How tin toys geared up manufacturing success

In the world of collectible figures, Marvin Chan stands out for his love of mechanical tin toys — a passion that is a compelling reminder of China’s baby steps to becoming a manufacturing giant.

Born in Hong Kong in the mid-1960s, Chan is not simply a collector — he’s a preserver of memories, colorful industrial design and Chinese craftsmanship.

“From a young age, I had the chance to experience toys from all over the world, including Chinese-made tin toys. Though I loved toys, I never imagined that my life would one day be intertwined with them,” he said.

That connection deepened in the late 1980s during a trip to Kota Tinggi, Malaysia. Wandering into a small toy shop near a bus interchange, Chan came across a few old Chinese tin toys produced in the early 1980s. The sight, and familiar “click-clack” sound of their mechanisms awoke dormant memories.

“It felt as though time had reversed,” he recalled. “I could once again experience the pure joy of playing with these toys as a child.”

In 1994, his interest turned into a mission after visiting the legendary Japanese tin toy collector Teruhisa Kitahara in Yokohama. Kitahara’s meticulously curated collection stirred a sense of urgency in Chan to try and preserve a chapter of China’s nascent manufacturing past.

“Seeing his collection, carefully curated over more than 20 years, left me deeply shaken,” he recalled.

“As a Chinese, I suddenly realized that these seemingly simple toys carried the memories of an entire era. I felt it was my responsibility to preserve this cultural heritage.”

Hong Kong to Shanghai

As an international business hub, Hong Kong in the 1960s and 70s had a wide selection of toys from around the globe on sale. Japanese tinplate robots, American action figures, mechanical toys made on the Chinese mainland, and locally manufactured plastic figures shared the same shelves in the city’s toy stores.

“All of these toys made up the most wonderful fragments of my childhood memories,” Chan said.

One toy in particular, remains unforgettable — a Japanese-made wind-up tin Ultraman Chan’s parents gifted him after he did well in a school exam.

“Its red and silver figure, with a head that could turn, made me very happy. Every time I wound it up, it felt like I was fighting alongside Ultraman to protect peace in the galaxy. That toy was priceless to me,” he said.

Inspired by the romanticized version of Shanghai he saw in the classic Hong Kong TV drama The Bund, Chan went to the city in 1991.Between 1998 and 2008, he split his time between Shanghai, Hong Kong and Singapore, researching Chinese toy history and exploring manufacturing partnerships.

In 2005, he launched the Museum of Shanghai Toys in Singapore, displaying his collection of over 2,000 toys made in Shanghai from 1910 to 1970.

But the opportunity he had been waiting for arrived in 2008, when a tin toy factory in Shanghai was seeking a collaborator. Chan decided to relocate to Shanghai and devote himself to reviving the city’s fading tin toy industry. Later, he took over a tin toy factory and founded the Saint John company, designing and manufacturing items himself.

Shanghai has long been a toy manufacturing powerhouse, according to Chan.

By the 1950s, Shanghai’s tin toy industry was flourishing — technically innovative, nationally influential, and export-driven. Companies developed new metal toys that went beyond the wind-up models of earlier decades, injecting new vitality into a rapidly evolving market.

In 1965, Shanghai’s tin toys were showcased internationally at China’s first toy exhibition in Hong Kong. The products delighted children across the globe with their clever mechanisms and imaginative forms. Even by the early 1980s, tin toys remained a dominant force in Shanghai’s toy market.

“From an artistic perspective, vintage tin toys — both the toys themselves and their packaging — often featured hand-painted art,” Chan said. “The vibrant colors, smooth lines, and clever construction gave these toys not only charm, but real artistic value.”

Chan, founder of the designing and manufacturing company Saint John, delivers a speech at the College of Design and Innovation at Tongji University, Shanghai. CHINA DAILY

Profitable hobby

Growing up in Tianjin, Sun Yonghao was shy and introspective and different from the other kids in his neighborhood.

But when the clock struck six in the evening, the bookish child would rush to the living room to watch his favorite cartoons.

The iconic Japanese series Gundam, created by Yoshiyuki Tomino and first aired in 1979 with its towering robots and epic battles in space, left an indelible mark on the young boy’s mind.

The Gundam robots, detailed and powerful and each with their own rich backstory, felt like something straight out of a dream. “It wasn’t just about the robots,” Sun recalls. “It was the entire universe they created — the battles, the stories, the characters. There was a depth to it that I hadn’t seen in other cartoons.”

As the years passed, his love for Gundam only grew stronger, evolving from childhood fascination into something that would shape his entire future.

In the summer of 2002, at the age of 15, Sun finally realized a long-held dream. After saving his pocket money for an entire year, he had 220 yuan ($30.65) and made his first-ever purchase, an electroplated TV Wing Gundam Zero model.

That Gundam model became Sun’s most treasured possession. It wasn’t just something he displayed on a shelf — it became a part of his identity, a tangible connection to his childhood passions.

