In terms of Squishmallows – a luxurious toy with irresistibly cute faces, egg-shaped bodies, and lovable stories – age is only a number.
Created by toy designer Sunny Cho, the stuffed animals were first released in 2017 and quickly gained a loyal fan base, whose numbers skyrocketed during the pandemic and captured the hearts of all ages – especially those over 18.
“It was really interesting to see that it isn’t just kids, it’s adults,” said Laura Zebersky, president of Squishmallow’s parent company, Jazwares CNBC. “Our demographic may be very wide and broad, and that is very unusual in our industry.”
100 million Squishmallows, which cost between $5.99 and $39.99, were sold just last yr, in accordance with CNBC.
The toy industry has dubbed this trend a “joke” that adults are actively looking for out products that evoke nostalgia from their youth. South Florida-based Jazwares, an organization owned by Berkshire Hathaway, acquired Squishmallows in 2019. Representatives told CNBC that buyers 18 and older were the demographic driving sales, which had grown 40% over the past two years.
While the company has worked with major franchises comparable to Star Wars, Pokémon, and Hello Kitty to release limited-edition plush toys, it is also careful to not oversaturate the market with products.
Nick, 27 (who spoke anonymously for skilled purposes), said Washington Post that finding a specific and sought-after Squishmallow is “just like the feeling of winning a slot machine.”
“It’s an addiction,” he added.
Nick, who has around 400 Squishmallows and estimates he has spent nearly $2,000 on stuffed toys in the past two years, shouldn’t be alone in his enthusiasm.
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“It took off in a way that nobody really expected,” James Zahn, editor-in-chief of Toy Book and senior editor at Toy Insider, told the Washington Post. “A part of the initial appeal of Squishmallows was that they were slightly harder to return by.”
There may be also a Squishmallows community that does greater than collect toys; for a lot of, it’s about shared experiences and camaraderie amongst fans. Enthusiasts organize meetings, trade Squishmallows and collaborate with influencers on social media platforms comparable to YouTube, Instagram and TikTok.
Nancy Ferrell, 31, who has about 200 Squishmallows along with her wife, told the Washington Post that collecting plush toys gave her a way of online community.
“It brings joy,” Ferrell told the outlet.
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