Move over, TikTok and Instagram baby hacks; there’s a new way to ‘adult’ in China, and it involves zero nappies, no sleepless nights and 100 per cent cuteness. Yes, you read that right! Meet the cotton doll moms, young women who are skipping real-life parenthood and raising soft, huggable dolls instead.
Alongside cotton dolls, Gen Z collectors are also embracing Labubu toys, quirky, blind-box collectibles, showing how young people are redefining companionship and creativity through playful, stress-free hobbies. But why?
Instead of having real kids, some Gen Z women are investing their time, love and money into cotton dolls, from dressing them up in designer outfits to taking them out for hotpot birthdays. Yes, hotpot.
The trend blew up in October 2023 when a woman brought her dolls to Haidilao, China’s famous hotpot chain. The woman asked for a baby chair for her cotton child…and got blank stares from the staff. Orders were missed, water wasn’t refilled, and the staff even refused to sing “happy birthday” to her doll, reports the South China Morning Post.
The post went viral, sparking a nationwide conversation about “painless parenthood”.
The craze traces back to 2015, with fans of K-pop group EXO bringing dolls modelled after their favourite member, Chen, to concerts. Soon, fan-made dolls spread across Asia, and by 2018, there were two main types:
Fast forward to today, and these dolls aren’t just collectibles; they’re full-on companions.
Image credit : Freepik | Inside the Cotton Doll Craze
If you think dolls are just for shelf decor, then think again. Doll moms spend hours in:
Some even take their dolls outdoors, on walks, sunbathing sessions or tiny birthday celebrations. Not only this, members of the community affectionately call themselves “doll mums” or “mummies”, and while waiting for a new doll, they joke about being “pregnant again”.
Well, it’s a mix of creativity, companionship and low-stress care, all things that a real baby might demand but without the sleepless nights.
Image credit : Google Gemini AI image | Gen Z Women Treat Cotton Dolls Like Real Kids
For many, dolls offer an emotional comfort, as it is a stress-free way to experience nurturing.
It’s basically all the fun of parenthood minus the chaos, and for a generation dealing with skyrocketing housing prices, career pressure, and delayed marriage, that matters.
Image credit : Freepik | The Rise of Doll Moms in China
The Cotton Doll Trend is a unique way to experience the joys of parenthood without the stress, responsibility or financial burden of raising real children. Seen as a form of “painless motherhood”, these dolls provide an emotional comfort and companionship, allowing owners to express care and creativity.
Many dolls are modelled after popular idols or entirely original characters, and their owners treat them like real children. This trend blends nurturing, artistry, and lifestyle in a way that resonates with young people navigating modern pressures.
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