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April 14, 2008
Niche: plush toys
I'm nearly never surprised by the scope and breadth of sewn products in the market place but this link Sandra B sent is humorous and educational.
Presenting: Giant Microbes! These are 5"-7" plush toys shaped and colored like various germs, pathogens and microscopic bugs and lifeforms. They have a large range of products, categorizing them by maladies, calamities, exotics, aquatics and menageries. Maladies include plush toys representing pimples and athlete's foot. Calamities are plush toy germs like black death, flesh eating bacteria and ebola. Ewww. Some like the common cold are quite pretty albeit annoying in real life.
The website doesn't give much information about the company but they seem to be doing well. This is a great example of a niche product. I can't imagine anyone knocking off the product line and running with it, not easily anyway. Their product line is huge for a niche product and some are quite complex to make. Marketing is such a big help but it doesn't hurt to have a great idea. Still, I can only imagine what my reaction would have been had they come to me for patterns for this product line. I probably would have given it a thumbs down, just goes to show you what I know.
I thought this guy (above) was kind of cute. He's yeast found in bread and beer; a most helpful fellow.
Posted by Kathleen Fasanella at April 14, 2008 1:14 PM | Email to a friend
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Comments
We have a small collection of these -- they're very well made and quite appealing. Think Geek has been selling them for years. I'm guessing it's the quality as much as the concept that has kept the company going. They're peculiarly irresistible.
Posted by: Noile at April 14, 2008 3:01 PM
Aw! Giant Microbes too cute :) Did ya see the athlete's foot! And that brain cell, it's up to something for sure! :)
Posted by: ioanna at April 14, 2008 3:06 PM
I love these!
Posted by: Darby at April 14, 2008 3:29 PM
Oh they are irresistable. I want to buy some just to get the answers to the microbe trivia posted on the site. LOL Being cute doesn't hurt either.
Posted by: ydorsey at April 15, 2008 6:47 AM
I love it!
Posted by: Rebecca at April 15, 2008 11:39 AM
What a cool idea! I'm always amazed at the things people come up with that end up being successful products. It's definitely a different direction in patternmaking. I may have to buy a few of these for a friend who's a veterinary pathologist. She would surely get a kick out of them.
Posted by: Anita at April 15, 2008 1:54 PM
Oh, I love these too! My 4 yo DD likes "creepy" things...and I think I need that yeast one for DH-he loves homebrew :)
Posted by: justmyrinda at April 16, 2008 10:11 AM
I love them! It's the first time I can say in my life that I actually want mono... or bedbugs. They're all adorable in an off way.
Posted by: Christy B. at April 17, 2008 7:54 AM
Aaaaw! Totally adorable. Why am I not surprised they're from California :-)? I'd love even a toxic mold.
But I have to mention those bedbugs don't look like anything like the ones I've been unfortunate enough to meet in the flesh (mostly mine).
Posted by: Marie-Christine at April 17, 2008 12:06 PM
I am going to buy the flea for my dog!:)
Posted by: KellyT at April 25, 2008 3:22 PM
