Chinamaxxing: is the trend really about China or Gen Z fleeing Western fatigue?

From viral candy wrappers to hot water routines, Western Gen Z appears obsessed with all things China. But is it true love?

Shared this month in a post on X, formerly Twitter, the retro packaging was hailed as an “absolute masterstroke of graphic design”.

Its distinctive waxy paper – featuring a white rabbit against a red circle, with blue-and-white rabbit motifs lining both edges – has since racked up more than 6 million views and 260,000 likes.

In the comments section, online users from around the world have shared custom creations such as tattoos, phone cases and T-shirts inspired by the wrapper.

The aesthetic frenzy surrounding this piece of candy wrapper is part of a wider trend that has swept Western social media: Chinamaxxing.