On March 13, 2022, China reported the highest number of COVID-19 cases since 2 years. Just as things seemed to be calming down, a new wave of COVID recently spread throughout China, with the number of cases doubling to 3,400 daily new cases within 24 hours. Rumors spread in the sex doll community that some brands such as Gynoid Tech were shutting down due to the situation in China. I asked My Robot Doll (MRD), a reliable sex doll vendor, if this was true. MRD’s owner, Guillaume, confirmed the rumors:
“It is true. Technically speaking, all doll factories and logistics companies will have to shut down starting from the 14th to the 20th of March. The government might extend the period if the covid-19 situation is not improved.”
According to MRD, who carries many top sex doll brands, most doll factories and shipping companies will be shutting down for 1 week, starting on March 14, 2022. If the situation doesn’t improve, the closures will be extended until further notice. Having observed the spread of COVID-19 throughout the years, 1 week may not be enough to control the new outbreak.
Guillaume gave me an update the next day:
“Let me revise, the temporary restriction applies only to Shenzhen city. Many logistics companies are located in this city so the shipping will be delayed for one week.
Most of the doll makers in Dongguan will resume activity. Logically speaking, Gynoid’s factory is located in Dongguan and should not be affected but they informed us yesterday that they will stop this week… It is impacting everyone.”
The city of Shenzhen, where many Chinese factories and logistics companies reside, is currently under full lockdown. Although many brands such as Jinsan, Piper Doll, Irontech, etc. are still fully operational (according to inside sources), shipping will be heavily delayed due to the new restrictions in Shenzhen. Shenzhen is one of the largest logistics (shipping and warehouse) centers in China so every brand is inherently impacted. Several customers already reported that their dolls are stuck in Shenzhen. While various doll factories continue to operate, some brands such as Gynoid have decided to stop production for the time being. Delayed shipping is the main problem as of now. Depending on the situation, other cities may potentially lock down as well.
Update March 15, 2022: Dongguan, where most doll factories are located, is now locked down until the 21st. All doll factories in this city are closed.
This is a huge blow to Chinese manufacturing and the sex doll industry in general as most sex dolls are manufactured in China. If you were planning to order a doll, it’s best to hold off for now. Your doll may not be produced or shipped until all the dust has settled, which is TBA at this moment. If your doll does ship, expect significant delays. In-stock dolls outside of China will likely be in high demand for the next few weeks. Hold your dolls close and stay safe everyone.
Update March 21, 2022: Shenzhen and Dongguan have re-opened. Most factories and logistics companies resumed work today. It should be fine to order a doll again.
Update March 28, 2022: Shanghai is locked down due to Covid-19. It is unknown how this will affect doll production and shipping.
Update April 5, 2022: Shanghai extended its lockdown indefinitely, which includes its shipping port. Some brands are affected by this.
Update July 8, 2022: I haven’t updated this in a while, but everything is pretty much back to normal now.
More info: 2022.03 Covid-19 cases in China affecting doll production
Thoughts on the sudden news of Chinese factory closures? Comment below!
