Purposeful Participation: Hong Kong and International Toy Fairs

Abstract

This paper explores Hong Kong’s participation in international toy fairs from the 1960s to the 1970s. As one of the world’s major toy producers, Hong Kong was a regular participant in many of the international toy fairs held in major cities around the world in this period. While other participating countries mainly perceived the toy fairs as platforms for selling their products and establishing business contacts, Hong Kong saw the fairs differently. Toymakers from the colony did not simply regard toy fairs as chances to showcase their products and gain profit, but opportunities to interact with foreign toy producers from all over the world. Drawing on catalogues, newspapers, correspondences, and reports, this paper will trace the various ways Hong Kong toymakers actively shared information about market trends, and exchanged technologies, designs, and ideas with foreign manufacturers at international toy fairs. Through dynamic processes of interaction and exchange, Hong Kong influenced global toy production and made significant contributions to the global toy industry. As a result, a rich variety of playthings became available for the world to consume.