Background
The Plushkies are a line of country shaped plush toys that can be described as both collectible and educational.
The purpose statement behind Plushkies is as follows:
We believe that children who are curious about other countries benefit from a broadened perspective and an appreciation of global diversity. We also believe that the world benefits from and needs those children.
We were sent the entire series of four plush toys (Katie Johnson (U.S.A.), Fabio Perissinotto (Italy), Mei Mei (China), Pepe Hernandez (Mexico)) to check out for this review.
The Facts
Plushkies
Artists: Ricardo & Juan
Material: Plush
Dimensions: Around 12” tall or wide, depending on character
Designs: Katie Johnson (U.S.A.), Fabio Perissinotto (Italy), Mei Mei (China), Pepe Hernandez (Mexico)
Pricing: $19.90 each
Tag
Each of the Plushkies includes a character specific swing tag. Shaped as a booklet, each tag includes photos of the plush, background details on the line, a character bio, and a character decal that you can affix to your Plushkies Passport.
Our Opinion
Currently, the Plushkies line consists of four different characters/countries – Katie Johnson (U.S.A.), Fabio Perissinotto (Italy), Mei Mei (China), Pepe Hernandez (Mexico). Each character is given a name with a localized twist, as well as a rather lengthy background story.
The Plushkies are designed in the shape of their specific country, featuring the flag colors across the plush. Each one has an embroidered mouth, eyes and eyebrows, as well as the country's capital placed in it's correct geographical location. Also, they each wear stereotypical hats (America – baseball cap; Mexico – sombrero; China – mandarin hat; Italy – chef hat). There's also the Plushkies logo and tagline on the single color back.
While these might appeal to some collectors, I think the Plushkies line is really designed for and targeted towards youngsters. Parents and teachers will be able to use these plush toys to teach kids about other countries, by incorporating fun, interactive elements.
As far as quality, the four Plushkies are your average factory produced plush. There were no visible issues with the stitching or material. And the sub $20.00 price tag is impressive for plush toys of this size.
You can pick one up at the following:
Plushkies.com: $19.90 each
