In the past few months, bulbous and colorful plush toys have sparked beanie babies-style madness among children, adolescents and adults alike.
Squishmallows, a line of soft, huggable toys released in 2017, are growing in popularity during the pandemic thanks to social media and TikTok in particular (or “SquishTok” as fans call it). Collectors say the stuffed animals gave them solace over a painful year, and that the hunt for them encouraged a much-needed sense of community during an extended period of isolation.
“While the craze came before the pandemic, it certainly peaked last year, and that need for comfort is a big part of it,” said Kelly Deen, senior vice president of marketing at Jazwares, Kellytoy’s parent company, who created squishmallows .
Jazwares said in early March that it had sold more than 73 million toys. (In February 2020, The Toy Book, a trade magazine, reported that the company had sold 50 million squishmallows.) According to the company, squishmallow sales have tripled in the past six months.
Avid collectors own dozens, if not hundreds, of them. Melissa Whittaker, a 35-year-old New Hampshire cashier, has more than 70 squishmallows, each with a label showing her name and unique characteristics. “I love their cute little faces,” she said. “They’re lovely to hug, and you can double them up as pillows.”
There are more than 800 squishmallow characters, and hunting for rare ones has become a popular pastime. Squishmallow hunters post videos of their quests and memes about the frenzy on TikTok (where videos tagged with #squishmallows have garnered hundreds of millions of views), Instagram, and Reddit. They also exchange tips on where to find coveted characters.
Ilana Wiles, 46, a mom and Instagram influencer in New York City, said she and her husband often take their 11-year-old daughter Mazzy on squishmallow scavenger hunts around town and Long Island.
“It’s a fun activity and they’re not that expensive if you buy them at a retail store,” said Ms. Wiles. “It’s a very big reward for not a lot of money.” Most toys cost anywhere from $ 10 to $ 40, depending on their size.
However, some that are hard to find fetch high prices when they are resold. According to insiders, squishmallows sell for hundreds of dollars on sites like Mercari.
“Squishmallows’ success is based on exclusivity that encourages collectibility,” said Jonathan Kelly, Kellytoy co-president. He said the company is increasing production to keep up with demand.
“It caused a lot of problems finding them in stores,” said Rebecca Brown, 21, a college student in Huntsville, Ala., Who has 325 squishmallows. “There are a lot of scalpers out there now who buy whole stores.”
Ms. Brown said squishmallows became particularly popular with students during the pandemic. Some position their squishmallows as conversation starters or to showcase their collections during their zoom classes. Ms. Brown’s school, the University of Alabama in Huntsville, has its own local Squishmallow Instagram page where fans can meet and engage with one another online and in person.
Gabrielle Marquez, 18, has around 70 squishmallows. She keeps the larger ones on her bed and the smaller ones on a bookshelf or tucked away in a toy hammock or bedroom chair. She said the stuffed animals are especially popular with young people dealing with anxiety or depression. “When you’re feeling bad, it helps to hug something or go out and make yourself happy by buying a new one,” she said.
Ms. Marquez enjoyed “finding a community of other people who have the same common interest and talking to them about squishmallows during lockdown when we can’t do so much else. I use this hobby to get in touch with friends everywhere. I now have friends in other states and Canada. “Last Wednesday, their high school declared the day“ Squishmallow Wednesday ”during a virtual meeting.
“When I go to school I can look at my bed and see a funny unicorn, kite, or octopus looking at me,” said Isa Armstrong, a Westchester, NY high school student and fuzzy feeling. “
She and other fans said they liked the inclusivity that was reflected in the plush dolls BIOS. “They just released a couple of gender-neutral squishmallows that use their pronouns,” said Ms. Armstrong, 16 years old. “I feel like it normalizes it for kids and I love that.”
Ms. Wiles said she hoped to get her daughter back on the squishmallow hunt soon. “There is something so innocent about it that I fully support it,” she said. “We’ve just spent a whole year with kids being at home on their iPads. Except that they’re intrigued by something that’s so simple and pure that it’s kind of nice.”
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