"Skwishmallow" - a nickname created by smashing the words 'Squishmallow' and 'Skwid' (a term used by the dance group I'm a member of to denote new members)

How did I get such a nickname? Well, while everyone else was eating appetizers at Chili's in a mall we were at, I returned from a brief stint of wandering around carrying not one, not two, not three, but FOUR Squishmallows I'd bought from Five Below. They were small ones, but the sheer amount of them and the knowledge that I had more at home resulted in the group deeming me "Skwishmallow."

I don't have a problem with the nickname considering Squishmallows are my favorite type of stuffed animal. And I'm not alone in loving them.

Squishmallows come from the company Jazwares, which also houses popular toy brands like Pokemon, Nerf, Roblox, and Cocomelon. With retailers in almost every part of the globe (USA, UK, Canada, Mexico, Australia, and more!) and plenty of awards, it's clear this toy is a fan favorite. In fact, it was named the 2022 "Toy of the Year" and "People's Choice Award" by the Toy Foundation.

But what makes these stuffed animals so different from others? Let's compare to a couple other popular stuffed animal brands.

Bellzi:

Bellzi is a close second for my favorite brand of stuffed animal. Their design is incredible: firm, friendly looking animals and creatures made from soft, velvety material. The first thing that draws me in with a new stuffed animal is the feel of it. Bellzi has selected the most amazing texture of fabric. It looks like it would be soft and when you touch it, it actually is! This may not seem like a novel concept but as someone with a token for reaching out and touching any and all fabrics, this was such an exciting surprise for me.

The color of their toys is often more muted or softer in terms of tone which creates a relaxing appearance that is also aesthetically pleasing. The design of the toys is also very friendly looking featuring small button-like eyes. There is also no stitching to create facial features, something that can often be a texture nightmare as the stitching is typically rougher than the rest of the toy. They also have a wide variety of characters.

My only negative point: the firmness. I like to squeeze my stuffed animals, and these ones certainly don't like that. However, that is just a personal preference and many people actually enjoy the firmness of the toy.

TY:

Now TY is a very large brand to cover with a lot of products. Here, I'm just comparing their stuffed animals, primarily Beanie Boos and Beanie Babies collections. These collections do offer a wider variety of fabrics used in the toy making. However, I find most of their fabrics to be subpar. They're never as soft as they look and oftentimes the fur can come out in small chunks. The range of colors and characters though is much, much broader meaning more options. TY also has a line of Squishmallow-esque toys called Squishy Beanies. 

My only major negative point: the massive plastic eyes. I really hate the feeling of the cold plastic when trying to cuddle with a stuffed animal. It can also be dangerous if you grow up in a house like mine where a stuffed animal war could potentially lead to getting smacked in the head with one of those things.

Webkinz:

Webkinz is honestly my least favorite of these. The texture of fabrics is decent at best. The toys are at an odd level of firmness where they can stand on their own (sort of) but are squeezable. And they have those plastic eyes. Growing up, Webkinz was a huge deal because of their online platform. Having a Webkinz toy and being on their game was a super big deal. This largely made up for my general dislike for the toy at the time.

Unlike these three brands, Squishmallows have a wonderful soft texture, top tier squeeze-ability, a range of colors and characters, and no plastic eyes! There are constantly new characters coming out, some more rare than others which ups their desireability level. Also they come in a large variety of sizes. (Bellzi and TY have this feature too, but Squishmallows' range is wider.)

I could go on and on about this. Maybe I will. There are so many toy brands out there and so many sell stuffed animals. Comparing all of them would take forever, but I'm always up for a good challenge. Do you have a favorite stuffed animal brand?