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Stella Huang acquired her first Jellycat brand cuddly companion in the midst of a period of unemployment during the global health crisis. Encouraged by an acquaintance's enthusiasm for the British-designed creatures, her curiosity was truly ignited upon seeing an adorable gingerbread house design on a widely-used social networking platform.

Although The Christmas holiday is not traditionally observed in China, being more of a retail occasion rather than a religious festival, the imagery of gingerbread houses resonated with her. "It doesn't mean much for me... However, I have always loved the sight of gingerbread houses," she states. This prompted her to eventually request an old friend from her hometown to buy the item on her behalf.

That acquisition was made in 2021, right as Jellycat was about of achieving significant success across China and internationally. "People were jittery, and nobody knew what would happen," recalls Stella, who developed a routine of stroking and hugging her soft toys to cope throughout that stressful time. Residing in Beijing, a city with some of the strictest lockdowns in the world, she passed a great deal of time at home.

Now aged 32 and working in sales manager professional, Stella continues to grow her collection. Her collection has grown to around 120 toys, representing a cost of roughly 36,000 yuan. "At my age, there are many things that you cannot share with others... and the problems we face are a lot more complex than before," she says with a sigh. "The plushies assist me in regulate my emotions."

Initially designed with kids in mind, these soft toys have evolved into an international phenomenon, especially within China where a increasingly disenchanted younger generation has been turning to them as a source of emotional support.

Understanding the Adult Toy Enthusiasts

Stella's gingerbread cottage toy is part of the "Amuseables" series, a range of characters with tiny faces based on commonplace inanimate objects, ranging from toilet rolls and hard-boiled eggs. These toys have become the "breakout success" that "resonate with a wide younger adult audience" around the world, as noted by industry analysts.

Their growing appeal "may have something to do with a desire to feel companionship," suggest experts. While it's difficult to ascertain if the introduction of the iconic series back in 2018 was an intentional strategy to engage the young adult market, companies in the sector increasingly need to cultivate alternative audiences due to declining fertility rates in many parts of the world.

Jellycat made its foray into the Chinese market back in 2015. By laying significant "groundwork", the company was able to tap into "the tone of the pandemic"—a time when individuals looked for comfort amid widespread anxiety—capitalizing on this momentum there, as explained by business consultants.

Jellycat's popularity was further propelled through engaging pop-up experiences. These retail events often featured a menu of exclusive "culinary" themed items. Numerous enthusiasts would film themselves interacting and post the clips on social platforms.

Localisation proved to be an essential approach. For instance, customers could purchase plush versions of classic UK dishes such as fish and chips at a pop-up in London. Meanwhile, items like teapot and teacup plushies were sold at special outlets in Beijing and Shanghai last year.

Last year, the British firm's sales reportedly rose significantly to reach a substantial sum. During that period, sales of roughly $117 million in value of its products in China on leading e-commerce platforms, per market intelligence data.

This growth mirrors a wider boom within China's collectible toy market driven by young adults in search of emotional support and community. Overall sales from collectible toys in China are expected to exceed 110 billion yuan annually, as per a 2024 industry report.

The runaway popularity of brands like Labubu, elf-like figures from domestic company Pop Mart, underscores the market's growing appetite for collectable toys. The so-called "kidult" phenomenon is not unique to China; young adults worldwide are increasingly question "outdated understandings of what it means to be an adult," note academics.

Particularly, items like the eggplant plushie—nicknamed "the boss" by Chinese fans—have also spawned numerous memes, with many sharing frustrations about the pressures of adulthood. The "eggplant boss" tag serves as a platform where people draw different expressions on their toy, showing it in various moods enjoying a drink to forcing a smile.

For example, a marketing professional from Hong Kong, Wendy Hui, personalized her aubergine Amuseable by drawing bags around its eyes and placing spectacles on the toy. She posted an image online with the caption: "The mood of workers on Monday." "I was working from home even on time off," she explains. "I merely intended to express how exhausted I felt."

In this way, Jellycat has become a surprising, light-hearted outlet for China's youth to voice their frustrations about economic challenges, in which hard work no longer guarantee commensurate returns. Amid strict online censorship, digital spaces remains a crucial, if not the only, arena for such conversations.

Its regular launches of limited-edition designs and the retirement of older designs—an approach often called "scarcity marketing" in China—has also fueled {