The is having a big moment.

香蕉视频直播� a semi-aquatic relative of the guinea pig 香蕉视频直播� is the latest in a long line of 香蕉视频直播渋t香蕉视频直播� animals to get star treatment during the holiday shopping season.

Shoppers can find capybara slippers, purses, robes and bath bombs. There are cuddly plush capybaras and stretchy or squishy ones. Tiny capybaras wander across bedding, T-shirts, phone cases, mugs, key chains and almost any other type of traditional gift item.

Last year, it was the axolotl that took pride of place on many products, and remains popular. Owls, , foxes and sloths also had recent turns in the spotlight.

Trendy animals and animal-like creatures ; think the talking Teddy Ruxpin toys of the 1980s or Furby and a decade later. But industry experts say which animals are hot 香蕉视频直播� or not.

香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 really the launch on TikTok, Instagram and other social media platforms that allow these characters or animals to blow up like crazy,香蕉视频直播� said Richard Derr, who has owned a Learning Express Toys franchise in Lake Zurich, Ill., for nearly 30 years and is also a regional manager for the specialty toy store chain.

Social media is also speeding up the cycle. Must-have animals may only last a season before customers香蕉视频直播� imaginations.

香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 really important to keep feeding that beast,香蕉视频直播� Juli Lennett, a vice president and toy industry advisor at market research firm Circana, said. 香蕉视频直播淚f you are an influencer, you香蕉视频直播檙e not going to talk about last year香蕉视频直播檚 stuff.香蕉视频直播�

Skyrocketing plush toy sales 香蕉视频直播� fueled by a during the pandemic 香蕉视频直播� are also increasing the demand for new and interesting varieties, Lennett said. In the first nine months of this year, sales of plush animals were up 115% from the same period in 2019, she said. Overall toy sales rose 38% in that time.

Consumers are seeking out increasingly exotic species that they see in online videos, games and movies. Highland cows, red pandas and axolotls, a type of salamander native to Mexico, have all popped up in popular culture. According to Google Trends, searches for axolotls shot up in June 2021 after to its game.

香蕉视频直播淣obody knew what an axolotl was in 2020,香蕉视频直播� Derr said. 香蕉视频直播淣ow, everybody knows axolotls.香蕉视频直播�

Cassandra Clayton, a product designer, said rising are also fueling the demand for unique 香蕉视频直播� and collectible 香蕉视频直播� plush toys.

香蕉视频直播淪tuffed animals are really becoming an ageless item,香蕉视频直播� she said. 香蕉视频直播淓specially with the boom of self-care in adults and turning towards comfort objects to help de-stress and relax in your life.香蕉视频直播�

Clayton expects demand for unusual stuffed animals to continue to grow. Among the oddest she has seen: a stuffed version of , a type of microorganism also known as a moss piglet or a tardigrade.

香蕉视频直播淚t doesn香蕉视频直播檛 necessarily inspire you to cuddle with them, but you香蕉视频直播檙e really seeing the industry start turning towards those characters,香蕉视频直播� she said. 香蕉视频直播淚 think that香蕉视频直播檚 the next trend.香蕉视频直播�

Figuring out the next 香蕉视频直播渋t香蕉视频直播� animal 香蕉视频直播� or microorganism 香蕉视频直播� is a challenge for .

香蕉视频直播淵ou never know exactly when they香蕉视频直播檙e going to hit and how big they香蕉视频直播檙e going to be,香蕉视频直播� said Sharon Price John, the president and CEO of , a chain of nearly 500 stores that offers an expanding menagerie of animals and characters for customers to customize, including capybaras and axolotls.

The St. Louis-based company watches social media and gets ideas from talking to store employees and patrons, John said. It usually takes Build-A-Bear up to a year to introduce a new stuffed toy, she said, but the company can move faster if it spots a trend. It sometimes tests a small batch online to make sure a trend is sticking, John said.

Annual trade shows in Asia, Germany and elsewhere are another place to spot new trends. Punirunes 香蕉视频直播� digital, interactive pets that also come in plush varieties 香蕉视频直播� are big in Japan right now and will likely take off in the U.S., toy store owner Derr said.

香蕉视频直播淗ere, I can香蕉视频直播檛 give them away. They香蕉视频直播檙e too new. But give it a year or two,香蕉视频直播� he said.

Companies can kick off their own trends too. Build-A-Bear香蕉视频直播檚 Spring Green Frog, introduced in 2020, was an immediate hit thanks to videos posted by customers. It remains popular, with nearly 2 million sold, John said.

John suspects people are drawn to friendly, slow-moving capybaras because watching videos of them are so relaxing. But shoppers who want one need to act fast. A Build-A-Bear holiday capybara with red and green sprinkles on its fur 香蕉视频直播� dubbed a 香蕉视频直播渃ookiebara香蕉视频直播� 香蕉视频直播� has already sold out, she said.

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Durbin reported from Detroit. Crawford reported from Lake Zurich, Ill.

Dee-ann Durbin, Teresa Crawford And Jeff Roberson, The Associated Press