Is your blind box going to increase in price? The Middle East conflict affects the "trend toy circle": plastic prices soaring, "5 yuan goods now selling for 9 yuan"

Ask AI · How does the Middle East conflict affect the soaring prices of raw materials for trendy toys?

China News Service Jingwei, April 8 — (Zheng Yijia) “In the past month, the prices of raw materials have increased by at least 20%.” On the 7th, a person in charge of a trendy toy manufacturing factory in Shanghai, using the pseudonym Lion(, told Jingwei.

Against the backdrop of intensified fluctuations in oil prices, as an important downstream application area of petrochemical products, the plastic prices relied upon by the trendy toy and IP derivative industries have significantly risen, and the industry is facing ongoing cost pressures.

According to Lion), currently, the raw materials involved in China’s trendy toy and IP derivative sectors include PVC( polyvinyl chloride), ABS( acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene plastic), acrylic( polymethyl methacrylate, PMMA), PP( polypropylene), PET( polyethylene terephthalate), among others, covering most categories such as figurines, badges, pendants, and ornaments.

Affected by Middle Eastern geopolitical conflicts, relevant futures contracts in China have recently seen obvious price increases.

According to Zhuochuang Information statistics, on February 27, the main contract price for East China calcium carbide-based PVC powder SG-5( East China calcium carbide method type 5 PVC resin) was 4,635 yuan/ton, and on April 7, it was 5,285 yuan/ton; for ABS, the ordinary injection-grade in East China, the average price on February 27 was 9,000 yuan/ton, and on April 7, it was 13,150 yuan/ton, a 46.11% increase; for PMMA CM205, the average price on February 27 was 13,050 yuan/ton, and on April 7, it was 18,650 yuan/ton, a 42.91% increase.

On April 8, Jingwei contacted a trendy toy OEM factory in Dongguan, Guangdong, as a consumer. The relevant person in charge said that their raw material prices have increased by 10% to 20%, but production and operations are normal.

“I’ve observed that some manufacturers, due to the rapid rise in raw material prices, are unable to stockpile, which has affected production,” Lion( said. “Although prices are rising, there is currently no problem with raw material supply. However, after the price increase, the entire industry will inevitably face cost pressures, which will impact daily production and operations.”

Faced with cost pressures, different manufacturers and brands are choosing different strategies. Lion) told Jingwei: “In the past, we quoted 5 to 6 yuan for our products, now it might be 8 or even 9 yuan. The price increase may eventually be passed on to consumers. Some customers already think our quotes are too high.”

Previously, some companies have already raised prices. In early March, Japan’s secondary character peripheral development company io·Ring announced that due to rising raw material costs, they would increase the prices of some larger acrylic products, with price hikes ranging from 450 yen to 800 yen(, approximately 19.34 to 34.38 RMB at current exchange rates).

At the Bubble Mart 2025 annual performance release on March 25, Bubble Mart COO Sude stated that due to international geopolitical situations causing increases in raw material and logistics costs, Bubble Mart is indeed facing pressure, but the company will optimize supply chains and product design without raising prices.

(For more reports and leads, please contact the author Zheng Yijia: zhengyijia@chinanews.com.cn)(China News Service Jingwei APP)

(The opinions expressed in this article are for reference only and do not constitute investment advice. Investing involves risks; please proceed with caution. )

Editor: Xue Yufei, Li Zhongyuan