The "fluffy" brand most loved by young people, with Disney only ranking second | 2025 Plush Toy Report

In the movie "Toy Story 3", Lotso is a character that people both love and hate. Originally, Lotso was a toy deeply loved by a little girl named Daisy. It had the fragrance of strawberries and was her most intimate companion. However, after an accidental loss and going through great hardships to return to Daisy, Lotso found that she already had a new friend. At that moment, Lotso's heart was broken, and it transformed from a cute and cuddly toy into a villain with a twisted mind.

Now, adults are more loyal to plush toys than children. They will treat each "Lotso" gently and tell it, "You are unique to me." Plush toys are not just for kids; now they are needed by young people again.

The psychologist Donald Winnicott once proposed the term "transitional object" to describe how children use plush toys to transition from dependence on their parents to becoming independent individuals. In fact, growing up doesn't mean we lose this need. For young people who are far away from their families and living alone in big cities, plush toys play a more powerful comforting role. In the world of young people, plush toys have names and personalities, and some even have their own social media accounts. Some people dress them up, some take them to shoot Vlogs, and some take them on trips to scenic spots...

For many people, this kind of interaction is a form of "low - risk intimacy". In an era when intimate relationships are becoming increasingly scarce, plush toys have also become a low - threshold emotional substitute. They don't need to respond and won't cause conflicts. They are quiet, soft, and always by your side. This kind of silent support is what young people are increasingly longing for.

This article is from the WeChat official account "Institute of the Rising Generation". Authors: Jiajing, Yinyin, Qumei. It is published by 36Kr with authorization.