brand was about of achieving massive success across China and beyond. "Everyone felt anxious, and no-one knew what was going to happen," says Stella, who picked up a habit of petting and hugging her soft toys to cope during a difficult period. Living in Beijing, which experienced among the strictest lockdowns in the world, she passed extended periods indoors.

Now aged 32 and working in tourism sector in the tourism industry, Stella continues to expand her assortment. Her collection has swelled to approximately 120 items, representing an investment of about 36,000 yuan. "At my age, there are numerous matters that you cannot discuss with other people... and the troubles we encounter are far more complicated than before," she notes with a sigh. "These soft toys help me regulate my feelings."

Originally marketed with kids in mind, these soft toys have transformed into an international phenomenon, particularly in China where a increasingly disenchanted youth demographic is turning to them for comfort and solace.

The Rise of Adult Toy Enthusiasts

Her Gingerbread house toy belongs to their "Amuseables" line, a range of toys featuring small expressions modelled after everyday items, from bathroom tissue and boiled eggs. These toys are considered the "breakout success" which "resonate with a wide Gen-Z and millennial audience" around the world, as noted by market observers.

The surge in appeal "could have a connection to wanting to feel companiable," suggest cultural commentators. While it's hard to ascertain whether the launch of the now-iconic Amuseable line back in 2018 was an intentional move to target the young adult consumer, companies in the sector increasingly need to cultivate new markets amid declining fertility rates in many countries.

Jellycat entered the Chinese market back in 2015. Having laid the necessary "groundwork", the company was able to capture "the mood of the pandemic"—when people sought solace amid heightened uncertainty—and built on its early success in the country, as explained by business consultants.

Its popularity was further boosted through creative pop-up experiences. These in-store events often featured a selection of limited-edition "culinary" themed items. Many fans record their experience being served and share the videos on social platforms.

Localisation proved to be a core approach. For instance, fans could purchase plush interpretations of classic UK dishes such as 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 the previous year.

In 2024, the British company's revenue reportedly increased by two-thirds to reach an impressive figure. In that timeframe, it sold an estimated $117 million worth of toys to Chinese consumers on major e-commerce platforms, according to market intelligence data.

This expansion reflects a wider boom in China's collectable-toy sector driven by young adults seeking emotional support and community. Total revenue of collectable toys nationally are expected to exceed 110 billion yuan annually, as per a recent analysis.

The runaway success of other toys such as Labubu, elf-like figures by domestic company Pop Mart, underscores the country's growing demand for collectable toys. This "adult-child" trend is not exclusive to China; adults globally are starting to re-evaluate "traditional understandings of adulthood," note academics.

Particularly, items like the aubergine plushie—nicknamed "the boss" by Chinese fans—have also inspired a wave of online jokes, with many sharing grievances regarding adult life. On social media, the "aubergine boss" tag is a space where fans draw different expressions on the plushie, showing it in various moods from drinking to forcing a smile.

As an illustration, a marketing professional from Hong Kong, Wendy Hui, modified her eggplant Amuseable adding bags around its eyes and putting spectacles on it. She then posted an image on a social platform with the caption: "The mental state of employees on Monday." "I was working at home even during time off," she explains. "I merely intended to express how exhausted I was."

In this way, Jellycat has become an unexpected, light-hearted outlet for China's youth to air their frustrations over economic challenges, where hard work doesn't always guarantee comparable returns. Despite heavy online censorship, the internet have become an important, perhaps the primary, arena for such conversations.

Its regular launches of limited-edition designs coupled with the retirement of certain lines—a strategy sometimes referred to as "hunger marketing" locally—has also fueled {