Today marks the Beginning of Autumn (Liqiu). The summer heat fades, yet the "heat wave" in the stationery industry keeps rising.

Back‑to‑school procurement, holiday stocking, corporate purchasing… multiple demand streams are converging. The global stationery market is entering a new phase of vibrant trade activity.

How does the “small but beautiful” stationery sector win big markets? These five trends are worth watching.

01 Original Design

In April this year, KACO extended its collaboration with the National Museum of China, drawing inspiration from the “Empress Xiaoduan’s Phoenix Crown” to launch the “Feng Jiujiu” plush gel pen, alongside a stationery set inspired by Sanxingdui patterns. Earlier this year, Hefei Caiyang Stationery developed original products such as panda‑themed glitter notebooks, Shanhaijing mythical creature washi tapes, and twelve‑animal stamp erasers, all of which received wide acclaim.

Through “IP co‑branding + Guochao (national‑trend) innovation”, stationery is evolving from a mere “functional tool” into a “cultural carrier”. Brand building has no shortcuts – it often takes generations, even longer, to mature. To build international brands, the stationery industry must embrace the slow path with unwavering resolve. As original designs gradually emerge in the public eye, a splendid “hundred flowers bloom” moment is bound to come.

02 Quality Manufacturing

In April this year, Kayou Stationery’s self‑developed KAYOU+ series high‑precision mechanical drawing pencils won multiple product design awards, including the Red Dot Design Award. Anhui Tuqiang Stationery started with a single eraser, developed eco‑friendly material formulas in‑house, and now exports to over 80% of countries and regions worldwide – earning the title “China’s Eraser King”. Ningbo Shenlan Stationery has achieved annual sales of 500 million markers, with its core moat being washable pigment formulas and smart manufacturing production lines.

From OEM to own‑brand going global, what these companies share is turning quality from a cost item into a trust asset. Global buyers’ trust in “Made in China” is shifting from “cost‑performance” to “quality‑performance”.

03 Emotional Consumption

As the traditional stationery market approaches saturation, tapping into emotional value has become the key to breaking new ground. At the 2026 autumn back‑to‑school ordering fairs, stress‑relief and healing stationery took centre stage. M&G launched “Pain Pens” that allow users to freely accessorise with charms; Xiehe Wenchuang’s “Cat Pai Pai” series has ranked first in store sales for three consecutive years, with annual growth of 30%‑50%. Ningbo Yisida Board Games turned Harry Potter, Marvel and other IPs into new stress‑relief favourites, with exports exceeding RMB 48 million in the first four months, up 66.7% year‑on‑year.

Every piece of stationery is more than a tool – it is a companion, a healing desk buddy. An eraser you can squeeze when frustrated, a journal you can quietly paste into for half an hour – stress relief, healing, social currency – stationery is becoming an outlet for emotions.

04 AI in Office

The biggest change in the stationery sector this year is AI moving from the “concept zone” to the office desk. In May, Hanwang Technology launched the “Digital Stationery New Species” – the Hanwang Notepad M6, introducing the concept of “national‑grade AI digital stationery”. This device combines recording, handwriting, and reading in one form, supports real‑time translation in 51 languages, and generates structured meeting minutes with one click after a meeting ends. That same month, iFLYTEK released the Air 3 Smart Office Notebook, equipped with an e‑ink screen and a local AI office engine.

Digital stationery is accelerating towards “hardware intelligence, functional integration, and ecosystem openness”. When a pen gains “thinking” ability, where does the path lie for traditional stationery companies? Technology can iterate, but the warmth of handwriting never goes out of style. AI will not replace stationery – it will only redefine it, offering a new stage for those who dare to embrace change.

05 Global Sourcing – The World’s Stationery Community Is Gathering

The world looks to China for stationery; China looks to Ningbo!

At the 2026 Ningbo International Stationery Fair, 1,134 overseas buyers from 96 countries and regions visited over the three‑day event – including India, Taiwan (China), Hong Kong (China), South Korea, Russia, Thailand, Malaysia, the Philippines, Japan, Indonesia, Turkey, Vietnam, the United States, Brazil, France, Mexico, and more. Buyers came from both major developed economies and emerging markets alike.

And it’s not just buyers taking action – Ningbo’s “export infrastructure” for stationery is upgrading in tandem.

Known as the “Capital of China’s Stationery Industry”, Ningbo is the country’s largest production and export base for stationery. It is home to more than 2,500 stationery companies, including leading players like Deli, Guangbo, Cre8, Beifa, M&G (Meibo), Kangda, and Tianhong, which drive manufacturing development and foreign trade. Beyond production capacity, “export channels” are continuously expanding. In 2025, Ningbo Zhoushan Port handled over 1.4 billion tonnes of cargo, ranking first globally for the 17th consecutive year. Ningbo Customs simultaneously rolled out 12 measures for cross‑border e‑commerce exports, streamlining customs clearance and fostering business growth – clearing the “last mile” for stationery going global.

However, competition in global sourcing is essentially a race for time – whoever reaches quality suppliers first and secures capacity earliest gains the upper hand in the market. And offline exhibitions remain the most efficient “centralised matching” scenario. As the old saying goes, “One leaf falls, and you know autumn is here.” For today’s stationery professionals, one fair tells the state of the market.

2027 Ningbo International Stationery Fair

March 25‑27, 2027
Ningbo International Convention and Exhibition Centre

The annual rendezvous for the global stationery community – everything you are looking for is right here!

Ningbo Stationery Fair
Dedicated to the industry for 23 years, providing an efficient trading platform for stationery trade.

Pre‑registration is now fully open.
Register online for free before the show.
From 00:00 on March 25, 2027, on‑site registration will incur a fee of RMB 50 per person.