Longgang: From fishing village to 'China's Printing City'

Longgang, a county-level city administered by Wenzhou in east China's Zhejiang Province, is widely recognized as "China's Printing City."

Despite covering just 183.99 square kilometers, the city is home to 886 licensed printing companies and more than 47,000 related market entities.

Over 40 years ago, Longgang was still a small fishing village surrounded by mudflats when the reform and opening-up policy sparked the first wave of transformation. Longgang pioneered changes in paid land use and household registration, attracting specialized households and entrepreneurs to develop the printing industry.

Photo shows products printed by Shuguang Printing Group Co., Ltd. for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games. (Photo courtesy of the media convergence center of Longgang city)

The sector soon gained nationwide recognition. In 2002, Longgang was officially designated as "China's Printing City." In 2008, Shuguang Printing Group Co., Ltd., based in Longgang, became a supplier for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games. Four years later, three local companies ranked among the country's top 100 printing enterprises, and in 2016, the city hosted its first printing and packaging equipment exhibition.

In 2019, Longgang was officially upgraded to county-level city status. With this transformation, its printing and packaging industry rapidly expanded, cementing its role as the city's signature sector. Today, the industry is advancing toward intelligent production, customized services, and extended industrial chains in response to market upgrades and shifting consumer demand.

Photo shows a sample admission letter of Jiaxing University for 2024. (Photo courtesy of the media convergence center of Longgang city)

One example is Zhejiang Qinggeng Yudu Industrial Co., Ltd. General manager Lin Kailuan explained that the company customizes admission letters for universities by incorporating their traditions and local culture, providing integrated design-to-production services. The firm has collaborated with universities such as Zhejiang University of Technology, Jiaxing University, Southwest Jiaotong University, and Beihang University. This tailored business model illustrates Longgang's transition from mass production to differentiated services, and from contract manufacturing to brand building.

In recent years, Longgang's printing enterprises have also entered the designer toy industry. The city now hosts more than 1,000 cultural and creative companies. From January to July 2025, the output of the city's designer toy-related industry surpassed 2.5 billion yuan (about $351.17 million) — nearly triple the figure from the same period last year — accounting for about one-fifth of its total printing output.

From stickers to toy packaging, Longgang's printing factories provide comprehensive production and support services. More than 100 companies have already joined the designer toy sector, with Jiufenban (Zhejiang) Printing Co., Ltd. standing out among them.

Photo shows various printed merchandise featuring anime intellectual property characters. (Photo courtesy of the media convergence center of Longgang city)

General manager Huang Xiuzhen and her younger brother, who once worked in Shanghai producing small-scale advertising materials, were inspired by ACG (animation, comic, and game) culture to expand into "guzi," a homonym of the English word "goods" that refers to badges, acrylic figure stands, trading cards, and other merchandise tied to ACG areas. In 2021, Huang relocated the company to Longgang.

Today, Jiufenban exclusively produces acrylic figure stands and trading cards for the popular mobile game Arknights, establishing itself as a key player in Longgang's anime merchandise supply chain.

Beyond ACG, Longgang's printing industry has branched into other cultural and creative merchandise.

Photo shows collectible badges produced by Jiufenban (Zhejiang) Printing Co., Ltd. for the Zhejiang Provincial City Basketball League (ZheBA) games for Wenzhou city, east China's Zhejiang Province. (Photo courtesy of the media convergence center of Longgang city)

During the recent Zhejiang Provincial City Basketball League, which drew significant online attention, companies such as Jiufenban stood in the spotlight. The firm produced cheering sticks for fans and even designed limited-edition ZheBA badges inspired by the culinary specialties of Wenzhou's 12 counties and county-level cities, which proved especially popular among basketball enthusiasts.

By leveraging platforms built by Jiufenban (Zhejiang) Printing Co., Ltd., Longgang is enabling traditional printing firms to expand into higher-value peripheral products, including acrylic merchandise and art prints.

What once relied on large-scale manufacturing has evolved into a flexible production model capable of quickly meeting personalized demand. At the same time, a supply chain centered in Longgang has attracted entrepreneurs from relevant industries and small and medium-sized enterprises, forming a "small-batch customization" production ecosystem.

Photo shows an urban library converted from a water tower in Longgang, a county-level city administered by Wenzhou, east China's Zhejiang Province. (Photo courtesy of the media convergence  center of Longgang city)

These innovations have enabled Longgang to achieve cross-sector breakthroughs, moving from "traditional manufacturing" to "smart manufacturing for trendy toys."

Since its administrative upgrade, Longgang has pursued urban development while preserving and reimagining the cultural heritage of its printing legacy.

In 2024, a building themed on Longgang's printing art officially opened to the public. Dedicated to showcasing Longgang's printing culture, the venue highlights the city's pillar industry and offers a distinctive cultural experience for both residents and visitors.