Ningbo's designer toy brand makes waves abroad

Tuntunzai's first overseas pop-up store opens in Bangkok. [Photo/Ningbo Evening News]

Ningbo-based designer toy brand Tuntunzai is making waves internationally, with its first overseas pop-up store in Bangkok drawing over 300,000 visitors and generating more than 25 million baht ($769,279) in sales in just one month.

Ningbo's homegrown designer toy brand Tuntunzai is making waves overseas, with its debut pop-up store in Bangkok racking up over 25 million Thai baht ($769,279) in sales during its first month.

Founded by Wu Shengfeng, Ningbo Kule Chaowan Creative and Cultural Co Ltd has grown from a local audio-visual retail chain into one of China's first and most prominent players in the designer toy industry. With stores now in over 70 cities nationwide, the brand has built a loyal following among young consumers by fusing original intellectual properties (IP) with trendy aesthetics and immersive retail experiences.

In late 2023, Wu's team launched Tuntunzai — a rotund, wide-eyed capybara character designed as a comforting emotional companion for Gen Z. Thanks to its playful charm and internet-friendly persona, Tuntunzai quickly rose to become Kule Chaowan's top-selling product line, accounting for nearly 10 percent of total sales in 2024.

Capitalizing on this momentum, the brand kicked off its "Tuntunzai Global Tour" with a pop-up concept in Bangkok's high-traffic EmSphere mall. Spanning 430 square meters, the themed installation combined tropical Thai elements with cozy bakery-inspired decoration, immersive scents, and unique lighting. The store offered exclusive Thai-edition Tuntunzai merchandise and collaborative baked goods, drawing over 10,000 visitors daily during the May Day holiday.

The successful debut not only turned the pop-up into a local hotspot, but also attracted interest from regional markets eager to host the character next. For Wu, the sweet success of Tuntunzai's overseas premiere marks a promising step forward in bringing Ningbo's original cultural IPs to the global stage.