"After visiting one of the industry's largest fairs earlier this week, I think I'm qualified to say: The shaggy cow is taking over as the hot new animal for plush toys. If you've been paying attention to toys - or if you have kids - you probably already know capybaras are big, but they've been the hot thing for more than a year now. Same with axolotls, the eerily cute pink salamanders. Those trends are peaking, though."
"I chatted with several small to midsize toy companies who said that the tariffs that began when President Donald Trump declared "Liberation Day" have hurt their businesses. One plush toy maker said they're paying $10,000 extra per container in tariff charges for their high-end plush animals made in the Philippines. They haven't raised prices yet, and the new fees just eat into their profit."
Highland cows are emerging as the next popular plush animal, gaining traction after Toy Fair in New York. Capybaras and axolotls have dominated recent plush trends but appear to be peaking. Stuffed-animal popularity moves in cycles, previously favoring llamas, owls, hedgehogs, and foxes. Some industry participants predicted alternative trends such as pigeons, frogs, squirrels, or woolly mammoths, but multiple companies reported a modest consensus around highland cows. Manufacturers reported three dominant pressures on the business: tariffs, TikTok, and Labubus. Several small and midsize companies said recent tariffs have increased costs substantially, sometimes adding about $10,000 per shipping container.
Read at Business Insider
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