When Were Squishy Toys Invented? A Short History

Ever squeezed a squishy and thought, "wait, who invented these little miracles?" 🤔 Story time — it's shorter and cuter than you'd think.

Made in Japan 🇯🇵

Slow-rising squishies took off in Japan in the early 2010s, born from the country's love of kawaii (all things cute) and its serious appreciation for stress-relief goodies. The originals mimicked bread, cake, and fruit — squeezable food before it was cool.

The great squishy explosion 💥

Around 2016–2017, squishies went global thanks to a tidal wave of unboxing and "squish test" videos. Suddenly they were collectibles, fidget toys, and classroom currency all at once.

Fruity squishies like this jumbo strawberry are direct descendants of those OG Japanese designs. 🍓

And now: the dumpling dynasty 🥟

Today's headliner is the viral dumpling / baozi squishy, squishing shoulder-to-shoulder with sparkly gel styles like the Galaxy Glitter Cube. The tech leveled up, but the joy is exactly the same as day one: a soft, slow, satisfying squeeze. Meet the modern lineup in our collection. ✨