saw that YouTube video with the pygmy hedgehog—and made it into a plush toy.” Plush manufacturers like Douglas are also using existing successful items to inspire new ones. Douglas’ Sshlumpies are flat-bodied cuddle toys for babies. Stemming from Sshlumpies’ popularity, Douglas created Plumpies— similar to Sshlumpies, but with huggable, understuffed bodies. Creativity in the plush category takes on many different Zonkey Plumpie, from Douglas Toy forms. DEMDACO’s Zoobic Friends introduce a fun new form to the category with their tall, four-sided, soft bodies. Truly unique, they can serve as either a cuddle toy or as fun décor in a kid’s room. Also riding the funky form trend is Aurora, with its new Flattso line. Flattsos are narrow—or “flat”—stuffed animals that are just the right shape and size to double as a travel pillow. Flattsos are eye-catching and fun, and their dual purpose potential adds to their play value while being aesthetically interesting. Apple Park manufactures organic plush products for babies. This year, the company introduced a new character to its line: the bat. A bat is a unique and uncommon choice for a baby’s plush toy, yet Apple Park used soft, sweet fabric in a soothing grey and navy palette, with an enchanting starry sky pattern on its wings and inside. While bats are widely seen as fearsome and creepy, Apple Park’s bat line is the very opposite, adding an unexpectedly sweet twist to a baby’s Bat Blankie, from Apple Park toy collection. Plush has always been a mainstay in kids’ toy collections, and it’s not going anywhere any time soon. While there will always be demand for tried-and-true classics, manufacturers keep finding ways to innovate, develop, and expand the category in fun ways. Whether it’s a viral Internet sensation, an unusual animal, or a new technology feature, inspiration for creative plush is everywhere. ■
MARCH/APRIL 2015