Not just cute: 20-somethings making money from original characters

AS HELLO Kitty, Little Twin Stars, Rilakkuma and Gudetama prove, cute fictional characters can mean plenty of merchandising opportunities, big bucks for their creators, and a loyal following across the world.

This potential is not lost on local creatives, who have been developing original characters which they sell on everything from stickers, keychains and art prints to socks, T-shirts and plush toys. They have also noticed more Singaporeans working on illustrations – a phenomenon aided by technology and accessibility.

What’s exciting is that the fan base of these artists is not limited to Singapore; international customers are a growing segment for their character merchandise.