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The Guardian - US
The Guardian - US
Lifestyle
Kari Paul

Squishmallows: cuddly toys fuel an obsession – and a price-gouging crisis

Melanie Schroeder holds toy that looks like a penguin while sitting among collection of Squishmallows
Melanie Schroeder with her Squishmallows. Photograph: Courtesy Melanie Schroeder

Leah Swift, an 18-year-old college student in West Virginia, bought her first Squishmallow in October 2020. Less than two years later, she has amassed 350 of the cute, cuddly toys, which overflow from the shelves of her small bedroom.

Swift regularly posts videos about her vast collection on TikTok, where she’s garnered nearly 400,000 followers and 11m likes.

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