(Photo by Chen Yan/Xinhua Daily)

Donghai County in Lianyungang, Jiangsu Province, is a major global hub for crystals and known as the “Crystal Capital of the World.” At the Donghai Crystal Cross-Border E-Commerce Trading Centre, a giant digital screen tracks real-time transactions, recording 5,120 sales worth US$1.71 million on September 20 alone.

In recent years, press-on nails made in Donghai have found their way to fashion markets across Southeast Asia, Australia, Europe and the United States via 12 cross-border e-commerce platforms. Today, four out of every ten press-on nails sold worldwide come from Donghai, with approximately 55,000 sets shipped daily to customers at home and abroad.

The big screen also displays Amazon order updates for the products that range from traditional blue-and-white porcelain to designs inspired by Chinese cultural symbols like plum blossoms, orchids, bamboo and chrysanthemums. These tiny pieces of nail art have fostered a global appreciation for Chinese aesthetics.

Sales of press-on nails in Donghai reached nearly 8 billion yuan in 2024, and climbed to 9.7 billion yuan in the first eight months of 2025, an 89% year-on-year increase.

In just six years, the county has transformed itself from a subcontracting base of family workshops into China’s largest press-on nail production hub, shifting towards original designs and a fully developed industrial cluster.