ICv2 stopped by the Ty Inc. booth at Chicago Toy and Game Fair (ChiTAG) to take a look at what is new with Beanie Babies.
Beanie Babies are collectible toys that are both famous and infamous in the collector world. On one hand, they are on the best-selling plush toys of all-time and beloved by many. On the other hand, there have been only a few times in modern history that kids and adults, alike, have absolutely lost their minds over a toy/collectible, eventually causing a significant collector/flipper bubble to burst: The Great Cabbage Patch Frenzy of 1983, the early Upper Deck era of Sports Cards in the 90s, the 1998 Furby Craze (that was rumored to actually threaten National Security), the Pokemon TCG Flipper Madness from 2024 to present (still ongoing), etc. Among the great toy booms and subsequent crash outs, the Beanie Baby Collector Bubble that formed and burst between 1993 and 2000 is still the most talked about of all-time (see “‘Beanie Baby’“).
Since the early 2000s, the buzz around Beanie Babies had been somewhat muted until the end of the pandemic, when they started popping up more frequently in different mall stores, independent toy stores, and in mass as cash wrap items. In 2024, Ty introduced Beanie Bouncers, a new type of Beanie that can bounce. These 4″ plush toys were a hit, and suddenly, the game changed and Beanies are back. Even the collectors, who have been storing some of the original plush toys vacuum-sealed in their basement for over two decades now, are returning to the scene.
ICv2 talked with Tania Lundeen, the Senior Vice President of Global Sales & Licensing for Ty Inc., at ChiTAG about what was new for the Beanies and how they made a comeback in recent years. She noted the Bouncers as a hot seller, which are helped along by the strong licensing agreements Ty has inked over the years. IPs featured on Beanies include properties from Disney, Marvel, DC, Hasbro, Paramount, and more. These character licenses include Spider-Man, Hulk, Bluey, Sonic The Hedgehog, Paw Patrol, Transformers, Sesame Street, Minecraft, and others.
Another boost for the Beanies was provided by the emergence of blind box items over the last few years. The popularity of blind box toys has surged, and Ty took advantage of this trend by adding Mystery Bouncer Blind Balls to their catalog of offerings. They recently released new holiday-themed Mystery Bouncer Blind Balls in Q4 2026. All of these products are doing well at retail, and Beanie Babies have truly bounced their way back into the hearts of plush toy enthusiasts everywhere.
Source: ICv2
