My love for Jellycats

A few years back, I wandered into a shop and spotted a little bat. I already knew a bit about Jellycats. I’d bought a pink octopus for my niece about a year earlier. But this bat was different. I picked him up. Put him down. Picked him up again. Googled him, thinking maybe I could find a cheaper one online. But at $50 AUD, the store price turned out to be the best deal. So I bought him.

It was the first time, as an adult, that I bought a soft toy just for myself to enjoy, and I was so happy. He quickly became my absolute favourite, and I slept with him in bed every single night. I decided to name him Echo. About a year after bringing Echo home, I started getting curious about what other Jellycats were out there. I loved walking into shops and seeing which ones they had in stock.

What makes Jellycats so special to me is the mix of softness, variety, and just the tiniest hint of realism in their designs. They don't look too cartoony and they don't have giant heads and eyes like a lot of other soft toys. There’s just so much variety. Different animals, foods, flowers, even mythical creatures. They come in every size imaginable. Some are so tiny they can fit in your pocket and travel with you everywhere. Others are larger than life, literally taller than a person. Some of the really big ones even get moved between different stores around the world.

Even after hours of scrolling through collectors’ sites and digging into the Internet Archive, I still find new Jellycats I’ve never seen before. It’s kind of magical. It feels like the collection has no end, and they are always releasing new designs, and colours, and sizes. My collection has grown but Echo remains my favourite, with the Smudge elephant being my other favourite. I have 3 that I adore; 1 medium and 2 tiny ones. One of my tiny elephants comes everywhere with me.

As Marge Simpsons says, "I just think they're neat."

Random Jellycat Photos

Some places stock legit Jellycats in vending machines, which seems odd since they market themselves as a luxury brand plush. The person who took this photo won this Jellycat in that machine.

These cats are old and I was impressed seeing this collection.

Customised Jellycats

These dragons have been dyed orange and purple!

This dragon was dyed "lemon" coloured to match lemon bunnies, and their eyes were swapped over for something more unique.

Jellycat Dupes

Someone ordered a bunch of fake Jellycat dragons on Aliexpress, and this is how they look.

There's a legit white dragon on top of the fake one.

These are what I believe are other brands trying to replicate the Jellycat look.

Websites I like to keep track of

Random Jellycat facts