Official materials describe iiGEN as a vertically integrated stationery enterprise covering R&D, industrial design, manufacturing, and global distribution.

iiGEN traces its origins to 2004, when its parent company, LZ Stationery, began developing its position in the stationery industry. The company initially became associated with erasers before expanding into a larger creative-stationery business.[1]

Over time, the business shifted from being primarily a conventional stationery manufacturer towards a design-driven creative stationery company. Its product portfolio expanded from erasers to include pens, pencils, notebooks, pencil cases, school bags, and other school and lifestyle products.

A significant strategic development was the integration of stationery with intellectual property licensing. Instead of simply printing famous characters onto ordinary products, iiGEN states that it works with licensors to incorporate the characteristics and identity of individual IPs into the product design itself.[1]

iiGEN operates as part of LZ Stationery Co., Ltd., which is based in Zhejiang, China. Manufacturing operations are concentrated around production facilities in Pujiang, Jinhua, Zhejiang Province.[1]

The company describes its production operation as a vertically integrated system, allowing significant portions of product development—from concept and industrial design through tooling, manufacturing, and distribution—to take place within the same organisation.

The official website currently lists an approximately 60-mu intelligent production base, equivalent to roughly 4 hectares or 10 acres, with dedicated production lines for categories including erasers, notebooks, pens, school bags, and pencils.

An industry profile published by the China Stationery Fair describes the production base as approximately 140,000 square metres, with a production workforce of more than 700 and a design team of more than 70.[2]

As the company’s own website and industry profiles use differing workforce and facility figures, exact current statistics should be treated as company-reported figures that vary by reporting date and scope.

iiGEN’s product range covers a broad portion of the school-stationery market.

Erasers

Erasers are central to iiGEN’s history. The company states its journey began with the goal of creating an eraser that could erase effectively while producing less residue.

Over the years, iiGEN has developed multiple formats, including conventional exam erasers, shaped erasers, push-pull designs, roller-style erasers, and novelty products. One notable product is the “Soap Eraser,” designed to resemble a bar of soap. The company also states that its self-developed Line-Perfect eraser has sold more than 500 million units.

Pens and writing instruments

The brand produces gel pens, markers, pencils, and other writing instruments. Its gel-pen range includes both conventional writing products and novelty designs incorporating features such as decorative elements, stress-relief mechanisms, and specialty inks.

Notebooks and sketchbooks

iiGEN produces notebooks and sketchbooks featuring both original designs and licensed characters. Some products incorporate techniques such as foil stamping, embossing, and laser printing to create visually distinctive covers.

Pencil cases

Pencil cases are another significant category, with designs ranging from conventional fabric and PU cases to large-capacity, multi-compartment, and novelty designs.

School bags and other stationery

The broader portfolio includes school bags, sharpeners, correction products, and other accessories, allowing iiGEN to function as a full-range creative stationery brand rather than solely an eraser specialist.[1]

A distinctive characteristic of iiGEN is its emphasis on licensed intellectual property. The company has developed stationery collections based on internationally recognisable franchises and characters, including:

• Sanrio
• My Little Pony
• Disney
• Pokémon
• Transformers
• Jurassic World
• Ultraman
• Chiikawa
• Detective Conan
• Gabby’s Dollhouse

Its Sanrio portfolio, for example, includes characters such as Hello Kitty, My Melody, Cinnamoroll, and Kuromi.[1]

The company’s strategy involves “deep IP integration,” where the personality, visual language, and characteristics of an IP influence the actual product design rather than serving as mere surface decoration. This approach positions iiGEN at the intersection of stationery, character merchandise, toy-like product design, and lifestyle goods.

In addition to licensed franchises, iiGEN has developed its own IP portfolio.

Kun Panda

Kun Panda is an original character centred on a cute, relaxed panda concept. iiGEN describes it as representing a feeling of relaxation and emotional “recharging.”

Carrot & Friends

Carrot & Friends is an IP based around anthropomorphic vegetables. Launched in 2016, the line achieved substantial popularity, with reported annual sales of 10 million gel pens associated with the series.

Lazy Stars

Lazy Stars is a “healing” or comfort-oriented character universe featuring cute creatures and a philosophy built around slowing down and managing the pressures of school and everyday life.

These original IPs allow iiGEN to build products without relying exclusively on third-party licensing.

iiGEN identifies several principles behind its product design.

