Toy Trends from Yiwu: Who's the Next Big Hit after POP MART?

YIWU, China, May 22, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Yiwugo.com, the official website of the Yiwu Commodity Market, is the largest commodity wholesale market in the world. As one of Yiwu's flagship categories, "toys" consistently rank among the top search keywords on Yiwugo's trending lists. In recent years, dark horses like MOLLY and LABUBU have emerged in the toy sector, with sales performance far exceeding market expectations. Over time, the toy market continues to produce new breakout hits.

On March 26, 2025, POP MART released its annual financial report for 2024, which shows that the company achieved a revenue of CNY 13.04 billion in 2024, representing a 106.9% year-on-year increase. Among this, the domestic revenue from Chinese mainland accounted for CNY 7.97 billion, up 52.3% from the previous year. Ms. Yu Le, a merchant on Yiwugo's platform operating Candy House Phone Accessories, leveraged her authorization granted by POP MART to incorporate both original and fan-designed variations of the brand's characters into product designs. This strategy has attracted a surge of e-commerce and livestreaming clients, with many individual clients' monthly purchases reaching millions of CNY.

Yiwugo's big data analysis revealed that, in February 2025, overseas buyers began inquiring about aquatic toys like water guns, which entered their peak sales season in April. By mid-to-late May, orders for these water toys were largely fulfilled.

Ms. Wang Ziding, owner of Yuchen Toys on the Yiwugo platform, shared that electric pulse water guns have been a top seller in overseas markets this year. Equipped with fully automatic water absorption and balanced pressure for extended range shooting capability, these water guns have made a striking debut. As production scaled up over the past two years, prices became more competitive, fueling booming demand both domestically and abroad. It's common for single clients to order around 100 cases per purchase.

Meanwhile, another domestic hit has emerged: the "firework water gun". Inspired by a 2024 viral short video featuring a makeshift water gun made from a perforated plastic water bottle that sprays water in firework-like patterns, manufacturers quickly rolled out upgraded versions. These toy guns overhauled traditional nozzles, with a standard 120-hole nozzle that creates rotating water patterns mimicking fireworks under pressure. Wang noted that by April, the company's daily output of 20,000 firework water guns still struggled to meet demand.

Another rising star in the toy market is polymer clay sheets. As a versatile material for DIY crafts, fashion accessories, and art education, polymer clay caters to everyone from children to professional artists, with applications spanning global markets.

Mr. Shi Yan, a veteran in the polymer clay industry, operates Effectouch Polymer Clay Arts & Crafts on Yiwugo, where the business has been operating for over 11 years. With factories in Dongyang, Jinhua (Zhejiang Province) and Hebei Province, the company uses proprietary formulas to produce clay with a smooth texture, high malleability, fade-resistant and colorfast properties, and resistance to cracking or discoloration. Its extensive color library of over 1,000 shades meets diverse global client needs.

Shi added that the company has established a U.S. design division, which gathers cutting-edge market insights, ensuring their designs remain globally relevant and infused with fresh creative elements.

In 2021, the DIY craft trend surged, driving the company's sales to a peak. After connecting with Effectouch through Yiwugo, a Brazilian client regularly purchased around two shipping containers of polymer clay products per month. These products flew off the shelves immediately upon arrival in Brazilian stores.

As Effectouch expanded its offerings in recent years, polymer clay sheets have gained popularity not only as raw materials for crafts, beaded accessories, and DIY jewelry but also as children's toys and early education tools.

The company maintains partnerships with global retail giants like Walmart for over a decade, with many bulk orders now leaning toward cultural and sports-related applications. As Shi emphasized, polymer clay, as a high-quality medium, can play diverse roles. Its versatility in shapes and colors makes it a compelling choice for consumers. He believes polymer clay will continue to outperform in global markets in the coming years.

From the tech-driven thrill of pulse water guns to the vibrant creativity of polymer clay, the Yiwu toy industry is proving itself as a global "hit-making machine". Innovation here doesn't require grand narratives - it thrives in the tiny details that spark imagination and childlike wonder, compelling consumers worldwide to pay for play. And that, perhaps, is the timeless business code of the "World's Supermarket".