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2027宁波国际文具展
Fuse beads originated in Northern Europe in the 1980s. First launched by Denmark’s Hama, the brand was soon followed by America’s Perler. Initially, fuse beads were positioned as craft teaching aids for children.
The core consumer base falls into four major groups:
Children (aged 3–12, accounting for 40%)
They mainly use fuse beads in kindergarten art classes and parent-child interactive activities. Purchases are primarily made by parents. The unit price ranges from 15 to 50 RMB. This group features high repurchase rates and forms the fundamental consumer market.
Gen Z Craft Enthusiasts (aged 18–30, accounting for 35%)
This is the fastest-growing core group. Influenced by content promotion on Douyin and Xiaohongshu, users here pursue stress relief and social sharing. The unit price stands between 50 and 150 RMB, and they value the emotional satisfaction brought by creation.
ACG & Merchandise Collectors (aged 15–28, accounting for 15%)
A high-loyalty and high-spending group. They make pixel art, standees and other peripherals of anime and game characters with fuse beads, closely connecting with ACG culture. The unit price ranges from 100 to 300 RMB, making this group the main force of high-end consumption.
Educational Institutions & Schools (accounting for 10%)
These are B2B bulk buyers that procure fuse beads for after-school programs and craft courses. Purchasing volume remains steady while buyers are price-sensitive, serving as a reliable sales channel.
The proportion of adult users has climbed rapidly, rising from 20% in 2022 to over 50% in 2025. Fuse beads have successfully transformed from children’s teaching aids into a popular stress-relief product for people of all ages.
Fuse beads originated in Northern Europe in the 1980s. First launched by Denmark’s Hama, the brand was soon followed by America’s Perler. Initially, fuse beads were positioned as craft teaching aids for children.
The market was dominated by school-related scenarios with limited product diversity. Foreign brands took the lead, and the annual market size was less than 100 million RMB.
Short-video platforms drove the popularity of pixel art and DIY stress-relief crafts. E-commerce sales achieved an average annual growth rate of over 200%. In 2024, sales on Taobao and Tmall reached 291 million RMB, a year-on-year increase of more than 9 times.
The industrial chain has matured, and craft experience stores have become prevalent. Integrated with ACG culture, China’s fuse bead market reached 800 million to 1.2 billion RMB in 2025, and is expected to exceed 1 billion RMB in 2026. The global market size is projected to hit 20 billion RMB.
Having evolved from a niche craft into a large-scale industry, the sector is still in the early growth phase. It enjoys rising public awareness and robust growth, yet features low market concentration and an unsettled brand landscape, presenting a prime window for new entrants.
A complete industrial chain has taken shape: Upstream Raw Materials → Midstream Branding & Manufacturing → Downstream Distribution & Consumption, with clear division of labor and profit margins across all links.
Upstream: Raw Materials & Molds (Gross Profit Margin: 30%–40%)
The core material is food-grade LDPE (Low-Density Polyethylene), with a cost of 8,000 to 10,000 RMB per ton. Major suppliers are located in Zhejiang, Guangdong and Jiangsu provinces. Fuse bead boards rely on injection molds, with the development cost for a single mold ranging from 10,000 to 50,000 RMB, which constitutes the major entry barrier.
Midstream: Brands & Manufacturers (Gross Profit Margin: 40%–60%, core profit segment)
There are more than 200 domestic fuse bead brands, yet fewer than 5 achieve annual sales exceeding 100 million RMB. Most manufacturers focus on OEM production, and independent brands account for less than 30% of the market. Leading brands such as BESIN, Mideer and Deli are responsible for product design, IP licensing and operation. This segment boasts the highest profit but also faces the greatest operational risks.
Downstream: Distribution & End Consumers (Gross Profit Margin: 20%–35%)
Both online and offline channels drive sales. Online channels are led by Taobao/Tmall (45%), Douyin E-commerce (25%) and Pinduoduo (15%). Offline channels include craft experience stores, institutional procurement and cultural and creative fairs. The per-customer spending at physical craft stores ranges from 68 to 198 RMB with stable foot traffic.
Overall profit distribution follows this pattern: Midstream players capture the largest profits, upstream suppliers gain steady returns, and downstream distributors earn reliable margins. Brands secure the highest profits by leveraging IP resources and professional operation.
Social media has been the core driver behind the boom of fuse beads, forming a closed loop of content discovery → purchase → creation → sharing → re-discovery, which keeps its popularity soaring.
The 2027 Ningbo International Stationery Fair will be held from March 25 to 27, 2027. A great number of fuse bead brands will gather at the event to showcase innovative new products with distinctive cultural elements, bringing more surprises and fun to consumers.
Recommended exhibitors:
Huajian Cultural & Creative (Booth: H6-T01)
Jianghao Plastic (Booth: H3-735)
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