Kidscreen »Archive» Jazwares embraces more Squishmallows partners

Jazwares is snuggling up to new licensing partners for its Squishmallows plush brand. The Florida-based toy manufacturer’s growing consumer products program focuses on categories such as clothing, bedding, and stationery.

Newly signed licensees include Bioworld (clothing, loungewear, hats, bags, socks, accessories), BigMouth (pool floats, cooler bags, beach chairs, pop-up tents), BBC International (shoes), Franco MFG (bedding, accessories), Fashion Angels Enterprises (stationery, back to school), Parkside Collectibles (collectible cards) and Primary Colors (gummy products and candies).

The majority of these new product lines will launch throughout 2022, although BBC International’s shoes are available now and Parkside Collectibles’ first line of trading cards is expected to hit US shelves later this month – this.

Kellytoys first launched the plush brand Squishmallows in 2017, and Jazwares acquired the Los Angeles-based manufacturer in 2020. Earlier this year, Jazwares announced that sports and entertainment agency CAA would represent Squishmallows in entertainment categories such as film, television, video games, publishing and live touring.

According to data from market research firm The NPD Group, the plush category is propelling overall toy sales in the United States. The segment’s quarterly sales increased 39% in the third quarter of 2021 and contributed to an 11% growth in total toy sales for the same period.