Press-on nails made in Donghai County in east China's Jiangsu Province are becoming increasingly popular among international consumers for blending traditional Chinese elements with modern designs.
Donghai County is a major hub for handmade press-on nails, with products sold to more than 30 countries and regions worldwide.
According to the county's Press-on Nail Industry Association, total sales of the county reached nearly 8 billion yuan (1.11 billion U.S. dollars) in 2024, an increase of 166.7 percent year-on-year.
"Many international customers are particularly fond of Chinese elements like blue-and-white porcelain patterns and Dunhuang motifs," said Fan Qiannan, operations director of a nail art company based in Donghai County.
"We have customers across Europe, the Middle East, and Japan. My dream is to bring Chinese culture abroad through our products," said Li Xuan, general manager of Lianyungang Donghai Daxuan E-commerce Co., Ltd.
Many of the press-on nails exported from the county are meticulously hand-painted by skilled nail artists and even intangible cultural heritage craftsmen.
By adding a variety of traditional techniques and Chinese cultural elements into their designs, including cloisonne, paper-cut, Chinese painting, shadow puppetry, peonies, dragons and phoenixes, local artisans have elevated the fast fashion items to high-end cultural creations, making these nails intricate and unique.
The well-recognized Chinese classic literature "Xiyouji," or "Journey to the West," has also been incorporated into their designs.
"'Journey to the West' is not just popular in China, it has a big following overseas too. When people see designs inspired by it, they are instantly drawn to them. Most basic styles are already widely available, so what customers are looking for now are designs with deeper cultural meaning," said Zhang Leilei, a cross-border e-commerce operator in Donghai.
With a deeper understanding of traditional Chinese culture, Donghai has successfully developed over a dozen mid-to-high-end nail brands. These brands often collaborate with cultural tourism departments, museums, and commercial enterprises to create unique crossover products.
"This set of products is a part of a cultural tourism-themed nail collection, inspired by artifacts from the Capital Museum. Overseas distributors have given us the feedback: nails that incorporate Chinese elements and traditional culture are increasingly well-received," said Han Qiuchen, general manager of the nail art company.
Amid rapid development, many companies in Donghai are now focused on enhancing management practices, building robust production and quality inspection systems, and strengthening their capabilities for continuous product innovation.
"We've cultivated around ten brands so far, integrating intangible cultural heritage and compelling stories from across China into our designs. We want to tell the story of our brands well," said Li Zheng, secretary-general of the Donghai County Press-on Nail Industry Association.
In the first two months of this year, local companies have manufactured over 30 million sets of press-on nails, generating 3 billion yuan in sales. with more than half of them coming from exports. Total sales for the year are projected to exceed 15 billion yuan.
China's press-on nail brands crack global market by blend tradition elements with modern designs
