Current Trends of the Collectible Toy Industry

The collectible toy (Trend Toy) industry has rapidly emerged in recent years, covering various categories such as designer toys, art toys, and collectibles. Its core appeal lies in meeting the emotional, social, and collectible needs of younger consumers, giving it strong resilience in the consumer market.

Overview of the Collectible Toy Market

• Global Market Size and Growth The global collectible toy market has seen explosive growth in recent years. In 2022, the global designer toy market reached $25.3 billion, and it is expected to grow to $64.7 billion by 2028, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 16.3%. Additional data indicates that the global collectible toy market is expected to reach $44.8 billion by 2024, further highlighting its enormous market potential.

• Core Categories The main categories in the collectible toy market include blind boxes, building toys, blocks, and model kits. These categories attract a large number of young consumers with their unique designs and high playability.

Trends in the Collectible Toy Industry

• Innovation and Branding To cater to the increasingly personalized needs of younger consumers, the collectible toy market is accelerating its shift towards innovation and branding. Many brands are enhancing user engagement through unique IP imagery, cross-industry collaborations, and story-driven product designs.

• IP Licensing and Cross-Industry Collaborations More and more collectible toy brands are collaborating with movies, games, anime, and other cultural content through IP licensing and cross-industry partnerships, adding narrative and emotional value to their products. For instance, brands like Pop Mart have successfully attracted a wider audience by launching collaborative collectible toys with well-known IPs.

• Integration of Online and Offline The collectible toy industry is actively exploring a model that integrates both online and offline operations. For example, collectible toys are sold via e-commerce platforms while offline theme events and exhibitions are held to enhance user participation and interactive experiences.

• Emotional and Cultural Value Collectible toys have evolved from mere consumer goods into a medium for social interaction and self-expression. Consumers convey emotions and personalities through collectible toys, and these products have gradually become important carriers of spiritual consumption, reflecting the shift from material to spiritual consumption.

• Globalization and Digitization As collectible toy brands expand internationally, more companies are entering overseas markets. At the same time, the introduction of digital technologies (such as NFT collectible toys) has brought new growth opportunities to the industry.

The core business model of the collectible toy industry revolves around IP creation. Many companies build unique brand ecosystems by creating IP images with cultural connotations and emotional value. At the same time, the integration of traditional cultural elements adds warmth to the IP and becomes an important vehicle for cultural dissemination.