Do you know where the largest toy wholesale market is?

The largest toy wholesale market is is located in Chenghai District, Shantou City, Guangdong Province, China. But why Chenghai? Despite covering only 345 square kilometers and having a population of 870,000, Chenghai toy wholesale market accounts for 33% of the world’s toy production capacity.In recent years, toys from Chenghai have been exported to more than 120 countries and regions worldwide through various channels such as general trade, cross-border e-commerce, and market procurement. There are 11,000 enterprises directly producing toys in Chenghai, together with more than 30,000 supporting factories, there are a total of 46,000 local toys and related factories. Every day, more than 6 million toy products are sold from here to the whole country and to the rest of the world. Chenghai toy industry started in the 1980s, and after 40 years of development has gradually become the most distinctive and dynamic local pillar industry.

Chenghai has also become a nationally renowned toy production and export base, earning titles such as the ‘Toy Capital of China,’ ‘National Foreign Trade Transformation and Upgrading Base (Toys),’ and ‘National Toy Quality and Safety Demonstration Zone.’ These accolades highlight Chenghai’s pivotal position in the global toy industry.

“The toy industry’s evaluation of Chenghai’s toy wholesale market is: ‘When it comes to toys, the world looks at China, China looks at Guangdong, and Guangdong looks at Chenghai’”. According to China Customs statistics, in the first quarter of 2024, 610 million yuan of toys were exported through Shantou Customs in the form of market purchasing declaration, up 11.9 percent year-on-year.

• 1.Favorable geographical location
• 2.Port Facilities
• 3.Trade fairs and exhibitions
• 4.Special economic zones and policies
• 5.A Manufacturing Powerhouse
• 6.A Well-Serviced Toy Wholesale Market

1.Favorable geographical location

Shantou is located on the southeast coast of China, with a favorable geographical location and convenient access to the major shipping lanes of the South China Sea. Shantou’s proximity to major economic centers such as Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Hong Kong enhances international trade connectivity.

2.Port Facilities

Shantou Port is one of the major ports in China with a well-developed infrastructure capable of handling a large volume of cargo. Port facilities include deep-water berths, modern container terminals and efficient logistics services to smooth the import and export process. Chenghai toy wholesale market is a famous base for the production and export of toys and gifts, and many toys are exported to all over the world through Shantou Port Guang’ao Port Area. With the development of new energy industry and the transformation and upgrading of toy industry, many products containing lithium battery and electronic toys are exported. Lithium batteries and toys containing lithium batteries are classified as Class 9 Dangerous Goods, which are more strictly regulated and have higher safety requirements for packaging and transportation.2023, Shantou Port Guang’ao Port Area has successfully obtained the qualification of loading and unloading Class 9 Dangerous Goods, such as fishmeal and lithium batteries.

3.Trade fairs and exhibitions

Chenghai is famous for organizing numerous toy fairs and exhibitions every year. These events attract buyers and traders from all over the world, providing them with valuable opportunities to exchange ideas, establish business contacts and learn about the latest industry trends.On the afternoon of May 26, the 23rd China-Chenghai International Toys and Gifts Expo Conference was held in Chenghai District, announcing that the 23rd edition of the Play Fair is scheduled to be held from October 25 to 27 at the Shantou International Convention and Exhibition Center. This year’s Play Fair will integrate toy industry IP exhibition, supporting accessories exhibition and toy machinery exhibition to provide a comprehensive toy professional exhibition to attract domestic and foreign businessmen to seek new business opportunities for trade and cooperation.

4.Special economic zones and policies

Chenghai is part of the Shantou Special Economic Zone, which offers various preferential policies to attract foreign investment. These preferential policies, including tax breaks, simplified customs procedures and preferential policies for foreign-funded enterprises, have made Chenghai an attractive destination for international trade and investment. Chenghai toy wholesale market development road, is a roaring, ten thousand horses galloping magnificent picture scroll. In Shantou vigorously promote the new pattern of industrial development at the moment, the toy creative industry as one of the characteristics of the industry, was put into an important position on the new track of industrial development, proposed to build more than 50 billion toys creative industry clusters.

5.A Manufacturing Powerhouse

Chenghai’s reputation as a toy manufacturing powerhouse is well deserved. Chenghai District has thousands of toy manufacturers, producing a wide range of toys, including electronic toys, educational toys, plastic toys, plush toys and so on. “All the toys you can think of, you can find in Chenghai toy wholesale market”, a phrase widely spread in the toy industry. In Guangdong’s skills ecological chain of leadership, Chenghai toys ushered in the industrial chain and talent chain of the depth of the intermingling, help Chenghai toy industry continue to high-end, intelligent, digital, green. From there to excellent, from excellent to strong, and then seek originality, after more than 40 years of development and precipitation of several generations, Chenghai toy industry has been freed from the traditional “workshop-style” production mode, to realize the transformation and upgrading from the simple processing industry to the creative industry, the cultural industry and other high-end industries. With an annual output value of nearly 50 billion yuan, it now has more than 50,000 toy production and operation units and 125,000 employees, and plans to reach 100 billion yuan in annual output value by 2030.

6. A Well-Serviced Toy Wholesale Market

Chenghai toy wholesale market within the first toy industry complex – “Baoao City International Trade Park”. This is an international toy industry complex with four major platforms (international toy procurement platform, logistics platform, international exhibition platform, e-commerce platform), three major centers (toy design R & D center, financial services center, integrated administrative service center). It is a toy wholesale market with perfect services.

In Conclusion

Shantou’s craft toy industry is one of the three major craft toy production bases in China. Chenghai District is the only “China Toys and Gifts City” in China awarded by China Light Industry Federation, and won the title of “National Torch Program Chenghai Intelligent Toys Creative Design and Manufacturing Industry Base” granted by the Ministry of Science and Technology of China.

At present, Chenghai has formed a complete toy industry chain of toy design and development, mold manufacturing, production and processing, printing and packaging, exhibition and promotion, logistics and distribution. Chenghai toy manufacturing industry’s eight advantages: industrial clusters, trade facilitation, variety, exquisite design, quality assurance, brand clustering, moderate price, high added value.

If you are looking to purchase high-quality toy products, the Chenghai toy wholesale market is undoubtedly your best choice.

The person in charge of the local head’s toy showroom said that in the early days of development, Hong Kong’s foreign trade companies brought Chenghai valuable orders for toys, which kept Chenghai people grateful to the trading companies. “We feel that we have met our benefactors, so there are some (rules) we have to maintain, and it has slowly become a custom.” In Chenghai, small and medium-sized factories understand this “rule”, if there is no foreign trade company’s matchmaking, will not rashly directly to foreign customers.

As a local purchasing agent, we have many high-quality factory resources. We provide one-to-one quality service at favorable prices. We can help customers find the best manufacturers, ensure product quality, arrange delivery and provide excellent after-sales service. We make the whole purchasing process easier and safer. If you want to buy high quality and low price products, our company will be your best purchasing agent!

This post is written by Chase.