Buy a thermos, become Chinese: how hot drinks and wellness habits boosted exports to record highs
Buy a thermos, become Chinese: how hot drinks and wellness habits boosted exports to record highs. Chinese thermos and kettle exports surged to $740 million, as consumers worldwide embrace the health habits of the Chinese lifestyle, with many companies reporting soaring demand and record shipments to international markets. Warm water with goji berries, tai chi, foot baths and hot drinks — what has been part of daily life in China for centuries is now becoming a global trend.
The viral "Becoming Chinese" movement has grown from an internet meme into a real economic force. Millions of people around the world are discovering the wisdom of the traditional Chinese way of life, and this interest is directly reflected in the wallets of Chinese exporters. Thermos flasks, electric kettles, insulated mugs — simple items that carry not just warmth but an entire culture.
Earlier this year, the viral "Becoming Chinese" trend began spreading across social media worldwide. From drinking warm water with goji berries and practising tai chi to cooking authentic Chinese dishes and taking foot baths, people around the world are increasingly adopting the Chinese lifestyle. This is not just a health craze; it reflects global recognition of China's traditional wisdom. Among various Chinese practices, the tradition of drinking hot beverages has gained particular interest.
Simple to adopt and seamlessly integrated into daily life, it has appealed to many overseas consumers, driving market demand for insulated drink containers. Foreign tourists visiting China confirm that awareness of this practice has become common in their home countries. Adelia, a foreign tourist, said: "I've heard about it before. For example, it's very popular to drink hot water mixed with honey, ginger or something else. That's also common knowledge."
Chinese exporters of such products welcome this trend. According to the General Administration of Customs (GAC), in the first quarter of this year, exports of insulated mugs reached five billion yuan (about 740 million US dollars), and electric kettles reached about 200 million yuan (about 29.44 million US dollars). At Shanghai's Waigaoqiao Port, a consignment of insulated mugs, thermoses and containers weighing 6.6 tonnes is being prepared for export.
The foreign trade company handling the shipment said that precise adaptation and localised design were the keys to success. Ge Tingting, customs manager at the local foreign trade company, explained: "We optimised the internal volume and inner lining materials of our thermoses to match the dietary habits of the Latin American market, properly meeting local users' need for long lasting heat retention when cooking beans and similar dishes. For the North American market, we launched portable insulation kits designed for both travel and camping, meeting outdoor leisure needs. These new products, developed with local characteristics in mind, represent an important new step for us."
Customs officials at the port also noted the popularity of these exports. Xu Weizhong, deputy chief of the second inspection division at Shanghai Waigaoqiao Port Customs, said: "In the first five months of this year, Waigaoqiao Port Customs supervised more than 5.2 million cross border e commerce parcels sent by sea, totalling over 5.8 billion yuan (about 850 million US dollars), an 80 fold increase from last year. Riding the wave of cross border e commerce and social media, insulated containers with advanced features such as 'smart' mugs are gradually gaining popularity in the market."
The "Becoming Chinese" trend has also encouraged social media users worldwide to adopt other lifestyle habits, including the practice of Baduanjin (an ancient Chinese health exercise), studying traditional Chinese medicine and cooking simple Chinese dishes.
The "Becoming Chinese" trend is not just an internet meme. It is a cultural phenomenon that has turned everyday Chinese habits into a global consumer demand. The thermos, once just a utilitarian item, today becomes a symbol of a healthy lifestyle and a connection to tradition. Chinese manufacturers are not just selling products — they are selling a way of life, adapted to local tastes. For Latin Americans — thermoses for beans; for North Americans — camping kits. And when an 80 fold increase in cross border parcels becomes reality, it is clear that Chinese culture is being exported not only as philosophy but also as concrete products that warm millions of people around the world.
As reported by CCTV+, Chinese manufacturers continue to boost exports, and the "Becoming Chinese" trend is becoming a growth driver for entire industries.
