Chinese film IPs drive export of co-branded products

The international popularity of Chinese film IPs has driven the export sales of co-branded products, marking the positive expansion of the boundaries of China's film industry.

Miniso Group, a manufacturing and retailing company in South China's Guangdong Province, makes goods co-branded with movie IPs, and then packages and prepares them for shipment both domestically and overseas. The products cover a range of items, including plush toys, cosmetics, clothing, and accessories.

A Miniso executive said that the company's production has been trying to keep up with the rising domestic and international demands since the collaboration with domestic film and television IPs last year. This has required the company not only to speed up production but also to continue finding and expanding high-quality downstream suppliers to meet growing production and export demands.

"The explosive growth of the film market has also ignited the IP-driven retail sector. The IP chain not only connects upstream copyright holders but also helps the vast supply chain undergo a crucial upgrade," said Chen Chang, public relations director of Miniso.

Chen said that in its early days, Miniso primarily sold everyday small commodities overseas. Now, by connecting upstream and downstream industries through film IPs, more and more copyrighted, interesting, and useful products are rapidly expanding overseas, leading to a significant increase in the company's profits.

Data shows that, empowered by film and television IPs, the company's overseas revenue reached 5.85 billion yuan (over 837 million US dollars) in the first three quarters of 2025, an increase of 28.7 percent compared with the same period in 2024, and the number of overseas stores directly operated by the company increased from 422 to 637.

"To date, we have partnered with more than 180 IPs worldwide, and our stores cover 112 different countries and regions globally, with the total number exceeding 8,000," said Chen.

Chen said that the company has begun building a related IP operations platform, integrating various domestic IP resources, actively connecting with downstream suppliers, and launching co-branded products suitable for all age groups through the IP effect.

A rare sight of a wolf pack traversing a mountain valley together was recorded after snowfall in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, signaling ecological recovery.

Two striking black wolves, a seldom-seen color variation, stand out distinctly in the pack at the Tomur Peak National Nature Reserve in the Tianshan Mountains.

Conservationists said that the stable presence of a wolf pack is no coincidence. In recent years, the reserve has strengthened ecological protection, improving habitats and allowing wildlife populations to recover. As apex predators, wolves return only when prey species and the broader ecosystem are thriving -- clear evidence that Tomur's conservation efforts are paying off.