From a stitching mistake to viral hit: Meet the 'Cry-Cry Horse'

With the Year of the Horse approaching, a netizen in Hangzhou recently shared photos of a stuffed horse toy that came with an unexpected flaw – its mouth had been stitched upside down. Instead of a cheerful smile, the little horse looked unmistakably gloomy, quickly earning it the nickname "Cry-Cry Horse."

The mix-up turned out to be a good laugh, and a replacement was offered right away.

But the story didn't end there. Photos of the "Cry-Cry Horse" soon spread across social media, where its oddly expressive face struck a chord with netizens. Soon, people began asking where they could buy one.

The toy is now being made as fast as possible, with the seller promising that the price will stay the same. Standing about 20 centimeters tall, it sells for 25 yuan, around $3.50.

The sudden success had less to do with clever marketing than with how quickly the seller responded. According to a vendor at Yiwu International Trade Market, the original “crying” expression was simply the result of a stitching mistake.

Once the toy caught on, orders began rolling in – faster than the factory could keep up.

More than a dozen production lines are now running at full capacity, but even that hasn’t been enough to fulfill demand. Orders have piled up well into March 2026.