After completing his studies, Sun entered the automotive industry, where he worked for 13 years. As his career progressed and his income grew, so did his collection. Today, Sun owns over 2,000 Gundam models, which have cost him more than 1 million yuan.

“I love spending time with my collection, even though I’m busy with my job and my responsibilities as a husband, son, and father,” he said. “For me, toys aren’t just relics of the past — they’re bridges to a timeless joy. The happiness they bring is the same joy I felt as a child.”

Three years ago, Sun decided to leave the automotive industry behind and turn his lifelong love of toys into a career. He began sharing his collection on social media, where it quickly gained a large following.

Today, he is the chief operating officer of ILoveToy, a Chinese toy brand that started in 2008 with online shops before expanding into physical stores.

The company’s goal was to create an immersive, hands-on shopping experience for its growing customer base. “We have tables and chairs in the stores, offering people a space to play with the toys,” Sun said.

Now, ILoveToy boasts 18 stores in 10 cities across China, including Beijing, Tianjin, and Shanghai.

“I wanted to do something that would bring people like me happiness every day,” he said. “Toys, particularly my Gundam collection, have always been a source of pure joy for me.”

No longer just an occasional hobby, his passion for Gundam and toys has become an all-encompassing pursuit. Sun’s collection has expanded to include rare action figures and limited-edition models. With each new addition, he finds deeper joy in preserving these pieces of nostalgia.

Zhang Yiyi, 32, also enjoys collecting toys. For him, it isn’t just a hobby but a way to experience a carefree childhood he believes he never really had. “It is also a reminder that it’s never too late to find joy in the little things,” Zhang said.

Born and raised in Harbin, Heilongjiang province, Zhang now lives in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, and is an influencer and toy designer.

“Toys can really help alleviate the stress and anxiety that come from life and work. They let me immerse myself and feel happy. Just having them on display at home makes me feel good. It’s a way for me to release my emotions,” said Zhang, who started collecting toys in 2021.One of his favorite series is from the animated movie franchise, Toy Story, which he described as “a world full of fun”.

He said thanks to the rising popularity of designer toys, many manufacturers have made many toys and figurines, or collectibles, that are from his childhood.

Zhang has released 10 series of toy designs, including Yibeiji, featuring a chicken image inspired by his zodiac animal, the rooster, and Crazy Botanical Garden, featuring animated images of various plants.

“I created those images out of pure personal interest and I didn’t expect fans to love them,” he said. “The world needs toys, and so do the grown-ups, because who can live without joy and a little fun to pursue?”

After the green frog

Beyond their mechanical beauty, tin toys were cultural touchstones. For children born in the 1960s, 70s and 80s, toys like the ubiquitous wind-up hopping green tin frog were like old friends.

Today, Chan is partnering with artisans and designers in Shanghai to breathe new life into these toys. His creations honor the past but are made for the present — beautiful, functional, joyful objects creating memories for a new generation.

He is also the vice-president of the Shanghai Putuo Collectibles &Heritage Association, which was launched in 2002.

The association is committed to the popularization of folk art collections, and the promotion of collecting cultural items as diverse as comics, transportation tickets, and toys.

On June 1, the association launched a new organization, the Research Committee of Modern and Contemporary Toys, to promote the inheritance and innovation of toy culture for a new generation.

It plans to collaborate with academic institutions and collectors to jointly delve into and widely spread toy culture, according to Chan, who is the director of the new branch association.

Chan leads the in-depth exploration of toy history, the refinement of cultural values, the organization of themed exhibitions and academic seminars, “all to enhance public recognition and dissemination of Chinese toy culture”, he said.

The collectible toy market has entered a stage of explosive growth, according to the 2021 China Collectible Toy Industry Market Insight Analysis, released by Analysys International, a company that focuses on internet sales and products.

The boom is driven by the rapid growth of Chinese residents’ income and the collectible toy market. It’s dominated by intellectual property with a focus on product design and platform-based channel operations, the report said.

In recent years, the annual growth rate of the Chinese collectible toy market has remained above 35 percent. It is expected that by 2025, the market size will exceed 150 billion yuan.

The report also pointed out the difference between collectible toys and designer toys.

Collectors focus on rare or vintage toys, often seeking to complete a set or own valuable items, such as older action figures, model cars, or dolls. Designer toys, or trendy toys, such as blind boxes, often represent limited-edition collaborations with well-known brands, pop culture icons, or artists. They are marketed to a younger audience that values exclusivity, innovation and trendiness.

“Some types of designer toys experience only brief popularity and fade away over time — they’re trendy for a moment but are soon forgotten. Others, however, manage to stand the test of time and become classic collectibles that are appreciated and sought after by people of all ages,” the report said.

Chan was more philosophical, saying people are always trying to explain why everyone likes toys.

“But sometimes, it’s simple. We like them because they make us happy, and that’s enough,” he said.