Kids Want Their Plush to Go

For more fresh holiday products, click here.

“You can feed Webkinz, design rooms and buy clothes for it.” — Susan McVeigh, Ganz

Girls on the go don’t have to go it alone, according to manufacturers and retailers of plush products. Kids’ve been zipping up their fake furry friends in fuzzy knapsacks and taking them to school, to play … wherever. At least one plush manufacturer has begun designing for real pets, too.

“The pet business is a fast-growing market segment and we want to take advantage of it,” said Paul Roche, senior vice president of sales for Aurora World Inc. They’re releasing a line of “Real Pets” products, including clothes and carriers, to be sold in gift shops.

Aurora has plenty of toys in the works, too. Their Mini-Pet Carriers were named as a great stocking stuffer for little girls [view article] and they’re coming out with three new themes, including Jungle. In addition, they’re expanding their Flopsies line to include longhaired dog breeds such as Lhasa Apso and Australian Silky Terrier.

The Douglas Company, marking its 50^th year in 2006, is also growing its porta-plush lines with new 6” Lil' Nugget Sea Shell Saks as well as Monkey and Western Sassy Saks. New Adventure Saks and Western Knapsaks are also coming.

Bobbi Dickinson, owner of Next Generation of Stoughton, Wis., told TDmonthly Magazine that Sassy Paks would be one of her best sellers for Christmas. “North American Bear has cute purses, too,” she added.

“Goody Bags are our best selling product in our fashion accessory line,” confirmed Lorene Shiraiwa, public relations manager for North American Bear.

New Goodybags for 2006 include infant bags. North American Bear also has a brand new ballerina backpack that “doubles as a doll when the backpack is folded inside the hidden compartment,” Shiraiwa told TDmonthly.

In addition, they have new Pop Up Playsets, including Goldilocks and Mary Had a Little Lamb, and Playhouses in Ark and Pet Shop designs. New Muffy Van der Bears will be coming mid-2006 [see collectible bears article].

Meanwhile, plush has moved onto the Web with The Webkinz by Ganz, introduced this summer, which are a hit at Dickinson’s store. Kids buy the toy, then use a secret code around its neck to log onto the Webkinz Web site and adopt their animal online, too. [EDITOR'S NOTE: For an update on the Webkinz craze, please read "Webkinz: Boom, Bust or Both" in the May 2007 TDmonthly.)

“You can feed Webkinz, design rooms and buy clothes for it,” said Susan McVeigh, communications manager for Ganz. The toys have been doing “tremendously well … More than 50,000 Webkinz pets have been adopted [online] since June.”

Even organic toys are going multipurpose. Kits ‘N Kaboodle touts a line of herb-filled plush toys that can be used to soothe tired eyes. Joy Stories’ It’s the Pits is filled with cherry pits that release soothing vapors when microwaved. Hosung NY just launched its miYim organic plush line for children, which includes Storybook characters that come with their own little adventure tales attached to their chests.

Other plush products that retailers say practically walk out the door on their own four feet include toys by Ty, Folkmanis, Gund, Mary Meyer, Steiff and Manhattan Toy Company.

Here is some of the newest plush that can be ported home for the holidays or early in 2006: