Musk son’s viral tiger-head bag shines light on China’s US$14.8b heritage e-commerce
China’s intangible heritage crafts have evolved from handmade nostalgia into a surging online industry driven by young artisans and buyers
More than 7,000 pieces of the bag, priced at 398 yuan each, had been sold so far, according to its producer, inspiring others to try to cash in on China’s cultural icons.
“This success introduced our brand to more consumers, showing that traditional cultural elements can be youthful, cute and fit for daily life,” said He Jiliang, partner at Yestee (Ya Xiaoqi) Handmade. “Sales for hats, mobile phone bags and other accessories have also been lifted.”
The firm, based in Guilin city, in China’s southern Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, produces the viral bag using complex techniques and heavy handwork – each piece takes a week to make. Yestee has operated an online store for 19 years on Taobao.
“We hope to turn traditional cultural icons like lion dances, dragon dances, tiger heads and Peking Opera into products favoured by young people for daily use and sharing,” He said.