China's press-on nail brands crack global market by blend tradition elements with modern designs

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

Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo's ongoing visit to China yielded more steps forward in economic cooperation on Monday when over 120 business leaders convened for a high-level meeting in Beijing, which also saw the signing of multiple agreements between the two sides.

Orpo arrived in the Chinese capital on Sunday to begin a four-day official visit to the country, which he said aims to "open doors to Finnish companies".

In a move to deepen economic ties, he joined Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao at the sixth meeting of the China-Finland Committee for Innovative Business Cooperation on Monday, which also drew business representatives from both sides.

In a speech at the event, Orpo described China as a crucial overseas market for Finnish companies and highlighted broad potential for cooperation across multiple sectors. He also emphasized the importance of upholding international norms.

"For business relations between Finland and China to truly flourish, we must together preserve the shared rules-based trade system," Orpo said.

Wang said that both China and Finland have long been advocates and defenders of multilateralism. He noted that China's vast market and diverse application scenarios, combined with Finland's strong innovation capabilities, create opportunities to expand cooperation in areas such as the circular economy, artificial intelligence, and information technology.

"It is important for all countries to firmly uphold the rules-based international economic and trade order and avoid a return to a world defined by 'the law of the jungle.' China stands ready to work with Finland to safeguard the multilateral trading system," Wang stressed.

Last year, bilateral trade between China and Finland exceeded 8 billion U.S. dollars, with the stock of two-way investment surpassing 23 billion dollars. Monday's meeting demonstrated both countries' resolve to further expand economic ties, with multiple new commercial agreements covering a range of sectors signed during the session.

"We are going to sign a future cooperation agreement with China Architecture Design and Research Group (CADG), the main architectural institute in China," said Michal Horak, Vice President for Asia Pacific at the Peikko Group, a Finnish manufacturing firm.

"We're a mining company. The procurement deal we're talking is substantial, potentially reaching hundreds of millions of yuan," said Zhang Liqun, Vice President of the CMOC Group Limited, a mining company based in central China's Henan which accounts for around one-third of the world's cobalt supply.

Another of the key voices from the Finnish side was Pasi Rannus, CEO of Finnish vehicle and battery manufacturer Valmet Automotive, who pointed to synergies in the electric vehicle sector.

"We all know that the Chinese new energy vehicles are looking [to grow in] Europe and we, as a company, what we do, we can help them to enter Europe," said Rannus.

The Chinese Ministry of Commerce has expressed its readiness to strengthen policy communication with Finland and provide necessary support and services for business on both sides.

China, Finland deepen business ties as leaders highlight rules-based trade