''Fingertips'' Dig Up 3 Billion Yuan - Five-year Development Survey Of The Press On Nails Industry in Donghai County

Press-on nails are a type of nail art that can be worn or removed at any time. This exquisite and compact fashion item has become a hit on social media and shopping platforms in recent years. According to statistics from the China's Alibaba platform in 2023, 70% of the handmade press-on nails sold on the platform were produced in Donghai County, Jiangsu province. Since the press on nail industry emerged in Donghai in 2019, it has now had 200 teams, 50,000 practitioners, and a daily output of 400,000 pairs. This "beauty industry" has gradually opened up a vast market.

 

In 2023, the sales of handmade press on nails in Donghai County will be about 3 billion yuan, and the annual output will exceed 100 million pairs.

 

 

Press on nails are emerging

"At first, I saw a short video of press on nails, and out of curiosity, I placed an order!" Chen Xin, who has just entered the workplace, is keen on manicure. Now, she has discovered the "new treasure" of press-on nails, which she thinks are convenient and fast. "When I go to work, I do not wear press-on nails. After get off work, I can wear a pair of press-on nails in 5 minutes when I meet with friends, and I can take them off in two minutes when I get home."

 

Nude color, new Chinese style, Baroque style... Open the e-commerce platform, and you will be overwhelmed by the variety of styles of press-on nails. According to the sales data of the China's Douyin platform in May, a e-commerce platform, the best-selling handmade press on nails sold more than 50,000 pieces. The top five products are all priced below 12 yuan per pair. Even the "high-end" products are priced at only 50-60 yuan. Compared with the hundreds of yuan spent on a trip to a nail salon, press-on nails, as a "low-cost alternative", can be said to be "cost-effective" and are popular among young women.

 

There are dozens of shops selling handmade press-on nails on both sides of Yigao Road in Donghai County.

 

 

Press-on nails are in full swing, and are no less popular than crystal, a long-established industry in Donghai County.

Su Feng, deputy director of the Donghai County Commerce Bureau, told reporters that last spring, the bureau learned from the Alibaba platform that almost 70% of the handmade press-on nails on the platform were shipped from Donghai. In the summer of the same year, the Commerce Bureau visited and investigated the press-on nail industry and found that the industry has blossomed in various towns and villages in Donghai County, becoming a new way for "mothers" and women who stay at home without jobs in towns to make money and find jobs.

 

Why did Donghai, the "Crystal Capital", build the handmade press-on nail industry? In the eyes of industry insiders, one reason is that Donghai Crystal's business is very popular, and people are very sensitive to new categories and new trends on e-commerce platforms, and they discovered the "potential stock" of press-on nails at the first time; second, there is a certain degree of overlap between the consumer groups of crystal and press-on nails. Both are mainly female consumers, focusing on aesthetics and pursuing "self-pleasure".

Bao Yile is the person in charge of a handmade press-on nails supplier in Donghai. As early as the second half of 2019, Bao Yile, who has been engaged in jewelry e-commerce, found the business opportunity of press-on nails, and became one of the pioneers with a try-and-see attitude.

 

"After September 2019, press-on nails became popular on China's major e-commerce platforms. At that time, we opened 1 Alibaba store and 8 China's e-commerce stores, producing and selling them ourselves. Unexpectedly, the orders exploded at the end of the year, and the supply could not keep up with the demand. Since then, we have gradually transformed into a wholesaler and improved the supply chain." Bao Yile said.

 

From live broadcasting, operation, distribution to packaging and after-sales, Bao Yile, as the boss, does it himself. At present, the brand has 3 stores in Donghai, with a daily output of 10,000 to 30,000 pairs, and more than 1,500 samples of products.

As the business continues to expand, Bao Yile thought of exporting his products abroad.

 

Bao Yile held up a display board with 12 pairs of push-on armor on it, all of which were samples of popular foreign styles. These press-on nails are about 5 cm long, with bright red and fluorescent pink as the base colors, and are decorated with sequins and rhinestones. "Now our products have been exported to Europe, America and the Middle East. In August this year, the county government will take our entrepreneurs to Malaysia to participate in an exhibition." Bao Yile said.

