The trend of art toys is strong. Supporting the development of the Thai toy industry

Nonthaburi,, Director of the Office of Trade Policy and Strategy or OTC follows trends in the art toy trade situation around the world. Found increased growth in both the global and Thai markets. Seeing commercial opportunities for artists and entrepreneurs Suggestions to expedite support and public relations To push the toy industry as well as supporting Thai artists to produce works continuously Help create work and increase income into the country. Mr. Poonphong Naiyanaphakorn, Director of the Office of Trade Policy and Strategy (Director of the Office of Trade Policy and Strategy), Ministry of Commerce, revealed that Art Toys are a type of collectible toy product that is currently in trend. Art toys are toys that are designed by artists or designers. It is a combination of modern art and traditional toys. Made from a variety of materials including plastic, vinyl, wood, steel, velvet and resin. The highlight of Art Toys is to focus on creating characters without having to have a story. But it has a new l ook. Produced in limited quantities causing competition for possession And if it's the work of a famous artist or is currently in trend. The demand is increasing. causing the price to increase as well In addition, the manufacturer It has also added the charm of selling in the form of random boxes (Blind Boxes), creating excitement for buyers from unboxing who don't know what form the art toy will be in. Until there was a trend in the style of pop culture (POP Culture) or contemporary culture that is very popular. The art toy market has grown significantly over the past decade. From the beginning it was just a product that was popular with a specific group. Until it has spread widely and is a popular phenomenon today. The main customer group is Gen Z (people born from 1995 onwards), office workers. (White-Collar) who are between 15-40 years old and more than 70 percent are women because they have a passion for products that are cute and collectable. In addition, data from HTF Market Intelligence, the world's leading market research company, indicates that in 2023, the world's art toy market value was 8,517.81 million US dollars. and is expected to grow by an average of 4.26 percent until reaching a value of 10,938.96 million US dollars in 2030. The largest art toy markets are in Asia, North America, and Europe, respectively. Countries in Asia that are centers of art toy production and collection include China, Japan, and South Korea. China, in particular, has the largest market and art toy production base in the world, as evidenced by POP MART Company, which It is China's leading manufacturer and distributor of art toys. There are more than 2,000 retail stores. all over china and spread to more than 100 locations around the world, including Thailand. According to China's Xinhua News Agency, more than 80 percent of the world's art toys are produced in China. One-third of them are produced in Dongguan, Guangdong Province. As of 2022, there were more than 87 large enterprises in Dongguan. Production of art toys an d created industrial output value of more than 16,660 million yuan (2,479 million US dollars), expanding by 29.80 percent from the previous year. Art toys are part of the products in the toy category. (Customs Tariff 9503) In 2023, the world market has a total import demand worth 50,044.82 million US dollars. for Thailand There is an import value of 128.26 million US dollars in 2023, an increase of 11.79 percent from last year's value of 114.73 million US dollars. By Thailand importing toys (including art toys) the highest from 3 countries: China, Japan, and Vietnam. At the same time, Thailand has an export value of 251.09 million US dollars in 2023, a decrease of 9.87 percent from last year's value of 278.58 million US dollars. by countries where Thailand exports toys (including art toys) in up to 3 countries, namely the United States, Japan, and the United Kingdom, according to information from Pop Mart Company, a well-known manufacturer and distributor of art toys in China. It is expected that Thailand wi ll be a potential market with rapid growth in the art toy category from an increasing number of buyers. There is also a habit of collecting all sets of purchases. This is unlike other countries where they are bought purely for fun. It is well known that many Thai artists and art toy designers have made world-famous works, such as Ms. Nisa Srikhamdee or Molly, the artist who designed "CRYBABY, the Girl with Tears", Mr. Patcharapon Tangruen or Alex Face, the artist. created 'Mardi, a child in a three-eyed rabbit costume' and Ms. Sirinya Puengsuwan or Poriin, the artist who created 'Fenni, a cute fox,' which is considered a good sign for art toys and other character products designed By Thai artists who can expand the market all over the world. Because art toys are not just toys or collectibles. But it is one of the products that buyers can use to decorate the interior of their homes. It is considered a work of art that indicates taste. And because Art Toys are products produced in limited quantities, not enoug h to meet demand As a result, the price of art toys has increased until they become assets. However, Art Toys are a product worth keeping an eye on. From the trend of the world's art toy market expansion and the increasing import of art toy products from Thailand. It shows the commercial opportunities of both Thai artists and entrepreneurs in developing products suitable for both domestic and international customer groups, such as inserting Thai art and culture into designs. Creating works with famous artists or characters and using beliefs as a component in design, such as the Ganesha art toy and the lucky cat art toy which can increase economic value Enhance the popularity of tourism and create Thai soft power along with recommendations to relevant agencies Accelerate the promotion of knowledge and product development public relations and create opportunities to showcase the talents of Thai artists and entrepreneurs To push Art Toys and the Thai toy industry to be known and accepted around the world. Sou rce: Thai News Agency