As the Spring Festival approaches, creative cultural products featuring the Year of the Horse are taking a new path of breaking the mold. Unlike the more conventional zodiac imagery of past years, 2026's horse-themed designs are full of personality. These cultural creations center around the selling point of "emotional value," precisely resonating with the inner needs of young consumers through clever designs that incorporate humor, interactivity, and a sense of companionship.
Toy factories in Dongguan are brightly lit and operating around the clock to produce these zodiac-themed cultural products. At a toy company's production facility in Dongguan, workers are busy with tasks like stuffing, sealing, nailing, and attaching "saddles" on the assembly line. Tens of workers are carefully coordinating along the production line as horse mascots gradually take shape through multiple processes.
These freshly produced toy ponies are among the best-selling cultural and creative products for the upcoming Year of the Horse. With the rapid rise of "emotional consumption" in China, zodiac plush toys are no longer solely focused on precise and neat modeling. Instead, being "meme-worthy and fun" has become a major highlight in this year's market design. Hu Haishan, assistant general manager of the Cultural Tourism Company under Dongguan Shiye Group, told Wen Wei Po, "Our team designed an original set of plush blind boxes that have proven very popular in the market."
According to Hu, this series emphasizes "interactivity" and "pun-based humor." The first batch includes about 10,000 sets, comprising over 60,000 toys, and "they sell out almost as soon as they arrive."
At the toy factory where these blind boxes are produced, the reporter observed that each doll features various interactive mechanisms, bringing the small figures to life. Some ponies have hidden magnetic designs that cause them to automatically "snuggle" when brought close to each other. Another model has a blue pillow tucked against the pony's chest—pulling it makes the wings on its back flap.
These "moving" features reflect higher production process requirements. Xu, a senior designer at the toy company, told reporters that many designs now incorporate interactive mechanisms like vibration and pull mechanisms, making the stuffing process especially delicate. A small mistake could jam the movement module and render it non-functional.
"Every movement module is tested upon arrival. Stuffing, sealing, and packaging—every step must be double-checked." Compared to purely decorative zodiac toys from a few years ago, today's creative dolls are vastly different in terms of craftsmanship complexity and quality standards. "The market is changing, and consumer expectations are rising," Xu said. "Factories must upgrade accordingly."
"The Horse zodiac offers immense creative possibilities, but cultural products that truly succeed in the market must have their own distinct identity," said Huang, director of the marketing center at Hayidai Toy Company. This year, the company has launched six zodiac-themed trendy toys, designed around the emotional needs of younger consumers—emphasizing "good fortune" and "a sense of companionship." Related orders have increased by approximately 30% to 40% year-on-year.
Among this year's new horse-themed products, their flagship IP is a design inspired by the mythical beast "Jiliang" from the Classic of Mountains and Seas. It incorporates traditional auspicious elements like cloud patterns and coins, symbolizing prosperity. The toy features soft, rounded lines and an adorably naive expression, giving it a "touch for luck" appeal.
Another quirky creation is the "drama" bag charm. "This 'drama' doll comes with a retractable plush claw, resembling a little horse being grabbed by a claw machine. We wanted to express the concept of 'catching good luck' through movement, and it's been very well received," said Huang.
"Young consumers today aren't just buying a toy." Trendy toys now serve more as emotional companions, stress relievers, and even social symbols. Huang shared that her company begins planning the zodiac series a full year in advance, with the design-to-production cycle taking about three to four months. Products are fully ready six months before hitting the market. "Only by planning can we adapt to market shifts."
Huang said the company's design team now consists of 40 to 50 members, most of whom are young designers, with many born after 2000. She described these designers as active participants in youth culture themselves.
"They use and buy these products, so they truly understand why their peers are willing to spend money on a single doll."
In her view, successful emotional-value trendy toys must meet three key criteria: they must be "cute, funny, and share-worthy" at first glance, feel "soft, stress-relieving, and companion-like" to the touch, and be "memorable and recognizable" when taken out.
"Whether a doll is huggable, touchable, or attachable to a bag—all of these details matter."
(Source: Wen Wei Po; Journalist: Lu Jingyi)
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