Crafting belonging
Beyond digital experiences, this search for meaning is also appearing in physical products, especially those that allow young people to project identity, emotion, and cultural pride onto objects they love.
Ji Yingqi, founder of a handicraft workshop in Nanning, Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, has turned ethnic heritage into doll clothing. Her best-selling items include fridge magnets and plush toys featuring imitation Miao silver ornaments and Zhuang brocade.
Building on the popularity of the magnets, Ji's team adapted the motif into miniature Miao-style flower crowns and Zhuang-style headpieces. After testing them on Pop Mart figurines, they created their first line of doll hats.
While decorating their workspace, Ji's team dressed plush toys in Zhuang-style outfits. The outfits became an instant hit with visitors, who soon began asking whether the team could make similar clothes for their own dolls.
"That's when it clicked," Ji said. From there, the process became more interactive. Customer participation became central to the business. Ji describes the process as "cocreation".
"Every doll is different," she said. From necklines to accessories, each design is shaped by customer preferences.
"Many of them see their dolls as companions, even like 'children'. They bring them to meals, on walks and trips, even to concerts."
Meanwhile, designs were simplified to fit dolls of different sizes while still preserving key cultural elements. The range of designs now includes Yi, Yao, and Bai ethnic styles.
Bai-style hats, for example, draw inspiration from the natural scenery of Dali in Yunnan province — wind, flowers, snow, and moon — blending tradition with playful design.
"Growing national pride has drawn more young people to our products. They do not hesitate to express their love for ethnic cultural elements," Ji said.
"Some customers studying or living abroad come back and make a point of bringing their dolls to us," she added. "They take photos with the dolls around the world, bringing Zhuang-style clothing to more places."
Across a color studio, a museum, and a doll workshop, what young people are buying is not just color palettes, digital guides, or handmade accessories. In a market crowded with choices, meaning may be what keeps people coming back.
