A central theme of Paperworld China 2025 is the transformative role of IP collaboration, which is elevating stationery into collectible cultural merchandise. Licensed designs are gaining significant traction in school supplies, journals, and collectibles, merging functionality with storytelling to resonate powerfully with younger audiences. Ms Judy Cheung, Deputy General Manager of Messe Frankfurt (HK) Ltd, shared her outlook: “Paperworld China captures the dynamic energy of today’s creative product markets, spotlighting growing trends to a broader audience. By bringing together iconic global brands and China’s leading players, as well as highlighting the rapidly rising movement towards IP collaboration, the fair will create a comprehensive stage where ideas, culture, and commerce meet.
The fair has confirmed the participation of leading Chinese exhibitors such as Chinjoo, CJP, Deli, Guangbo, M&G, Magi-wap, Superior, and VIKKO, alongside international brands including Bonito, Faber-Castell, King Jim, Maped, Pilot, Sakura, Schneider, Tombow, Uni, Zebra and Zipit, represented in China through their distribution partners. This robust lineup reinforces the show’s importance to the stationery and creative lifestyle industries, and Shanghai’s position as a key central hub for both sectors.
The trend towards IP collaboration is underpinned by the sustained growth of China’s consumer market; the total retail sales of consumer goods for the first seven months of 2025 reached USD 3.9 trillion, a year-on-year increase of 4.8%[1]. This consistent growth, which includes strong performance in the cultural, educational, and school supplies categories, underscores the healthy consumer appetite for the innovative products on display. Furthermore, China’s 70,200[2] international patent filings in 2024, its growth rate comfortably higher than the world average, cements its position as a global IP leader. Paperworld China 2025 will demonstrate the real-world value of IP for the stationery and creative lifestyle industries, through collaborations with beloved brands and pop culture characters such as My Little Pony, Sanrio, and Time Raiders.
New for 2025, the Art Top pavilion will debut as a premier destination for fine art materials, hosting prestigious brands such as Canson, Mont Marte, Mungyo, Pebeo, Rotring, Royal Talens, Staedtler, and Van Gogh. Reflecting growing interest in artistic expression and quality craftsmanship, the area will bring together premium papers, colours, and tools for painting and sketching, offering both inspirational and practical resources for professional artists, students, and creative enthusiasts.
The fair will also see the return of the Twenty Pro pavilion, a dedicated space for international stationery brands to connect with the Chinese market. Aligning with the fair’s positioning, it encourages direct engagement between overseas exhibitors and local buyers, fostering dialogue and new business opportunities.
Back by popular demand, the Zakka Shops and The Mart will once again attract design-savvy consumers and retail buyers. These curated zones will feature an array of creative lifestyle products, from masking tapes and stickers to journals, scrapbooking supplies, stamps, and more. Celebrating individuality and visual storytelling, they offer a distinct environment for discovering niche items that appeal to collectors and curators.
“With a strong mix of innovation and returning favourites, the fair is perfectly poised to spark fresh collaborations and strengthen the connection between B2B and B2C segments”, says Cheung.
Paperworld China is organised by the China Stationery and Sporting Goods Association (CSSGA), Messe Frankfurt (Shanghai) Co Ltd and Zhejiang Growin International Exhibition & Convention Co Ltd and is the only trade fair in the domestic stationery industry that receives official support from the CSSGA, an influential national industry association in China. For more information about the show, please visit www.paperworldchina.com or email: pwc@china.messefrankfurt.com.
“Total Retail Sales of Consumer Goods in July 2025”, August 2025, National Bureau of Statistics of China, https://www.stats.gov.cn/english/PressRelease/202508/t20250821_1960854.html (Retrieved: September 2025)
[2] “China a key driver of IP creation, shaping global standards and markets”, August 2025, Global Times, https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202508/1341056.shtml (Retrieved: September 2025)
Press information and photographic material:https://paperworldchina.hk.messefrankfurt.com/shanghai/en/press.html
Links to websites:
https://www.linkedin.com/company/paperworld-china
https://www.facebook.com/paperworldchina
WeChatID:paperworldchina
xiaohongshu: https://qr.messefrankfurt.com/Fa972
Background information on the China Stationery and Sporting Goods Association
The China Stationery and Sporting Goods Association (CSSGA) is accredited by the Ministry of Civil Affairs of China. It is a national-level industrial association dedicated to managing the stationery and sporting industries, and forming a communication bridge between the government and the two industries. So far the CSSGA has enrolled 800 enterprise members from around China.
Background information on Messe Frankfurt
The Messe Frankfurt Group is the world’s largest trade fair, congress and event organiser with its own exhibition grounds. With a workforce of some 2,500* people at its headquarters in Frankfurt am Main and in 28 subsidiaries, it organises events around the world. Group sales in financial year 2024 were around € 780* million. We serve our customers’ business interests efficiently within the framework of our Fairs & Events, Locations and Services business fields. One of Messe Frankfurt’s key strengths is its powerful and closely knit global sales network, which covers around 180 countries in all regions of the world. Our comprehensive range of services – both onsite and online – ensures that customers worldwide enjoy consistently high quality and flexibility when planning, organising and running their events. We are using our digital expertise to develop new business models. The wide range of services includes renting exhibition grounds, trade fair construction and marketing, personnel and food services.
Sustainability is a central pillar of our corporate strategy. Here, we strike a healthy balance between ecological and economic interests, social responsibility and diversity.
For more information, please visit our website at: www.messefrankfurt.com/sustainability
With its headquarters in Frankfurt am Main, the company is owned by the City of Frankfurt (60 percent) and the State of Hesse (40 percent).
For more information, please visit our website at: www.messefrankfurt.com
Background information on Conzoom Circle
conzoom-circle.messefrankfurt.com/information
Background information on Zhejiang Growin International Exhibition & Convention Co Ltd
Zhejiang Growin International Exhibition & Convention Co Ltd is one of the leading exhibition companies specialising in local and international exhibition services. The team consists of business professionals with practical industry expertise and over 10 years of experience delivering exhibition services, particularly in the stationery domain. The company is dedicated to introducing the most professional and valuable exhibitions to local businesses, assisting them in global expansion, and providing a comprehensive range of exhibition services local and abroad.
For further information about the company, please visit www.growinexpo.com.
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