We’ve all had one at some point in our fleeting childhoods: the fluffy fur, the signature softness, the welcoming warmth that an inanimate object somehow brings. We’ve all had a plushie, they’re a household item(literally!) for people around the world. Teddy bears, animals, TY plushies, everyone is bound to have at least one of these lovable toys. And you may ask, why have we all had a plushie? And that’s simply because plushies are the best toys for everyone of all ages, they’re made to comfort, there’s a great variety and there’s a wide price range. 

See, plushies are made to make you comfortable. Soft fur, plush body, their purpose is to be hugged and loved by their owners and in turn, give back that love and warmth. They’re here to love and to love you back. Plushies have even helped me personally with my sleep, if I hug my shark plushie it’s much easier to fall asleep. I feel like I don’t need to convince you why having a plushie for their signature characteristics alone is a great thing. 

Plushies also have a great amount of durability because again, they’re made for comfort and they can’t comfort if they break after a mere year. And even on the occasion a limb is ripped off, you can just sew it right back on. These things can last long enough to build and create dear memories with them.

If you somehow haven’t already noticed, there’s a ridiculous amount of plushies available on the market. From plushies of beloved and iconic characters to plushies that fill a strange or specific niche. You can get a plushie the size of a child’s fist or one that’s towers over you. There’s no limit to what kind of plushies you can get for yourself, trust me on that. Whatever you can think of, it’ll exist in a plushie form. And, miraculously, if there isn’t a specific plushie you can’t find for sale or if you want a one-of-a-kind you can always commission someone to make a custom plushie catered for you. Or better yet, if you have the skills, make your own plushie! The possibilities of plushies are endless. 

The important thing that comes from variety is accommodation. Having a wide variety means that you can appeal to the largest market available, it’s like a big blanket that covers every person’s needs and wants. And by having an endless amount of plushies means that everyone is bound to find something they’ll take a liking to.

I think we’ve all seen them before, whether in pictures or for our own eyes, stuffed animals that can compete against their real life counterparts in size alone. And you must’ve let the thought pass by, “How much money must one shell out for a life-size version of a rhinoceros plushie”.  Yes, there are a ton of plushies out there that cost more than everything in my room but there’s always an alternative route. There’s always the common plushie found in retail stores around the world, no specific brand name, just a plain old plushie that can still be loved. But if you’re looking for something more expensive,  you have plushies that do hail from fancy brand names such as FAO Schwarz or Gund, just be aware of the steep prices. 

The affordability of plushies increases its availability to all audiences. It allows prices to be flexible, to bend to your needs and desires. You aren’t confined to a specific price, a plushie is always available at the price you want it for, and while the quality of said plushie might vary it still does its job for the most part.

So you might be wondering, aren’t there newer more modern toys that appeal to a newer generation? Plushies are old anyways, don’t we need to replace them with newer ones? And to that I say, you’re completely wrong. Plushies have been around forever because they’re timeless, the very idea of a plushie has been around for almost 200 years at this point, making them some of the oldest toys to exist. You can’t get tired of a plushie, that’s simple enough. They’ve been around for so long they’ve essentially become the most iconic toy. There’s a reason the kids in the movie are always attached to a plushie instead of a figurine or toy blocks. 

And on a side tangent, modern toys are terrifying and why would you want to give these to your kids or as a gift to anyone, where plushies you can even give to anyone of all ages, they’ll still love it. Modern toys are trying to start a new gimmick so they’re stuck in a specific niche or brand for themselves until kids eventually tire of them. You know which toys kids aren’t tired of because there’s such an extensive variety of them? Plushies.

Plushies will remain to be an iconic toy for kids and parents of all ages, there’s nothing in the market that can compete with the simplicity of a plushie, being a soft and squishy toy for comfort, yet the wide diversity of them in terms of appearance or price range..