In the 1950s, the Yangzhou region began producing plush toys, but only a few state-owned toy factories with small production and uniform designs for small animals such as cats and dogs.
After the reform and opening up, township enterprises in various regions began to gradually develop. Starting from the early 1980s, the predecessor of Weiyang District, Xihu Town, saw the emergence of many township collective enterprises that made plush toys. In addition to relying on local experience in plush toy production, these enterprises have also promoted the rise of the plush toy industry with a large number of idle rural women's labor.
The current Xihu Town has been renamed as Weiyang District and has become a new urban area in Yangzhou. The plush toys in Weiyang District have formed a complete industrial chain. Within a 50 square kilometer area, industries are highly concentrated and have begun to extend to the surrounding areas of Yizheng, Hanjiang, and even the nearby Anhui Tianchang.
On April 28, 2006, the China Light Industry Federation awarded Weiyang District, Yangzhou City the title of "Capital of Chinese Plush Toys and Gifts", which further established Weiyang District's position as the first cluster of plush toy industry. Now, in the minds of domestic and foreign merchants and tourists, the concept of "the world's plush toys are in China, and Chinese plush toys are being promoted" has become a consensus.