Viral squishy toy craze fuels demand, but safety concerns have parents asking questions

SALT LAKE CITY — Squishy toys have become one of the hottest trends among children, with viral social media videos helping turn products like Dumplings and NeeDohs into must-have collectibles.

Walk into many toy stores, and it's common to hear kids talking about brands, trading tips and debating which squishies are "real" and which are "fake."

"They're just really popular," said 8-year-old Sloan Ayre. "Kids start bringing them to school, and they tell me about it."

The trend has created a booming market, with young collectors often arriving at stores already knowing exactly which products they're looking for.

"They'll come in, and they know brand names," said Casey Sartain, toy buyer and owner of Tutoring Toys. "They'll say, 'Do you have this brand? Do you have that? When are you getting this?'"

For many children, part of the appeal is finding what they believe are authentic products. Some point to packaging differences, while others judge a squishy's quality by its weight and feel.

But industry insiders say the debate over "real" and "fake" squishies can be misleading.

Many products come from the same factories and are manufactured using similar materials and specifications, regardless of the brand name on the package.

"There's lots of other brands that are the exact same dumpling from the same factory, in the same place, using the same specs or better," said Sartain.

The conversation has gained new attention following concerns about product safety. As squishies exploded in popularity, manufacturers raced to keep up with demand, creating opportunities for companies to cut corners.

"People making deals, telling specifications, and then a factory saying we can cut a corner, save ourselves money, they'll never know," Sartain said.

According to industry sources, some manufacturers rushed products into packaging before materials had fully cured, leading to concerns about elevated levels of chemicals such as benzene.

The issue has prompted some product recalls and renewed scrutiny over how squishies are made and sold.

Experts say the most important question isn't whether a toy is considered "real" or "fake," but whether consumers know where it came from.

Tutoring Toys says they work directly with trusted suppliers, review testing documentation and maintain traceability records so products can be tracked if a problem arises.

"We're always knowing what it's made of, where it's made," Sartain said. "We have batch numbers, so if we get something that's odd, we have a way to track that back and stop it in its tracks."

As the squishy craze continues, experts recommend parents buy from reputable retailers and pay attention to product testing and safety information rather than focusing solely on brand names or online trends.

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