Industry News & Information about China's Gifts & Crafts Export in 2008

China's Craft Gifts Exports Amount in the the First Three Months of 2008 Down by 7 Percent over the Previous Corresponding Year

China's US$4-billion craft gifts industry is experiencing a slowdown in export growth rates, as suppliers deal with high rawmaterial and increasing labor costs. Cuts in export tax rebates and the rising value of the yuan are also adding to the pressure.

Confronted by these challenges, export sales and volume in 2008 are foreseen to dip or at least remain at current levels. During thefirst three months of 2008, overseas revenue amounted to US$807 million, down by 7 percent over the previous corresponding year. Involume terms, shipments in the same period went up by a mere 0.8 percent.

China suppliers offer an extensive array of craft gifts in different materials, with designs made of porcelain and ceramic, polyresin, metal, glass and crystal, and wood constituting the bulk of exports.

Many suppliers of China are optimistic about sales growth, particularly for metal, and glass and crystal crafts. These product categories are enjoying higher demand than others, partly because they have a stronger contemporary appeal and are deemed more environment-friendly. Despite rising production costs, many suppliers are optimistic about sales growth, particularly for metal, and glass and crystalcrafts. These product categories are enjoying higher demand than others, partly because they have a stronger contemporary appeal andare deemed more environment-friendly.

Main Gifts & Crafts Products in The Current Market :

While handpainting remains a unique selling point for China-made crafts & gifts, more companies are investing in high-tech equipment,including laser-engraving machines for glass and crystal designs.

With the intensifying preference for "green" products worldwide, environment-friendly designs will be the key trend for China-madecraft gifts in coming months. Plant-based dyes and certified materials with low lead content will be used in greater numbers.

In line with expanding design ranges, most manufacturers will boost their capacity by 20 to 50 percent in the next 12 months.

Market Key Trends of Gifts & Crafts Products :

In detail, the following are some of the key trends we see in China's crafts & gift industry:

- Decorative craft gifts such as tabletop figurines, miniature replicas, decors and wall hangings made of ceramic and porcelain, metal, polyresin, glass and crystal, and wood. Functional products such as photo frames, clocks and candle holdersare excluded.

- The rising cost of tin, wood and clay is likely to carry on through the rest of 2008, forcing the majority of makers to increaseprices. Most companies doing so will cap markups at 5 percent to stay competitive.

- With the intensifying preference for "green" products worldwide, environment-friendly designs will be the key trend for craft gifts incoming months. Plant-based dyes and certified materials with low lead content will be used in greater numbers.

- Designs constructed from combination materials such as wood and metal for tabletop figurines will also be popular in coming months.This technique not only raises the models' aesthetic appeal but also reduces the product cost.

- In line with expanding design ranges, most manufacturers will boost their capacity by 20 to 50 percent in the next 12 months, mainlyvia adding more machines and expanding production workshops.

- Craft gifts made of ceramic and porcelain, metal, polyresin, glass and crystal, and wood. The product scope islimited mainly to decorative models such as tabletop figurines, miniature replicas, decors and wall hangings. It does not includefunctional designs such as photo frames, clocks and candle holders.

Gifts & Crafts Market Opportunities

The line between general gifts and decorative accessories is slowly disappearing, with home furnishings still the dominant category. The home furnishings segment (includes candles, picture frames, tabletop accessories and vases) was valued at US$17 billion.

The most important emerging trend in the general giftware sector is the move away from gifts purchased for another person, to purchases increasingly being for the individuals themselves. Important product segments for self-purchases include: home furnishings, aromatherapy products, art candles, Christmas decorations, lamps, linens/throws and plush toys.

Seemingly unlimited access and exposure to new products, materials and resource markets has made US consumers impatient. As a result, Australian suppliers need to have a steady supply of new designs, concepts and/or products available for their distributors and buyers.

American consumers are increasingly using the Internet for purchases. More importantly, consumers are using it as part of their process for learning about and identifying products for purchases made in retail environments. The existence and accessibility of the Internet to consumers becomes a source of legitimacy for the manufacturer. It also becomes an opportunity to communicate information to receptive consumers. The website should be user friendly, providing easy navigation to product information.

Jewellery in particular has sold well over the Internet. Online sellers are often able to sell at lower prices due to fewer middlemen, lower overheads and a 24-hour store front. A search for the keyword 'jewellery' on eBay reveals close to 40,000 items.

