More youngsters like Guangzhou-based designer Nick are used to carrying reusable mugs when purchasing coffee, and this has sparked creative ideas.

Drip coffees, or small cones or cubes containing ground coffee that "hang by the ear", to use Chinese consumers' preferred phrase for them, allow fresh brews to drip through them when immersed in hot water in a mug.

The initiative was given a further boost on Monday with the fresh rollout of eight lifestyle necessities, including pens, clocks and thermo mugs, designed exclusively for the platform by Naoto Fukasawa, a world-renowned industrial designer.

United States-based Ember is planning to enter China with its flagship smart temperature-controlled ceramic mug, eyeing opportunities in the country's red hot tech market.

By synchronizing with a smartphone app, the ceramic mug can keep coffee or tea at an exact temperature according to the user's preference.

Chinese consumers will also be able to purchase the ceramic mugs via Ember's official website.

According to him, this year will be a key pivot point for Ember's global expansion, as the firm will launch the mugs in Apple Inc's retail stores globally in the fall, including in China, the United States and Europe.

Founded in 2010, the California-based firm now has two smart mugs products - a travel mug and a ceramic mug.

"Starbucks also promotes Chinese culture with membership cards and mugs featuring traditional patterns implying good luck.

Johnson said that mugs, tumblers and other merchandise in Starbucks stores didn't perform well during the holidays.

Starbucks fans battled at the queue to buy the cute cups although they already have many coffee mugs.

Sales of mugs with Christmas elements on AliExpress expanded three times compared with the same period last year, while Christmas tableware sets more than doubled.

Likewise, when US coffee chain Starbucks launched a limited edition cat paw mug, the mugs were sold out within minutes after the product went on sale.

The mugs were sold for 199 yuan at stores, but often resold online for as much as 1,800 yuan.

The Yiwu Sporting Goods Association estimated that the city accounts for about 70 percent of the World Cup's peripheral goods market this year, providing items from whistles to themed mugs and pillows.

The Palace Museum in Beijing is one of the most widely known and successful producers of intellectual property for cultural and creative products in China, and many of its products, including decorated adhesive tape, lipstick gift boxes and coffee mugs in funny shapes, have become immensely popular with consumers.

Alfilo Brands is running online shops in China for leading global museums like the British Museum and the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and its products range from birthday cards, mugs, replica paintings to kitchenware.

“It’s thrilling to see popular necessities from the 1900s here, including enamel mugs, old-school Chinese postman’s bikes and manual sewing machines,” said Ke Xiaojie, a Shanghai resident in her 50s.