A look at Yangzhou's toy manufacturers that turn to build original IP designs
發佈日期: 2026-03-27 23:56
TVB News
The Hong Kong government has been working to build up the city's own IP industry. In Yangzhou, toy manufacturers have successfully transformed from original equipment manufacturers, and built their IP brands.
Cuddly plush toys have grown up with so many of us, but before these best friends come to life, they go through a whole journey - design, sampling, stuffing and more.
Back in the day, China was the go-to for global toy manufacturing because of its low cost and high quality productions. Yangzhou alone once produced nearly three-quarters of the world's plush toys, but as costs rise, the old original equipment manufacturer (OEM) model just doesn't cut it anymore.
HR manager of An'Best, Shi Qiaoyan, said: "OEM plush toy production just doesn't fit today's marker anymore because it relied heavily on demographic dividends. Also, nowadays, whether in China or abroad, there's a much stronger focus on original content and copyright protection."
Many companies are now shifting their focuses to original IP designs and anything can turn "plushy".
This toy manufacturer in Yangzhou currently holds over 3,000 copyrighted products and 19 licensed patents. Their cultural and creative products, developed in partnership with institutions like national museums have become a huge hit.
They're currently setting their sights on the world stage - hoping to promote Chinese culture to all over the world.
Shi said: "Our products carry cultural stories and meaning behind them - for instance, the local heritage tied to a particular place or event - these little creative touches really help our clients see the product as a vessel for cultural heritage."
Here at Jiangsu, one of the hottest local cultural sensations lately has to be the Jiangsu Football City League.
This little guy called "Tuan Tuan" is last year's Jiangsu Football City League's plushie. He was actually inspired by the famous Huaiyuang dish called "shi zi tou", which means lion's head meatballs.
As for the risk of original designs being copied, an industry insider said they now apply for copyrights early at the sampling stage to protect their work.