US gift convention organisers are the most experienced intermediaries between buyers and wholesalers, and several have launched B2B websites (ie. Americas Mart and Dallas Market Center) designed to capitalise on their existing relationships and expertise.

While most B2B gift industry sites market product on behalf of suppliers, the web is also producing a cyber version of the wholesale distributor — a company in the China that will take ownership of the product and resell it to the retailers. Examples include www.123giftfactory.com, www.made-in-china.com and Whereoware.

Best Olympic Gift I've Got - The Official Mascots of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games

I get a gift from one of my best friends just came back from China last weekend. They were there a month because he works for a company that's local here and is helping build a factory in China, so they brought me back Official Olympic Mascot Magnets, I was so excited to get them, and I just had to share them with you.

Like the Five Olympic Rings from which they draw their color and inspiration, Fuwa will serve as the Official Mascots of Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, carrying a message of friendship and peace -- and good wishes from China -- to children all over the world.

Designed to express the playful qualities of five little children who form an intimate circle of friends, Fuwa also embody the natural characteristics of four of China's most popular animals -- the Fish, the Panda, the Tibetan Antelope, the Swallow -- and the Olympic Flame.

Each of Fuwa has a rhyming two-syllable name -- a traditional way of expressing affection for children in China. Beibei is the Fish, Jingjing is the Panda, Huanhuan is the Olympic Flame, Yingying is the Tibetan Antelope and Nini is the Swallow.

When you put their names together -- Bei Jing Huan Ying Ni -- they say "Welcome to Beijing," offering a warm invitation that reflects the mission of Fuwa as young ambassadors for the Olympic Games.

Fuwa also embody both the landscape and the dreams and aspirations of people from every part of the vast country of China. In their origins and their headpieces, you can see the five elements of nature -- the sea, forest, fire, earth and sky -- all stylistically rendered in ways that represent the deep traditional influences of Chinese folk art and ornamentation.

Spreading Traditional Chinese Good Wishes Wherever They Go

In the ancient culture of China, there is a grand tradition of spreading good wishes through signs and symbols. Each of Fuwa symbolizes a different blessing -- and will honor this tradition by carrying their good wishes to the children of the world. Prosperity, happiness, passion, health and good luck will be spread to every continent as Fuwa carry their invitation to Beijing 2008 to every part of the globe.

At the heart of their mission -- and through all of their work -- Fuwa will seek to unite the world in peace and friendship through the Olympic spirit. Dedicated to helping Beijing 2008 spread its theme of One World, One Dream to every continent, Fuwa reflect the deep desire of the Chinese people to reach out to the world in friendship through the Games -- and to invite every man, woman and child to take part in the great celebration of human solidarity that China will host in the light of the flame in 2008.

In China's traditional culture and art, the fish and water designs are symbols of prosperity and harvest. And so Beibei carries the blessing of prosperity. A fish is also a symbol of surplus in Chinese culture, another measure of a good year and a good life.

The ornamental lines of the water-wave designs are taken from well-known Chinese paintings of the past. Among Fuwa, Beibei is known to be gentle and pure. Strong in water sports, she reflects the blue Olympic ring.


Like the Five Olympic Rings from which they draw their color and inspiration, Fuwa will serve as the Official Mascots of Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, carrying a message of friendship and peace -- and good wishes from China -- to children all over the world.

Designed to express the playful qualities of five little children who form an intimate circle of friends, Fuwa also embody the natural characteristics of four of China's most popular animals -- the Fish, the Panda, the Tibetan Antelope, the Swallow -- and the Olympic Flame.

Each of Fuwa has a rhyming two-syllable name -- a traditional way of expressing affection for children in China. Beibei is the Fish, Jingjing is the Panda, Huanhuan is the Olympic Flame, Yingying is the Tibetan Antelope and Nini is the Swallow.

When you put their names together -- Bei Jing Huan Ying Ni -- they say "Welcome to Beijing," offering a warm invitation that reflects the mission of Fuwa as young ambassadors for the Olympic Games.

Fuwa also embody both the landscape and the dreams and aspirations of people from every part of the vast country of China. In their origins and their headpieces, you can see the five elements of nature -- the sea, forest, fire, earth and sky -- all stylistically rendered in ways that represent the deep traditional influences of Chinese folk art and ornamentation.

