Handcrafting calmness with colored beads

The numbers back up the trend. In 2025, sales of Perler bead products on major e-commerce platforms reached 291 million yuan ($42.83 million), growing nearly ninefold year-on-year.

According to TianYanCha data, more than 7,000 new handcraft-related enterprises were registered in China over the past year, with Perler bead creation becoming a standard offering in most workshops.

Ma Wenwen, 27, is the manager of a handicraft shop in Taiyuan. When his store first opened, Perler bead creation was available but not particularly popular. That changed around the end of 2023. By the summer of 2025, weekend slots were fully booked.

"The customer base has also shifted significantly," Ma said. "At first, it was mostly elementary and middle school students. Now we see high school students, college students and young professionals."

His shop offers an all-you-can-create Perler bead package: 38 yuan on weekdays and 48 yuan on holidays, with individual projects ranging from 9.9 to 48 yuan.

But what has changed, he said, is the mindset. "Before, people just wanted to try it out. Now they want to complete a piece seriously, to immerse themselves in the creative process. They also share their finished works online, which brings an extra layer of satisfaction."

Yang Shudi, a 20-year-old college student, discovered pindou through social media. "What attracted me most was that there's no barrier to entry — even a complete beginner can pick it up easily," she said. She often visits pindou shops during holidays.

"When I'm doing pindou, I can focus on one thing completely. When I'm scrolling on my phone, my attention scatters easily," she said.

She added: "The entertainment from electronic devices feels fleeting and empty. But pindou gives me something concrete and touchable — a real sense of achievement."