 

 

At the end of 2023, Donghai established the press-on nail Industry Association, which has now attracted 95 association members, from the development of individual enterprises to the promotion of industry development by the association. Li Zheng, secretary-general of the Donghai County Press on Nail Industry Association, told reporters that after the establishment of the industry association, the first thing to do was to formulate a group standard for the press on nail industry, and to standardize the production of handmade press-on nails from the aspects of raw materials, production processes, etc. The association will work with the quality supervision department to conduct random inspections on products, and enterprises that do not meet the standards will be boycotted by the industry.

 

In May this year, the Donghai Press on Nail Display and R&D Center was officially opened in the newly renovated Hall 3 of Donghai Crystal City, welcoming 36 leading handmade press on nails companies to settle in. Zhao Hua, director of the Donghai County Bureau of Commerce, revealed that the next step is to attract no less than 100 leading press on nails sales companies across the country to settle in, build the Donghai Press on Nail Exhibition and Sales Experience Center, and provide a broad space and platform for press on nail companies to exhibit and sell to domestic and foreign customers.

 

How a pair of handmade press on nails is born

Press on nails are roughly divided into two categories. One is mechanical nails, which only have patterns but no stickers, with large production and low prices; the other is handmade models, which can be painted with patterns and add stickers. The patterns are more delicate and varied, and are more popular in China. Handmade press on nails are the category that Donghai County specializes in.

At present, most press on nail merchants in Donghai County choose to produce and sell themselves or become wholesalers. Donghai has formed a full industrial chain of "raw material production-product design-press-on nail production-press-on nail sales".

 

The production process of a small pair of handmade press on nails is not simple. The reporter came to the production workshop of Endo Beauty Co., Ltd. and saw more than 30 nail artists sitting at a long table and painting nails. On each person's desk, nail pieces, nail polish, stickers and phototherapy lamps were stacked, and the production process of their respective styles was also posted on the table. The nail artists first polished the nail pieces smooth, evenly applied nail polish, and then pasted diamond decorations... a pair of regular handmade press on nails can be completed in about 15 minutes.

 

A manicurist told the reporter that he has been engaged in the production of press on nails for more than two years. It only took him one or two months to go from a novice to a skilled worker. "As a mother who needs to take care of children, the working hours here are flexible. I can get off work at 10:30 in the afternoon to pick up my children and I can also process a few pairs at night when I am free at home." A skilled manicurist can make about 30-40 pairs of press on nails every day, and the labor fee for each pair is 5-8 yuan, which means that he can get a salary of 6,000-8,000 yuan a month.

 

 

Next to the long table where the manicurist works, there is a separate design table, which is where designer Yin Xiaoxiao designs nails. The designer of press on nails is responsible for designing styles, splitting steps, and then teaching the manicurists the production process. "Many design inspirations come from popular elements on the Internet. For example, during the Chinese Spring Festival, there are more red tones, and some popular accessories such as organza and bows are added."

 

At this moment, Yin Xiaoxiao is using transparent nail polish to outline the wing pattern of a three-dimensional crystal butterfly. This is a luminous nail customized for customers and aimed at the European and American markets. The flash light is controlled by a magnetic switch built into the nail piece. These flash lights are controlled by chips, which cost 7 yuan each. The ex-factory price of a set of manicures is at least 100 yuan. "Most of the overseas customers are Chinese. They contact the agents of Endo through social media platforms and then connect to the company's R&D department. There was once an Indian couple who wanted to cooperate with us and brought a translator with them."

 

 

"A workshop is usually equipped with one designer and 30-50 nail technicians. Endo has more than 50 workshops like this, distributed in major towns and villages in Donghai County." Chen Mangmang, head of Endo Cosmetics Co., Ltd., said, "It is crucial to control the quality of products by placing production within the scope of one's own monitoring."

 

Since the beginning of this year, in order to meet the production needs of the press on nail industry, Donghai County has organized various towns and villages to revitalize existing vacant spaces and provide several venues, which is expected to help more than 20,000 people achieve employment and increase income at their doorstep. At the same time, Donghai will also build a production and manufacturing base in the High-tech Zone, using 60,000 square meters of modern standard factory buildings, and plans to attract no less than 30 industrial supporting enterprises such as accessories, consumables, and packaging. Currently, 4 nail polish, nail tips and press on nail accessories related enterprises have been introduced.

