Squishies are a soft toy made of PU foam. Originating in Japan, the toy gained popularity on social media (especially YouTube and Instagram), and are now available at most retail stores. iBloom, Puni Maru, Kiibru, Areedy and Cutie Creative are well-known producers of squishies.

The toy itself originally came from the similar product of stress balls. Squishies are manufactured into many different shapes and sizes, and are often modeled after food or other inanimate objects. They are popular among children and adolescents and are used to relieve stress by squishing the toy, as the name implies.

History

Polyurethane, the material that most Squishies are made out of, was invented in 1937 by Otto Bayer.

Health issues

The Danish Environmental Protection Agency tested 12 squishies and found that they all release unacceptable levels of harmful substances, such as dimethylformamide, leading to their removal from the Danish market and the recommendation that all squishies be discarded and that they can safely be disposed as household waste.^[1]

Squishies have also been taken off the market in Norway because of their potential choking hazard and their popularity with small children between ages 6-12.^[2]

Popularity

According to Lauren Schwartzberg of New York magazine, squishies are a popular toy.^[3] Annaliese Griffin wrote that, "Squishies are on their way to becoming the next big toy craze in the US, according to toy-store owners interviewed by New York Magazine and the New York Times."^[4]

https://todosquishy.com