Toys inspired by the 2026 zodiac horse are galloping off shelves ahead of the Spring Festival, China's most important holiday, fueling a surge in consumer spending and factory production.

A mis-stitched Year of the Horse plushie has become a viral sensation in China's Yiwu, a city known as "the world's supermarket."
Designed with a happy grin, the toy was unexpectedly stitched with a frown instead. The imperfect little horse is now winning hearts online, driving sales.
The surge in online popularity triggered a manufacturing boom. The factory rapidly scaled up operations, expanding its production lines from two to more than a dozen to meet soaring demand. Daily output now exceeds 15,000 units to keep up with the orders.
In Yangzhou City, east China's Jiangsu Province, manufacturers are operating at full capacity to meet surging demand for zodiac horse toys ahead of the Spring Festival.
In Chinese culture, the horse is a potent symbol of vitality, strength, and success. Often associated with the idiom "Ma Dao Cheng Gong" -- meaning "instant success upon the arrival of the horse" -- the animal represents an unyielding spirit and rapid progress. Horses have long been treasured for their role in transportation and prosperity, and they are still a favorite zodiac sign today, viewed as a harbinger of energy and progress in the new year.
"This is our new product, 'Five Horses Bringing Blessings.' The five-colored ponies symbolize fortune, prosperity, longevity, joy, and wealth. We have already received orders for 200,000 sets, which must be delivered before the Spring Festival. Our factory is currently operating overtime to meet this surge in demand and ensure timely delivery," said Zhu Lian, head of domestic sales for a toy producer in Yiwu.
To fulfill the surge in orders, another local manufacturer has its entire workforce of over 100 employees operating at full capacity. The company's manager reported that pre-Spring Festival orders have more than doubled compared to the same period last year.
"We have noticed that products for the upcoming Year of the Horse are selling significantly better than in previous years, which has kept our warehouse busy with nonstop packing and shipping," said Tang Lili, manager of a local plush toy company.
The Year of the Horse will begin on Feb. 17, 2026, according to the Chinese lunar calendar.