By Yating Yang
So-called doll mummies create mainland market worth US$1.4 billion; say toy companions of ‘emotional support’; even ‘smell’ like their owners
A new “parenting” trend in China is seeing young women embrace “painless motherhood” by raising cotton dolls as their own children.
The toy-caring fad even extends to celebrating their “children’s” birthdays at hotpot restaurants, buying expensive clothes and even taking them on holidays.
The trend gained attention in October 2023, when a woman took her cotton dolls to the popular hotpot chain Haidilao and made a viral post titled: “Is Haidilao Discriminating Against Cotton Doll Owners?”.
In the post, she detailed how she requested a baby chair for her doll, only to be met with surprise and confusion from staff.
This forlorn looking eggplant stuffed toy is just one of the many types of “children” available on the market. Photo: RedNote
She also claimed that while Haidilao is known for its top-tier service, during her visit, staff missed food orders, failed to refill water and repeatedly refused to sing a birthday song for the dolls.
The post ignited controversy, snowballing into a national debate over whether “Haidilao should celebrate birthdays for cotton dolls”.
Many people who were unfamiliar with the trend reacted with disbelief, saying: “Only crazy people celebrate birthdays for dolls. Haidilao staff are really being pushed to the edge, talking to toys as if they are real people.”
However, fans of the doll community pushed back.
“We are just doing what we love,” one supporter wrote. “We are not hurting anyone or breaking any rules. Why should we be judged for it?”
Some so-called doll mummies even take their “children” on holiday and post photographs of them online, like those above. Photo: RedNote
The craze dates back to 2015, when fans of the Korean idol group EXO took a doll modelled after member Chen (Kim Jong-dae) to a concert.
This sparked a wave of fan-made idol dolls across Asia, eventually evolving into a niche market in China.
By 2018, cotton dolls had split into two categories: “attributed” and “non-attributed”.
Attributed dolls are modelled after real-life figures such as celebrities or anime characters, while non-attributed dolls are original creations by designers without any reference to real-life or fictional characters.
In the doll community, customers who buy and care for these things often affectionately refer to themselves as “doll mums” or “mummies”.
Some beloved dolls are photographed in different “real” situations. Photo: RedNote
As they wait for a doll they have ordered, it is common for them to say: “I am pregnant again.”
Receiving a basic doll is often just the beginning of the “doll-raising” journey.
Such doll mums will then meticulously select outfits, apply make-up, style their hair with wigs, and even film videos or take photographs of their dolls.
Some even take their dolls outdoors for sunshine and sightseeing.
While a basic cotton doll might cost only 40 to 100 yuan (US$6 to US$15), the real expense lies in the accessories.
Many “doll mums”, mostly young women, spend thousands of yuan on clothes, wigs, shoes and props for their plush companions.
According to the 2021 Cotton Doll Player Insight Report published by Weidian, 85 per cent of respondents said they bought dolls for their cute and comforting appearance, while 58 per cent cited emotional attachment as a key reason.
“The doll becomes warm after you hold it for a long time,” Lin Ke, a university senior who owns 15 cotton dolls and once spent 500 yuan (US$70) to customise one, said.
“It even starts to smell like me. Life does not come from the doll, it comes from the love you give it.”
Sun Xingxing, who once spent more than 700 yuan (US$100) on three dolls styled after her favourite Chinese idol group members, said:
“Idols feel out of reach for ordinary people. But with a doll that looks like my favourite idol, I can see and touch them every day. It is a happiness that feels real.”
According to Jiemian News, China’s cotton doll market surpassed 10 billion yuan (US$1.4 billion) in 2023, with a compound annual growth rate of 11 per cent from 2016 to 2023.
A young woman hugs a big teddy bear. Some doll mummies say their “children” even begin to smell like them, such is the level of their attachment to the toys. Photo: Getty Images
The market is projected to exceed 15 billion yuan (US$2.2 billion) by 2025, with an average of 8.73 dolls owned per consumer.
The accessories market, such as clothing and props, has grown to three times the value of the dolls themselves.
For many young people, the dolls offer a form of “painless parenthood”, providing emotional fulfilment through the experience of caring for their “children”.
“I treat my doll like my child,” said one enthusiast. “Most collectors do. I even take photographs of my dolls at home, even though I usually hate being photographed myself.”
The new trend has also sparked discussion on mainland social media.
One online viewer said: “I am more decisive when buying clothes for my doll than for myself. Life is stressful, but dolls are my comforting companions.”
While another said: “Honestly, raising cotton dolls should qualify for child subsidies. Their tiny outfits cost more than mine.”
Source: china-gen-z-nurtures-stuffed-toys-real-babies-celebrates-birthdays-shows-affection
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