Broccoli-themed pens correspond to the pun "xī lǐ hú tú" (silly/muddled, with "xī" echoing the first syllable of "broccoli" in Chinese), "celery pens" play on "fàng qín sōng" (to relax, using "qín" from "celery" to replace the homophonic character for "relax") to convey a sense of ease, and green onion-themed pens win favor with "cōng mǎn xī wàng" (full of hope, where "cōng" from "green onion" replaces the homophonic character for "full")... Right now, as the new school year approaches, Yiwu's stationery market is in the peak season for purchasing and restocking. On August 27, in a store in the Third District of Yiwu International Trade City, each seemingly ordinary gel pen hides clever ideas. The store's original "companion pens"—including squeezable plush pens, landscape-themed pens, and DIY stand-up card pens—have become the focus of buyers who stop to inquire, thanks to their distinctive designs and versatile functions. These products also help the store continue to seize opportunities in the creative stationery track

"Just squeeze the petals of this broccoli pen—it’s so soft! It’s really stress-relieving to knead it when you’re tired from writing!" Su Ling, a store salesperson, demonstrated the pen to the customers who had stopped by, while picking up the pen barrel to explain, "When Jellycat plush toys were sweeping the globe, we caught onto this trend. It took us nearly half a year to combine plush elements with stationery and launch this creative squeezable plush pen." The reporter noticed that the plush pens on the shelf were displayed around two main themes: "vegetables" and "food". Each of the 12 styles had its own ingenuity, and at the same time, they all had three functions: writing, ornament, and stress-relief companionship. "The 'hot dog' style sold out in the first week because of its vivid design. Now the factory is rushing to restock it," Su Ling said with a smile.

It is understood that by tapping into the niche market with its original "companion pens", the enterprise not only caters to the diverse needs of young consumers today for stationery that combines "practicality, fun, and emotional value", but also helps traditional stationery break free from the single positioning of "writing tools". This has provided a new direction for the innovative development of Yiwu's cultural and creative products. Going forward, the enterprise will continue to optimize product designs based on market sales data and launch more original cultural and creative items that meet consumer needs.