Creativity

The company views stationery as capable of producing enjoyment rather than merely performing a practical function.

Functionality

Despite its emphasis on cute and novelty designs, iiGEN stresses that products must remain useful. Its design philosophy is essentially “creativity + practicality.” For example, the “soap eraser” concept is not merely decorative; its larger format is intended to make the eraser harder to lose while increasing usable material.

Human-centred design

iiGEN considers the emotional experience of students and children in addition to basic functionality, aiming to make school-related activities feel more enjoyable and engaging.

International design

The company operates design centres in Hangzhou, China, and Seoul, South Korea, with a design organisation of more than 70 professionals. It reports developing more than 1,000 new products annually and holding more than 300 patents.[1]

Manufacturing is a major component of iiGEN’s competitive model. The company states its production system provides control over product development, tooling, manufacturing efficiency, and quality assurance, with facilities and supply chains undergoing various international audits and certifications.[1]

Certifications listed by iiGEN include:

• ISO 9001
• BSCI
• SEDEX
• WCA
• FAMA
• NBC / NBCU-related compliance
• SMETA

While the precise applicability of each certification varies across facilities and business processes, they collectively reflect the company’s emphasis on quality, social compliance, and international supply-chain requirements.[1]

Although iiGEN originated in China’s stationery manufacturing industry, the brand increasingly presents itself as an international creative-stationery brand.

The company has exhibited at major international trade fairs, including:

• Ambiente Frankfurt
• Spielwarenmesse Nuremberg
• Spring Fair Birmingham
• China Stationery Fair
• Hong Kong Mega Show

At the 2025 Frankfurt consumer-goods fair, iiGEN showcased licensed products alongside original IPs such as Lazy Stars, Kun Panda, and Carrot & Friends, reporting established cooperation intentions with European stationery distributors.

At the China Stationery Fair, the company presented itself specifically as a global brand specialising in authentic licensed IP stationery.[2]

iiGEN occupies a space between several categories: traditional stationery manufacturer, creative stationery brand, character/IP merchandise, and toy-like lifestyle products.

Rather than competing solely on the basic utility of a pencil, eraser, or notebook, iiGEN differentiates through design, novelty, collectability, character recognition, and emotional appeal. This is particularly visible in products that resemble miniature toys while remaining functional stationery. The company’s strategy aims to transform stationery from a commodity into a creative and emotionally engaging consumer product.[1]

A significant part of iiGEN’s business relies on obtaining legitimate licenses from established entertainment and character owners. This includes collaborations with major IP holders such as Sanrio, Disney, and Hasbro-associated properties like My Little Pony and Transformers.[1]

This licensing strategy provides access to characters with strong consumer recognition while allowing the company to combine them with its expertise in stationery design and manufacturing. The company explicitly contrasts this model with unauthorised or counterfeit character stationery, emphasising that its IP products are produced under genuine licensing arrangements.

iiGEN represents the evolution of a manufacturing company into a consumer-facing creative brand. The company characterises this transition as moving:

• From manufacturer to design-driven company
• From traditional stationery to creative products
• From internally developed IP to international IP licensing
• From conventional distribution to e-commerce and global distribution

This transformation defines iiGEN’s current identity. It is neither simply a stationery factory nor purely a character-merchandise company; its business model combines industrial manufacturing, product design, IP licensing, original IP development, and distribution.

The central iiGEN philosophy is “Make learning more enjoyable.”[1] This concept posits that school supplies can be functional while also being fun, expressive, and emotionally appealing.

Consequently, iiGEN products tend to emphasise:

• Cute or visually distinctive designs
• Character/IP storytelling
• Novel product mechanisms
• Tactile and interactive elements
• Practical functionality
• Safe materials
• Collectability
• Emotional connection with students and young consumers

According to recent company materials, iiGEN has developed into a large-scale creative stationery business with over 600 production employees, more than 100 designers, over 1,000 new products developed annually, and more than 300 patents.[1]

The China Stationery Fair has described iiGEN as a leading global brand in authentic IP-themed stationery,[2] while iiGEN itself describes its licensed-IP stationery as ranking among the top three by market share within China’s creative-stationery segment. The latter is a company claim rather than an independently verified market-share statistic.[1]

1. Our Story- IIGEN CREATIVE
2. IIGEN – a leading global brand in authentic IP-themed stationery, integrating R&D, design, production, and sales.