Jellycat
British plush toy company
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jellycat Limited is a British soft toy and keychain company[1] founded in London by brothers Thomas and William Gatacre. The company is known for its plush toys and collectibles.
| Industry | Manufacturer and retailer |
|---|---|
| Genre | Home décor and toy manufacturer |
| Founded | 1999 |
| Founder | Thomas and William Gatacre |
| Headquarters | , |
| Website | https://www.jellycat.com/ |
History
Jellycat was co-founded by brothers Thomas and William Gatacre in London in 1999.[2] In 2001, the company expanded to Minneapolis, forming Jellycat Inc.[3][4]
While the company mostly sells soft toys, it also sells books, nursery items, bags, blankets, keychains, and other accessories.[5] Jellycat offers a range of products, from classic stuffed animals like rabbits and bears, to more whimsical creations in its Amuseables line, featuring playful designs such as smiling flowers and cheerful foods.
As of 2024, the longest serving design within the contemporary collection is the Slackajack Monkey with 21 years of production.[6] In February 2024, Jellycat celebrated its 25th anniversary, where the Institute of Contemporary Art in Boston hosted an anniversary party.[7]
The Jellycat company saw greater financial success in 2025 when it's profits had doubled from the year prior, leading to more than $100 million in dividends paid to owners.[8]
Retail
In June 2025, Jellycat stopped supplying to approximately 100 independent shops in the United Kingdom, citing its "brand elevation strategy". The change affected longstanding stockists, including shops which had sold Jellycat products for over twenty years, and were told that the decision was "final" and that they would be unable to appeal it. Another group of shop owners were permitted to continue stocking Jellycat products but would no longer be allowed to display a sticker in their shop window stating they were an "Official Jellycat Stockist".[9]
Jellycat owned retail locations are present in many cities, including the Jellycat Diner Experience at FAO Schwarz in New York.[10] A Chicago location opened in late 2025,[11] and in the same year, Jellycat opened a temporary experience called the Jellycat Ski Club, open for two months in Los Angeles, where exclusive merchandise was available for sale.[12]
Reception
Jellycat toys appeal to both children and adult collectors.[13][14][15][16]
The soft toys' popularity during the COVID-19 pandemic has been compared to Squishmallows,[15] which saw a similar increase in sales and notability in the same time period.[14]
Jellycat won Earnshaw Magazine's Earnie Award in both 2015 and 2018, within the Toys category.[17][18] The company received the Outstanding Achievement Award at The Greats Awards in 2020.[19]
In 2024, the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)'s Hague Yearly Review ranked Jellycat Limited's number of industrial design applications filled under the Hague System as 8th in the world, with 255 applications submitted during 2023.[20]
Jellycat products have a strong social media presence, with the number of reported views on TikTok reaching several billion.[13][16]
The increasing popularity of the toys – helped by considerable online momentum (Jellycat’s TikTok account has 2.5M followers and 35.2M likes) has led to extraordinary security measures being put in place by British retailers following a 'crime wave'.[4] The thriving and profitable secondary market for Jellycat toys has been referred to as a "darker, stranger underbelly" to the Jellycat phenomenon, as it provides a ready outlet for thieves to dispose of stolen toys.[4]
A Guinness World Records title was issued to British teenager Hope Roberts in early 2026 for her Jellycat collection of 877 items.[21]