Chinese trendy toys are capturing global audiences, with Yiwu's soft rubber toy industry belt playing a central role in meeting surging international demand, according to a report by Workers' Daily on August 12.
Yiwu possesses the most complete soft rubber toy industry chain in China, spanning from raw materials and mold development to the International Trade City marketplace. This comprehensive ecosystem gives manufacturers unparalleled speed and flexibility in responding to global trends.
One Yiwu factory owner, Wu Feiyang, represents a new generation of "factory second generation" entrepreneurs. His 8,000-square-meter factory produces over one million pieces monthly with sales exceeding 10 million yuan per month. The factory's products are 99 percent export-oriented, with Europe accounting for 60 percent and the United States 30 percent of sales.
Earlier this year, a "steamed bun" squeeze toy went viral internationally. To capitalize on the trend, Wu redesigned the product packaging with unified design language and blind box concepts featuring hidden editions. The factory's TPR thermoplastic rubber material was specially formulated with different ratios and fine glitter powder to create a layered tactile experience.
China has built the world's most complete toy industry chain, with production clusters centered in Chenghai, Guangdong and Yiwu, Zhejiang. Some regions have achieved over 90 percent local parts procurement, with new product prototyping taking as little as seven days.
Source: Workers' Daily, August 12, 2026