 

"Donghai press on nail" is in urgent need of being promoted to high-end

At present, Donghai County press on nail enterprises are generally facing the problem of low gross profit margin. Industry insiders said that the profit of a pair of press on nail may be only 5%. Li Zheng told reporters, "At present, Donghai press on nail enterprises are mainly wholesale OEM, and most enterprises lack retail customer sales channels. After the products are sold to other parts of the country, they are labeled and repackaged by downstream enterprises and then sold to retail customers. Most of the profits are obtained by downstream enterprises, and profitability and profit margins are greatly limited. In 2023, the retail share will be less than 10%."

 

"Ordinary press on nail is positioned as a 'fast-moving consumer product', and what we want to do is a high-end press on nail with soul and texture, positioned as an 'accessory'." This is the business philosophy of Han Qiuchen, the person in charge of Jiangsu Tuhua Nail Art Co., Ltd.

 

Tuhua was established in April this year. When the reporter visited in mid-May, the site reserved for the company as a production workshop was still vacant, but the designer team had already started working. Designer Zhou Jiaxin is carefully carving a pair of press on nails with the theme of "Journey to the West". On the small nail surface, lifelike images of the Heavenly Palace, cranes, and Sun Wukong are painted. Zhou Jiaxin, who is from Guangzhou, has been engaged in the nail industry for 6 years. "I met Mr. Han at the Guangzhou Beauty Expo. I really agree with his ideas, so we hit it off and moved to Donghai."

 

"Our designers are all hired from Guangzhou and Shanghai with high salaries. After solving the design problem, the next step is to solve the production problem. Not only must the designers be professional, but the products must also be made of high-end materials and tailor-made." Han Qiuchen gave an example. Take nail polish for example. Ordinary nail polish is about 80 yuan per kilogram, while the product used by Tuhua is 40 yuan per 10 grams. At the same time, the company's production workshops are all equipped with fresh air systems to ensure the health of employees. Odorless, non-toxic and harmless is the lowest standard.

 

Han Qiuchen showed reporters a pair of handmade press on nails samples, which were produced in cooperation with a university for graduation season. He also took out a pair of press on nails with the same pattern but made by machine. In comparison, handmade craftsmanship can better show the design effect. Han Qiuchen said that currently Tuhua's designs and products have applied for intellectual property protection, which is one step ahead in original protection.

 

 

"Although we are still in the initial stage and adopt the order-based production, the products are already in short supply." Han Qiuchen said that in the next step, he will also cooperate with Lianyungang colleges and universities to introduce graduates of art majors and introduce more talent resources for press on nails design.

 

Pushing the industry to the high end requires the leadership of a number of leading enterprises and the recruitment of professional talents. Focusing on the talent needs of the industrial chain, Donghai County has formulated and implemented a key talent recruitment and training plan, increased talent exchanges and cooperation with colleges and universities and secondary vocational schools, and plans to train a group of design talents, live broadcast talents, and hand-made talents. At the same time, Donghai County will also organize press on nail companies to go to Guangzhou, Yiwu and other places to recruit talents and attract high-skilled talents such as pattern makers, designers, and e-commerce operations required by press on nails companies.

 

During the reporter's interview, Zheng Jianxun, the founder of Guangzhou Yini Vocational Training School, came to Donghai for training. Zheng Jianxun entered the nail industry in 1997 and served as the Chinese technical guidance expert for the beauty project of the 45th World Skills Competition. This class not only provides nail art technology training for local nail artists and entrepreneurs in Donghai, but also shares relevant experiences in brand building and business operations.

 

"To promote the healthy and orderly development of Donghai's press on nail industry to a higher level, we must first establish industry standards from raw materials to production skills. In addition, designers with aesthetic qualities in the domestic nail industry are indeed rare. It is recommended to promote the cultivation of talents through training and skill competitions." Zheng Jianxun said.

It is understood that in the future, Lianyungang City will conduct assessments for press on nail practitioners and issue special professional ability certificates, promote outstanding press on nail skilled talents to participate in the advanced professional skills certification of nail artists, and enhance the professional pride of press on nail skilled talents.

 

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