Chongqing - On the afternoon of December 12, in a busy shopping mall on Chongqing’s Guanyinqiao Pedestrian Street, 20-year-old college student Li Wei stops to photograph her LABUBU doll. Dressed in a limited-edition qipao embroidered with camellias, the outfit took her three tries to get. “I put more effort into buying clothes for my doll than for myself,” she said.

A wide selection of doll clothes is on display in a shop, popular among young consumers who enjoy collecting and dressing designer toys. (Photo/Zhou Ying)

Scenes like this are becoming increasingly common across China's rapidly growing designer toy market. Doll clothing, known locally as "wayi," has evolved from a niche hobby into a booming sub-sector, attracting young consumers who are often willing to queue in stores or stay up late to secure limited releases.

A penguin plush toy dressed in miniature doll clothing. (Photo/Zhou Ying)

According to business data platform Tianyancha, China now has more than 21,000 companies linked to designer toys, with roughly 7,100 added in 2025 alone. Doll clothing has emerged as one of the fastest-growing segments. Sales on Alibaba’s Taobao and Tmall platforms rose more than 117 percent year on year in 2024, with momentum continuing into 2025. In May, monthly sales exceeded 10 million yuan (about 1.4 million U.S. dollars), according to platform data.

In Chongqing’s Fangyuan LIVE commercial area, eight stores now specialize exclusively in doll clothing, up from just one mixed-use handmade shop three years ago. Retail prices range from several dozen yuan to more than 1,000 yuan for limited-edition or custom designs.

Chen, the owner of a store called HeiFriend, said demand has grown steadily. A former women’s clothing retailer, she shifted her business after noticing her daughter making clothes for dolls. Over 18 months, her monthly sales increased from about 30,000 yuan to 120,000 yuan, with mid-range products priced between 150 and 300 yuan accounting for more than 60 percent of revenue.

The appeal extends beyond shopping. Many consumers describe doll clothing as a form of emotional expression and social connection. Li Wei said dressing and photographing her dolls helps her relax and connect with others online. “It’s like keeping a digital pet, but with something tangible,” she said.

Psychologists say this sentiment reflects broader trends among China’s younger consumers. Luo Qinghua, deputy director of the Mental Health Center at the First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, said doll clothing consumption often combines emotional comfort with identity-building. “In an uncertain environment, dolls provide a safe object for emotional projection,” Luo said. “Styling them becomes a way of expressing personal aesthetics and inner needs.”

Data support the social dimension of the trend. A report by the China Toy and Juvenile Products Association shows that 72 percent of doll clothing buyers share related content on social platforms, while 35 percent say they have made new friends through these interactions.

Cultural elements are also fueling growth. Some manufacturers are incorporating traditional Chinese textiles, such as Song brocade, into doll outfits. One company in Zhejiang Province sold out a 599-yuan set inspired by the famous painting A Panorama of Rivers and Mountains within an hour of its release, according to the firm.

Rapid expansion, however, has brought challenges. Industry observers point to rising design homogeneity and an increase in copyright disputes. In April, Beijing’s Haidian District Court ruled in a high-profile case involving counterfeit doll clothing sold via livestreaming, ordering compensation of 5 million yuan for infringement of popular toy brands.

Legal experts say enforcement remains complex. He Mingfeng, a senior partner at a Chongqing-based law firm, noted that while original doll designs are protected under China’s copyright law, proving substantial similarity can be difficult. She advises creators to retain detailed design records and explore digital tools such as blockchain-based evidence preservation.

Economists warn that without stronger protection for originality, the market risks slipping into price-driven competition. “The early boom attracted many imitators,” said Liao Chenglin, a professor at Chongqing University. “Long-term growth depends on innovation and effective intellectual property safeguards.”