Mahjong, the classic Chinese tile-based strategy game, has been surging in popularity in the U.S., especially among female-skewing gen X and millennial consumers. There are many global versions of the game, with most in the U.S. playing an American version that differs slightly from the original. The trend has been fueled by exposure on TikTok and Instagram as well as appearances in movies and TV shows, notably a key scene in the 2018 film Crazy Rich Asians, and the game has become a feature at places such as coffee shops, hotels, bridal showers, and even dedicated clubs in some cities. As with many trends these days, part of the appeal of mahjong is that it gets players off their screens and into community with their fellow players. Some adherents cite mental health and mindfulness benefits as well.
As its profile has expanded, the game has become the focus of a growing number of consumer products, including examples created through collaboration and licensing deals. These encompass inbound partnerships for licensed tiles, mats, tile bags, playing cards, and other accessories, often tied to art, fashion, and lifestyle IPs, as well as outbound agreements that bring mahjong-focused brands into gaming accessories and other categories, especially home goods appropriate for hosting mahjong parties.
Some of the mahjong brands that have been involved in recent collaborations include:
- The Mahjong Line. Among its partners: interior design studio Madre for four mahjong gaming tables and three cocktail tables inspired by the company’s tiles; lifestyle label Pearl by Lela Rose for vintage fabric-inspired embroidered cocktail napkins, playing cards, and tile bags; interior design studio and handbag and travel bag brand Neely & Chloe for tile bags, vanity cases, and folios featuring TML tile designs; and Loop for needlepoint kits. It also paired with fashion designer Brooke Wright for a limited-edition mahjong mat.
- Oh My Mahjong. The company has collaborated with Caspari for tabletop pieces such as tablecloths, paper napkins with a rattan holder, and glassware, inspired by OMM’s tile designs, and jewelry designer Susan Saffron for two gold charms based on its tiles. It also worked with fashion designer Sheridan French on a collection of two mahjong mats.
- Bespoke Mahjong. It developed a limited-edition beach-themed capsule collection of pastel-colored custom tiles, travel tile kits, game mats, and accessories with aerial photographer Gray Malin. It also collaborated with Dhonk, a social-enterprise marketer of artisanal handcrafted products made by women in India, on a limited-edition set of pajamas.
Product partnerships focused on mahjong are not just a U.S. phenomenon, of course. They extend to many other countries around the world and are, not surprisingly, particularly common in Asian territories. A number of IP owners, especially luxury brands, create mahjong sets for the Asia market, with a peak of introductions around the Lunar New Year. And many characters are in the mahjong space as well. Hello Kitty alone has been featured on mahjong sets with a variety of partners across Asia, including with Singapore’s FairPrice Xtra hypermarket and Malaysia’s Hong Leong Bank this year and McDonald’s Hong Kong last year. Hello Kitty and other Sanrio characters also appeared in the globally distributed Chinese video game Mahjong Soul in 2024.
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