Chinese town hurries gift production for Christmas

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After another busy Black Friday of shopping in the west, a Chinese town is set to rake in another haul of Christmas cash.

Experts in Dehua in southeastern Fujian Province say more than 80 percent of the world's porcelain products – given as gifts at the holidays – are made there.

Case in point – Shunmei, creators of authentic porcelain novelties representing the world's favorite animals, cartoon characters, and much more.

"I’m making a cartoon animal’s body," Shunmei sculptor Huang Yihui said as he shaped part of what would later be Piglet from the Winnie The Pooh series. "Our holiday work is really picking up here."

A bowl production line at a Dehua plant /CGTN Photo‍

Shunmei executives said nearly one fourth of their annual sales come at this time of year.

"Our Christmas sales account for over 20 percent of our annual sales," said Shunmei general manager Zheng Pengfei. "Our biggest orders always come from the US and Europe."

Exporting directly to consumers and to a slew of retail giants like Walmart and Target, Shunmei’s creations run the gamut of gifts that "kids from one to 92" ask for every December. With works ranging from piggy banks to mugs to Minions, Santa Claus can cross a lot off his list right here in Dehua.

And while Santa is there, he might peek in at one of Shunmei's do-it-yourself workshops. Open year round, the DIY-shop allows Shunmei visitors to fashion their own porcelain items.

Yihui said he’s helped a lot of first-timers and returning guests with crafting their custom collectibles.

"I’m making this character according to the customer’s wishes," he said about the piglet-to-be. "But a lot of customers also come here to do this themselves."

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