Digitalization: A Mandatory Step? Yiwugo Shows the Way

YIWU, China, March 13, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Yiwugo.com, the official website of the Yiwu Commodity Market, is the largest commodity wholesale market in the world.

China is the world's largest manufacturer for plush toys, with the market continuing to expand in recent years. According to the Report on the Analysis of Current Status and Development Forecast of China Plush Toy Industry (2024-2029) by the Institute for Industrial Economics of CIRN, the global plush toy market reached CNY 63.93 billion (approximately $8.8 billion) in 2023.

In January 2025, Guangdong Toys Association released its Annual Report on the Plush Toy Industry Development (2025), highlighting China's role as the world's top producer. While traditional coastal production hubs remain stable, emerging clusters have risen in inland regions. Globally, the plush toy market surpassed $10 billion in 2024, growing at an annual rate of 15%. As one of largest export hubs in China, Yiwu's contribution to the plush toy sector is undeniable.

A "plush craze" is sweeping global online communities with irresistibly cute designs. Powered by AI, landmarks, cultural artifacts, and even foods are being reimagined as animated, "sparkly-eyed" plush toys, captivating consumers across all age groups. Cultural and tourism sectors worldwide are joining the trend, developing plush-themed merchandise to tap into this booming market. Innovations in technology—such as sound, light, and interactive features—are driving unprecedented growth and creativity in the industry.

Branding and Specialization

As competition intensifies, branding and specialization have become critical trends in the plush toy industry. Established brands consolidate their market positions by improving product quality and services, while niche brands emerge to meet consumers' diverse demands for different styles, themes, and functionalities.

Bao Qiaoli, a Yiwugo merchant with nearly two decades of experience at Bole Plush Pendant Toy, notes that clients—from corporations to cultural tourism entities—are increasingly creating proprietary IPs. Leveraging AI to accelerate design and prototyping, Bole combines market insights to refine product details, ensuring faster and more effective launches.

"Southeast Asian clients began embracing IP-driven projects years ago", Ms. Bao explains. "For example, we adapted materials and vibrant, playful designs for a regional supermarket chain to suit tropical climates in Southeast Asia. Post-launch, their orders tripled within a month, with reorders becoming far more frequent". In recent years, an increasing number of companies have successfully launched IP-themed plush toys into mass production.

Technological Advancements

3D printing, AI-driven design, and smart technologies are emerging as key drivers of the plush toy sector's evolution. As consumer expectations rise and technology advances, interactive and intelligent plush toys are rapidly gaining market traction.

Yiwugo, leveraging its proximity to the Yiwu International Trade City, provides unmatched collaborative opportunities for plush toy businesses. A prime example is Sun Lijuan, owner of Yiwu's Hongsheng Toy Doll Factory, whose AI-integrated "smart dolls" have been featured on China Central Television (CCTV), China's state media, and sold in New York's Times Square. Over the past decade, Sun utilized Yiwugo to connect with specialized suppliers for mechanisms, fabrics, and cross-industry partnerships. These collaborations have propelled her brand's global reputation, with products now exported to Europe, the U.S., Russia, and beyond. Sun's journey from a local merchant to a globally recognized entrepreneur, with her products showcased on CCTV and in New York's Times Square, is a testament to her ongoing progress and success.

Diversification & Personalization

Consumers now demand higher quality, innovative designs, and multifunctionality from plush toys, while placing greater emphasis on emotional value and self-expression. Future market growth will hinge on catering to diverse needs—from emotional companionship and playfulness to collectible appeal.

Bao emphasizes "What's truly priceless lies beyond the physical." Creating emotional bonds with cumstomers through plush toys is the cornerstone of customer loyalty. Over her 13 years on the platform, Yiwugo has served as the primary channel for sourcing a significant portion of her clientele.

Li Fei and his wife operate the Mi Xiaomei Plush Toy Factory in Baigou, Hebei Province. Since joining Yiwugo over four years ago, they have attracted numerous high-quality clients. Li explains that the company initially focused on producing seasonal plush products such as Valentine's Day "Love Bears", Easter bunnies, graduation-themed bears, and Christmas items, primarily exported to the U.S., Russia, South America, the UAE, and other regions.

Over their four years on Yiwugo, many clients from the U.S. and UAE have connected with the company via the platform for custom orders. Yiwugo has instilled greater trust among buyers: one new U.S. client placed an initial order exceeding CNY 100,000, while another American client purchasing grabber plush toys has collaborated with the factory through Yiwugo for over three years, with annual procurement now reaching approximately CNY 4 million.

Digitalization: A "Mandatory Step" – Yiwugo Shows the Way

Amid waves of billions of personalized demands and the surging AI revolution, businesses stand at a crossroads of opportunities and challenges—digital transformation is no longer optional but essential.

Whether deepening domestic markets or navigating global trade, Yiwugo remains at the forefront of the digital wave. As a global commerce leader, the platform empowers over 50,000 registered merchants and 15 million buyers by reconstructing digital infrastructure and fostering smart ecosystems, paving the way for collaborative future growth.

SOURCE Yiwugo.com