Spreading Traditional Chinese Good Wishes Wherever They Go

In the ancient culture of China, there is a grand tradition of spreading good wishes through signs and symbols. Each of Fuwa symbolizes a different blessing -- and will honor this tradition by carrying their good wishes to the children of the world. Prosperity, happiness, passion, health and good luck will be spread to every continent as Fuwa carry their invitation to Beijing 2008 to every part of the globe.

At the heart of their mission -- and through all of their work -- Fuwa will seek to unite the world in peace and friendship through the Olympic spirit. Dedicated to helping Beijing 2008 spread its theme of One World, One Dream to every continent, Fuwa reflect the deep desire of the Chinese people to reach out to the world in friendship through the Games -- and to invite every man, woman and child to take part in the great celebration of human solidarity that China will host in the light of the flame in 2008.



Fuwa Beibei

The ornamental lines of the water-wave designs are taken from well-known Chinese paintings of the past. Among Fuwa, Beibei is known to be gentle and pure. Strong in water sports, she reflects the blue Olympic ring.

In China's traditional culture and art, the fish and water designs are symbols of prosperity and harvest. And so Beibei carries the blessing of prosperity. A fish is also a symbol of surplus in Chinese culture, another measure of a good year and a good life.


Fuwa JingJing

Jingjing makes children smile -- and that's why he brings the blessing of happiness wherever he goes. You can see his joy in the charming naivety of his dancing pose and the lovely wave of his black and white fur. As a national treasure and a protected species, pandas are adored by people everywhere. The lotus designs in Jingjing's headdress, which are inspired by the porcelain paintings of the Song Dynasty (A.D.960-1234), symbolize the lush forest and the harmonious relationship between man and nature. Jingjing was chosen to represent our desire to protect nature's gifts -- and to preserve the beauty of nature for all generations. Jingjing is charmingly naïve and optimistic. He is an athlete noted for strength who represents the black Olympic ring.

Fuwa HuanHuan

In the intimate circle of Fuwa, Huanhuan is the big brother. He is a child of fire, symbolizing the Olympic Flame and the passion of sport -- and passion is the blessing he bestows. Huanhuan stands in the center of Fuwa as the core embodiment of the Olympic spirit. And while he inspires all with the passion to run faster, jump higher and be stronger, he is also open and inviting. Wherever the light of Huanhuan shines, the inviting warmth of Beijing 2008 -- and the wishful blessings of the Chinese people -- can be felt. The fiery designs of his head ornament are drawn from the famed Dunhuang murals -- with just a touch of China's traditional lucky designs. Huanhuan is outgoing and enthusiastic. He excels at all the ball games and represents the red Olympic ring.

Fuwu Yingying

Like all antelopes, Yingying is fast and agile and can swiftly cover great stretches of land as he races across the earth. A symbol of the vastness of China's landscape, the antelope carries the blessing of health, the strength of body that comes from harmony with nature. Yingying's flying pose captures the essence of a species unique to the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, one of the first animals put under protection in China. The selection of the Tibetan Antelope reflects Beijing's commitment to a Green Olympics. His head ornament incorporates several decorative styles from the Qinghai-Tibet and Sinkiang cultures and the ethnic design traditions of Western China. Strong in track and field events, Yingying is a quick-witted and agile boy who represents the yellow Olympic ring.

Fuwa Nini

Among Fuwa, Nini is as innocent and joyful as a swallow. She is strong in gymnastics and represents the green Olympic ring. Every spring and summer, the children of Beijing have flown beautiful kites on the currents of wind that blow through the capital. Among the kite designs, the golden-winged swallow is traditionally one of the most popular. Nini's figure is drawn from this grand tradition of flying designs. Her golden wings symbolize the infinite sky and spread good-luck as a blessing wherever she flies. Swallow is also pronounced "yan" in Chinese, and Yanjing is what Beijing was called as an ancient capital city.

Last, if you are now Staying in Beijing for watching the 2008 Beijing Olymic Games, you can buy Olympic gifts very conveniently, according to some reports, there are many Olympic gift shops opened for business at 44 branches of the Beijing Post. Postal customers in Yayuncun, Zhongguancun and other areas around the city can now purchase officially licensed Beijing Olympic products like Fuwa toys, magnets, coins, pins, clothing, crafts, pottery, in addition special Olympic commemorative postal products issued by the China Post and Beijing Post. The participating Beijing Post branches are scattered across 18 districts and counties citywide. The Beijing Post has produced a variety of philatelic products items to commemorate the Olympics and showcase Chinese culture.