Jellycat is a British soft toy and keychain company,[1] known for its plush toys and collectibles. Founded by brothers Thomas and William Gatacre in London in 1999, the company expanded into Minneapolis in 2001, forming Jellycat Inc.[2] While the company mostly sells soft toys, it also sells books, nursery items, bags and other accessories.[3] Jellycat's products include traditional stuffed animals, such as bunnies and bears, alongside more whimsical lines like its Amuseables series, with quirky designs like smiling plants and foods.
As of 2024 the longest serving design within the contemporary collection is the Slackajack Monkey with 21 years of production.[4] In February 2024 Jellycat celebrated its 25th anniversary, where the Institute of Contemporary Art in Boston hosted an anniversary party.[5]
Popularity
Jellycat toys appeal to children but also adult collectors.[6][7][8][9]
The soft toys' popularity during the COVID-19 pandemic has been compared to Squishmallows,[8] which saw a similar increase in sales and notability in the same time period.[7] Jellycat products have a strong social media presence, with the number of reported views on TikTok reaching several billion.[6][9]
Jellycat won Earnshaw Magazine's Earnie Award in both 2015 and 2018, within the Toys category.[10][11] The company received the Outstanding Achievement Award at The Greats Awards in 2020.[12]
The increasing popularity of the toys - helped by considerable online momentum (Jellycat’s TikTok account has 10.2m likes) has led to extraordinary security measures being put in place by British retailers following a 'crime wave'.[13] The thriving and profitable secondary market for Jellycat collectibles has been referred to as a "darker, stranger underbelly" to the Jellycat phenomenon, as it provides a ready outlet for thieves to dispose of stolen toys.[13]
