Ningbo toy brand opens store in Vietnam

Polarpopo's flagship store opens in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. [Photo/Haishu News]

From its original 19-square-meter toy shop in Ningbo, East China's Zhejiang province to its first overseas store in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, trendy toy brand Polarpopo is redefining Chinese retail's global potential.

The Vietnam store opened on April 30 to enthusiastic crowds, with young shoppers eagerly browsing blind boxes, keychains and collectible figurines.

"Our mission has always been to deliver happiness," said Polarpopo's founder Tang Xuyang, who is himself a real toy enthusiast.

"Emotional connection is at the core — we aim to link young people around the world through shared joy," Tang added.

Polarpopo's entry into Vietnam is strategically timed. Tang noted that Vietnamese youngsters were highly receptive to pop culture trends, often in sync with their Chinese counterparts.

"With Vietnam's strong support for the cultural and creative industries and our strategy that avoids direct competition with other brands like Miniso, we've created room to thrive in niche markets," he added.

Inside the new store, top-selling Chinese items like the snake plushie have rapidly gained traction with local students. The blend of humor and creativity invites engagement, with many customers sharing their finds on social media.

What is said to really set Polarpopo apart is its cultural integration. Scented sachets with auspicious Chinese motifs such as persimmon and lotus are prominently displayed.

These handcrafted sachets come from Ningbo's Yuehu subdistrict, where elder artisans at the A'niang Workshop produce them through a meticulous six-step, three-hour process.

"We worked with local traditional medicine firms to create sachets with diverse scents and wellness benefits," said Zhou Yaping, an intangible heritage inheritor and manager of the workshop. Her workshop trains apprentices and links to community organizations, to turn traditional crafts into premium cultural products.

With a second shipment of sachets underway and new partnerships planned with other Ningbo-based heritage programs, Polarpopo is turning playful designs into a powerful vehicle for sharing Chinese culture with the world.