Bag charms surge among Chinese youth embracing self-expression

Young people's backpacks have become miniature worlds, adorned with officially licensed celebrity merchandise, fan-made keepsakes and creative charms from independent designers sold online or in brick-and-mortar shops. Prices range from a few dozen yuan to more than 100 yuan (1 yuan equals about $0.14).

The bag charm craze is more than just decoration. It reflects young people's emotional spending and their strong sense of belonging within certain social circles.

A young man's backpack is adorned with bag charms at a designer toy store in Beijing, Sept. 18, 2025. (China Youth Daily/Zhao Di)

According to a report by Future Marketing on emotional consumption trends, industries linked to this type of consumption have grown at a compound annual rate of 12 percent since 2013, with the overall market in China expected to exceed 2 trillion yuan by 2025.

Ding Fenglei, a Ph.D. student in Beijing, loves collecting Disney bag charms and plush mascots released by universities. She changes her bag's look to match the season and her outfit. "For my sporty backpack, I'll choose cheerful charms like Gelatoni holding an ice cream for summer or ShellieMay in a cute little dress for winter. It makes my bag feel completely unique," she said.

Young people turn their backpacks into mobile displays, hanging anything that expresses their personal style. This trend has sparked huge engagement on social and e-commerce platforms.

On Xiaohongshu, topics related to "everything can be hung" have garnered 86.89 million views and over 550,000 discussions, with users showcasing their collections and sharing recommendations. Data from the Dewu App shows that in September, searches for bag charms jumped 140 percent year on year, while orders rose 127 percent.

Savvy merchants have already noticed this new consumer trend. On major e-commerce platforms, shops selling original, creative bag charms are popping up, quickly becoming one of the fastest-growing niche markets online.

Two years ago, Wang Jiayi shifted from the women's handbag market to focus on original bag charms. His online store now offers a wide range of products, including original designs, celebrity-inspired pieces and collaborative collections.

Thanks to precise big data insights, merchants, designers, and factories work closely together, quickly responding to market shifts and rolling out bag charms that resonate with young consumers. Wang said his team tracks users' search terms in real time, ensuring that product development is always guided by what customers want.

According to an executive at the Dewu App, the rise of bag charms reflects a shift in young people's spending habits. Their love for trendy collectibles is shifting away from expensive, display-only art pieces toward everyday accessories that are both practical and stylish, items that express personality and can be shared online.

Bag charms have become a trendy item in cross-brand collaborations. Tea and coffee brands, for example, are offering limited-edition charms as gifts, prompting fans to buy drinks just to get a cute charm. Cultural and tourism departments, publishers and museums are also jumping on the trend, turning local symbols, cultural IPs and historical artifacts into bag charms, bringing traditional culture into young people's daily lives in a fun and accessible way.

A staff member at the flagship store of the National Library of China, located on the e-commerce platform Taobao, said that bag charms with strong cultural themes are especially popular. Bestsellers include a charm symbolizing academic success, a bookworm charm and a charm themed on the Mid-Autumn Festival. In the past month, the three items sold more than 2,000, 1,000 and 800 units respectively, underscoring strong market demand.