A foreign journalist takes photos in a plush toy factory in Ankang, northwest China's Shaanxi Province. (Photo/Li Zhiqiang)

With over 800 plush toy manufacturers generating an annual output value of more than 7.5 billion yuan (about $1.04 billion), the plush toy sector has grown into a thriving industry in Ankang city, northwest China's Shaanxi Province. Nestled deep in the Qinba mountains, Ankang has developed a labor-intensive, eco-friendly plush toy industry.

In the workshop of a plush toy company in Hanyin county, Ankang, workers move through each stage of production, producing lifelike plush animals. Soon, these toys will be displayed in shops in major wildlife parks across China and around the world.

"70 percent of our plush animal and cartoon toys are exported to more than 40 countries and regions," said Long Wu, the company's general manager.

Hailing from Dongguan city, south China's Guangdong Province, Long recognized the potential of Ankang's plush toy industry and decided to invest in 2019.

He said that from factory renovation and industrial incentives to recruitment and training support, the local policies gave him real confidence in starting a business.

Today, Long operates four companies and 36 community factories in Ankang, which produce more than 100,000 plush toys every day. His operations now generate over 200 million yuan in annual output and provide jobs for more than 2,600 people.

Since the first plush toy enterprise was introduced in 2017, Ankang has strengthened policy support, enhanced industrial facilities, and attracted a number of leading companies. Community factories have sprung up. To further boost the industry, the city has established five specialized hubs for design, raw materials wholesale, product releases and showcases, e-commerce, and logistics, building an industrial cluster.

Gao Guanglan, 38 years old, works at a local plush toy factory. In 2012, Gao and her family relocated from a village tucked deep in the Qinba mountains to the community. But finding stable employment was a challenge.

The city's toy industry development model which integrates companies, community factories, and household workshops opened up new opportunities for her.

When a plush toy company opened a factory in her neighborhood in 2021, Gao was one of the first to sign up. She has since grown into a skilled worker, earning over 4,000 yuan a month.

Today in Ankang, many relocated people like Gao are building better lives with their own skillful hands.

Ankang has hosted an international plush toy creative design competition since 2019, providing a platform for innovation and talent exchange. Many winning designs have been turned into products, some of which have become bestsellers.