Sales surged 259%! Korean men also love cross stitch

As the COVID-19 pandemic has prevented people from enjoying outdoor activities, more and more Korean men have begun to engage in hobbies , purchasing handmade materials such as cross-stitch, felt dolls, and flower arrangements online to spend their free time.

According to Gmarket data, sales of handicrafts purchased by men surged 259% year-on-year in January and February, sales of cross-stitch materials increased 81% year-on-year, and sales of knitting materials increased 32% year-on-year.

On SSG.com , sales of cross-stitch materials purchased by men surged 55% from January to February , sales of knitting-related materials increased 32%, and sales of gardening products increased 10%.  

A 36-year-old man who works at a marketing company in Seoul said: "During the epidemic, I stayed indoors most of the time, so at the recommendation of my girlfriend, I started to expand my hobby in November last year , which is cross-stitch embroidery. I enjoy the process very much. "
 

The man added : " My friends are different from me. They like to play computer games at home, but I feel more stressed when playing computer games . Cross-stitching is very helpful to relieve my mood and it is fun . "  

However, cross-stitch is not his only hobby , he said he recently started learning flower arrangement through YouTube videos.

He added: "I can learn flower arrangement through online videos, and I don't have to care what others think of me. I can also buy related materials online, so I always recommend all my friends to start cross-stitching and flower arrangement . "

During the same period, sales of flowers to male customers through Gmarket increased by 151% year-on-year , sales of pruning shears used for flower arrangement increased by 20%, and sales of flower pots soared by 48% year-on-year.  

As demand grows, companies are scrambling to bolster their product lineups and marketing strategies.

Gmarket has recently introduced products ranging from soft -fringe PVC gloves that can easily remove thorns from flowers to wool dolls that allow consumers to make felt.

A Gmarket spokesperson said: "Because many outdoor activities are banned due to the epidemic , in addition to online games, more male customers are now interested in new hobbies such as flower arranging and handicrafts, and such products are expected to sell well. "

South Korea

male

Cross stitch

Flower Arrangement