You must have seen the famous squishies by now. They are everywhere. In stores, on Instagram, at your friends’ house – they’ve become omnipresent.

But, you may be wondering what precisely they are. Worry not, you’re not alone. Simply put, they are squishies. You may think this doesn’t explain anything, but it does. You squish them, hence the name.

What are squishies?

These soft toys are made from polyurethane foam. When you first take them in your hand, they’ll have a similar feel to a stress ball. But, they are so much more. Like a stress ball, you can squeeze them as much as you like and they’ll always revert to their original form. However, unlike the stress ball, they come in many fun shapes and sizes.

You can get animal squishies, food squishies or a squishy that looks like your favorite cartoon character. The possibilities are endless! And, we mean that. You can even get a combination squishy, like a mix between your favorite food and animal. It might sound weird, but it’s adorable, believe us!

Looks so pretty and smells even better

If the fun size and the bright colors aren’t enough for you, you can get a scented squishy, as well. Most of the scents are food-related, so your banana squishy can smell like a banana, too. Imagine squeezing your cookie squishy and smelling that freshly-baked scent all day. Sounds nice, right?

Size is everything

Just because they’re usually small, it doesn’t mean you have to limit yourself to a tiny squishy. You can also get jumbo-sized squishies for your bed or desk. Or, you can go even smaller and get a tiny one for your keychain.

Who thought of this?

The Japanese, of course. These squishies are the epitome of Kawaii, a word that means “cute”or “adorable” in Japanese. In fact, squishies were born in the capital of cuteness – the Harajuku district of Tokyo. They were created over thirty years ago as a toy appealing to all ages. They have been a beloved pastime in Japan ever since. However, their popularity outside of Japan started skyrocketing just recently.

The first squishies were in the form of famous Japanese characters, like Hello Kitty and  Rilakkuma. However, soon the trend started to spread like wildfire, and squishies soon took the shape of favorite snacks, beverages, animals, etc.

The soft design and delicate texture made them instantly popular among both young and adult kawaii culture lovers. They come in all sizes, so they can be used as accessories for bags and briefcases, phones, keychains and so much more.

Why are they such a trend?

Squishies are perfect accessories, bringing that much-needed touch of cuteness to your outfit. They also help people express their interests and hobbies. Furthermore, they are great collectibles.

Squishies are a real dream for collectors of cute pop culture paraphernalia. You can collect them and swap them with friends, or show off your collection to other enthusiasts.

However, that’s not all. Squishies are also great stress relievers. They function like a stress ball. You can use them to get rid of excess energy and focus on one task while your stress levels go down. They’ll never lose shape, no matter how many times you squeeze them. They are soft and have a pleasant texture, so you’ll enjoy playing with them.

A soft, brightly-colored stress relief? What more could you ask for, really? Carry them in your bag, on your keychain or phone for instant access to the most adorable stress relief ever.