Excuse Me, There's a Monchhichi "Sex" Shirt?
Breaking down the new Uniqlo trend and where you can (and can't) make it.
A wave of Uniqlo UTme! tees featuring Monchhichi stamps arranged into words like “sex” and “love” has swept across Xiaohongshu, also known as RedNote. Credit: Xiaohongshu screenshots, compiled by Jing Daily
⏰ Wed, Oct 29, 2025 @ 11:30 AM PST
🐟 Published from Seattle, USA
🔨 Built by Chase Burns Broderick
It was Labubu Summer for most of the world this year, but it will always be Monchhichi Summer, at least in Japan.
The 51-year-old stuffed baby monkey toy created by the Japanese toy company Sekiguchi Corporation had a sort of resurgence during summer 2025, with style blogs highlighting Monchhichi as a central character in Gen Z’s booming bag charm trend. In the States, I spotted the bottle-sucking monkey everywhere from convenience stores to Urban Outfitters.
Couples who Monchhichi together, stay together 💋 At Uniqlo’s UTme! station, this duo made custom shirts using the Monchhichi 50th-anniversary stamps. Credit Xiahongshu user 6760838616
Still, over the past month I was surprised to see a rush of social media posts on Xiaohongshu (RedNote) featuring plain white Uniqlo t-shirts with little Monchhichi “stamps” used as sticker-mosaic graphics. Users arrange dozens of the same Monchhichi images to build bigger shapes—mostly words, initials, and symbols.
Nine of the stickers available to use.
Many designs spell out words like “love” or personal names with lined-up stamps; others make hearts, circles, or retro-poster collages.
A closer look at the Monchhichi UTme! wave — fans in China are remixing the classic doll into maximalist collages and retro poster layouts.
Having a discerning eye, I immediately found the silly shirts—like the ones that spell “sex,” featured in the recent Jing Daily article “Asian Gen Z says Monchhichi, but make it Chanel.”
The article’s opening:
Seeing “sex” written in Monchhichi heads on a T-shirt was likely not part of Uniqlo’s 2025 strategy planning. Yet despite risqué design iterations making the rounds on Xiaohongshu (also known as RedNote), the Japanese stuffed monkey toys’ 50 year anniversary collaboration has become a viral sensation one year on.
Around Asia, consumers have been trusted to use the fast-fashion retailer’s in-store customization UTme! iPad to design their own T-shirts or tote bags featuring the Sekiguchi character. The concept has hit the Asian Gen Z sweet spot, with fans from Thailand to China flooding social media with their personalized pieces, resulting in 1 million views under the hashtag “UniqloXMonchhichi” at the time of writing. (Oct 21, 2025; Sadie Bargeron)
🛠 How UTme! Works at Participating Uniqlo Stores
Uniqlo began offering custom t-shirts, sweatshirts, and bags through its UTme! program in 2014, originally at the Shinsaibashi flagship in Osaka. It’s since expanded to around 27 locations in Japan and spread across Uniqlo stores in Asia, North America, and Europe.
Users first choose their products at stands. Usually it’s a plain white 100% cotton t-shirt (adult or kids) or sometimes a tote bag, depending on the store. Users then design their print via an in-store tablet, or sometimes using the mobile app/website, depending on the market. There are pre-loaded "stickers” to choose from, including licensed characters like Stitch—an advertising opportunity for major brands and a “co-creation” opportunity for fans.
At the kiosk, users can then position and resize stickers within the printable area, typically only the front of the shirt. In some markets, I’ve heard people can apply effects, like a store app that lets you shake the phone and remix the design. Once finished making the custom shirt, users purchase from the store staff or kiosk.
Amazingly, the item is printed on-site and prepared in about 10-20 minutes depending on the store’s volume.
No Sex in the States
Trying to make the “SEX” Monchhichi shirt at Uniqlo’s UTme! kiosk, but the system had other ideas — apparently “no overlapping stickers allowed.”
Curious whether the viral designs were replicable outside Asia, I tried the UTme! kiosk at Seattle’s Uniqlo on Pine, in the husk of the historic Macy’s building.
Sadly, I hit a snag.
It wasn’t the “sex” design that prevented me from printing, but the overlapping stamps.
“One or more stamps are overlapping. Please adjust,” my screen read, which spelled doom for my “sex” shirt, and it would also spell doom for any of the designs featured above. All of the trending shirts featured overlapping stamps.
I reached out to Uniqlo for comment and will update if I hear back.
Returning to “Asian Gen Z says Monchhichi, but make it Chanel”:
The Monchhichi phenomenon offers a blueprint for engaging Gen Z: provide creative tools, embrace playful aesthetics, and let consumers co-create meaning. As customization, kawaii culture, and accessible logomania converge, brands that enable participation — not just consumption — may capture the next wave of aspirational shoppers.
Where to Make a UTme! Monchhichi Shirt
Japan – UTme! is widely available across major Uniqlo stores, including the flagship locations in Ginza, Harajuku, Asakusa and Shinjuku, as part of roughly 27 participating shops.
United States – UTme! stations are currently at Uniqlo’s SoHo and 5th Avenue stores in New York City; Dallas Galleria (Texas); Westfield UTC in San Diego; Memorial City (Houston); Ala Moana Center (Honolulu); Disney Springs (Orlando); State Street in Chicago; Newbury Street in Boston; Pine Street in Seattle; and American Dream in East Rutherford, NJ.
Canada – The custom‑print booths operate at Uniqlo CF Toronto Eaton Centre and Yorkdale Shopping Centre in Toronto, plus Metropolis at Metrotown near Vancouver.
Singapore – UTme! is exclusive to three outlets: the Orchard Central global flagship, Jewel Changi Airport and VivoCity.
Philippines – Four stores offer the service: Uniqlo Manila, SM Mall of Asia, Nuvali Roadside Store and Seaside City Cebu.
Malaysia – Available at The Exchange TRX and Fahrenheit 88 in Kuala Lumpur, Sunway Pyramid in Bandar Sunway, and Mid Valley Southkey in Johor Bahru.
Indonesia – UTme! operates in Jakarta at Pondok Indah Mall 3 and Grand Indonesia, and in Bali at Mall Bali Galeria.
India – The sole location is Uniqlo’s store at Ambience Mall, Vasant Kunj, Delhi.
Thailand – As of December 2024, UTme! can be found at Uniqlo Central World, ICONSIAM and Mega Bangna in Bangkok.
Vietnam – Customers can customize tees at Dong Khoi and Saigon Centre in Ho Chi Minh City, and at Hoan Kiem and Vincom Pham Ngoc Thach in Hanoi.
Taiwan – The Taipei Global Flagship store (formerly Mingyao) is confirmed to have a UTme! machine; local media report additional booths at Ximen, ATT 4 FUN and LaLaport Taichung.
United Kingdom – London’s 311 Oxford Street flagship and the new Covent Garden store both feature UTme! stations, and the Liverpool One store (opened April 2025) includes a UTme! kiosk. Pop‑up installs have also appeared at Tate Modern.
