Jellycats are everywhere. Why are we suddenly so obsessed?

Summary

CNN — When Maria Fowler was pregnant with her first child, one of her first purchases for her daughter was a classic: A stuffed animal. She settled on a Sweet Heart Hugs Build-A-Bear, a soft, pink, blue and purple tie-dyed plushie with globe-like eyes and hearts on its feet. Once her daughter was born, Fowler watched as she poured love and attention into the toy, along with her other stuffed animals. Fowler was touched; her daughter reminded her of her own childhood. So she decided to do something for herself. Last January, Fowler purchased her own Build-A-Bear, too — something her family couldn’t afford when she was growing up. She decided on the Christmas Sugar Cookie bear, a cream colored bear with red and green sprinkles all over. “I was like, I’m an adult with adult money now,” Fowler, 34, said. “So I’m going to buy myself a Build-A-Bear, and heal that part of myself.” Now, Fowler has around 500 stuffed toys that are just hers, not her kids’. While she started with a Build-A-Bear, Fowler said she has about 300 Jellycats, the ultra-soft plushies taking over TikTok, while the rest are brands like Squishmallows, animal-shaped pillows with wide bodies and small faces ideal for hugging. While 500 may seem like a lot, Fowler isn’t alone. Adults across the country have flocked to purchase plushies, so much so that in 2024 they made up more than 20% of all plush toy sales, according to market research firm Circana. While not everyone’s collection is in the hundreds, having one, two or even 10 stuffed toys as an adult has become common. Jellycats, for example, have taken over cities like New York and Paris with a restaurant experience where customers can order “food” (in stuffed Jellycat form), while plushie animal charms have appeared dangling from purses on New York Fashion Week runways. And the toys have probably even found their way onto a friend’s mantel or car dashboard — all because they’re so tooth-achingly adorable. Transitioning into adulthood used to mean put...