New Squishy Brands from Toy Fair 2026

Toy Fair is where the squishy world shows its cards for the year ahead, and 2026 brought a wave of new brands hungry to ride the sensory-toy boom. With squishy and sensory toys posting triple-digit growth according to Circana, and Faire reporting wholesale plush and squish orders up a staggering 628 percent year over year, every toymaker wants a piece of the squish. Here are the standout new brands and lines worth knowing, from a Toy of the Year winner to sugary blind-box newcomers.

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Why Toy Fair 2026 Was a Squishy Landslide

The squishy craze isn't slowing down, it's compounding. Circana's 2026 data puts "explorative toys" up 36 percent, the industry's number-two growth category, led by NeeDoh. Kidults, buyers 18 and up, drove roughly 35 percent of the industry's overall growth, and more than half of squishy recipients are female. That combination of nostalgia, stress-relief framing, ASMR and unboxing culture, and blind-box mystery mechanics has made squishies irresistible to both new brands and retail buyers.

So when Toy Fair rolled around, the floor was packed with sensory startups and established makers launching squishy lines. Below are the ones generating the most buzz.

Wigglitz: The 2026 Toy of the Year

The headliner is Wigglitz, which took home a 2026 Toy of the Year honor. Winning that award is the single loudest signal a toy can send, it means the industry itself is betting big. Wigglitz leans into the wiggly, tactile, fidget-forward energy that defines the current sensory wave, and a Toy of the Year nod all but guarantees strong retail placement and holiday demand.

If a brand is going to break out from the Toy Fair pack, the smart money is on the one with the trophy. Expect Wigglitz to be widely stocked and heavily gifted through the fall and holiday season.

What makes the Toy of the Year win so meaningful is that it comes from within the industry itself, not just from social-media buzz. Retail buyers pay close attention to that award when deciding what to stock, so a win tends to snowball into shelf space, which snowballs into visibility and sales. For a first-year brand, that's the kind of momentum most launches only dream about.

Fijables: Fidget-Forward Newcomer

Fijables is one of the fresh names built squarely for the fidget-and-sensory crowd. The whole premise of brands like Fijables is tactile satisfaction, squishes and fidgets designed to be manipulated, squeezed, and fussed with for stress relief. Given how central stress-relief framing is to the squishy boom, Fijables is positioned right in the current's fastest-moving lane.

As with most Toy Fair debutantes, availability will roll out through fall, so watch specialty retailers and online storefronts for the first drops. We flag new-brand availability as it surfaces in our rumors and leaks roundup.

Toysmith Sugar Skwisheez

Toysmith Sugar Skwisheez brings the sweet-treat aesthetic that squishy fans adore. Dessert and candy-themed squishes have always been a fan favorite, tapping the same visual delight that makes food squishies so collectible. Toysmith is an established name in the toy space, so a squishy line from them signals that the category has fully crossed into mainstream retail rather than staying a niche novelty.

Sugary, pastel, and squeezable is a proven formula, and Sugar Skwisheez leans all the way in.

Orb Sugar Swaps

Orb Sugar Swaps rounds out the candy-coded newcomers. Orb is best known in the sensory space, and Sugar Swaps extends that reach into the squishy-collectible arena with a swap-and-trade angle that plays perfectly into the collecting behavior driving so much of the craze. Trading and swapping mechanics keep collectors engaged the same way blind-box rarity tiers do, they turn a single purchase into an ongoing hobby.

How These Fit the Bigger Squishy Picture

None of these new brands exist in isolation, they're all riding the same wave that made NeeDoh and blind-box dumplings household names. For context on how that wave built, our explainer on the 2026 squishy craze breaks down the nostalgia, stress-relief, and unboxing forces behind it.

The blind-box format in particular is everywhere now. The RMS Mystery Squishy Dumpling, a silicone bao in a mini bamboo steamer sold as an approximately $5 blind box, has moved more than 40 million units and set the template these new brands are chasing. Its tiered rarity, running from commons through glitter, holographic, UV, and golden glitter chases, is exactly the mechanic Orb Sugar Swaps and others are borrowing. If you want to try the blind-box thrill yourself, the → Shop Mystery Squishy Dumpling on Amazon is the one that started it.

Where to Track and Buy the Newcomers

Toy Fair reveals are the starting gun, not the finish line, so here's how to actually get your hands on these:

• Follow trade coverage. The Toy Association at toyassociation.org and trade outlets report on Toy of the Year winners and new-brand debuts.
• Watch specialty and big-box retailers. New brands often debut at specialty toy stores before hitting Walmart and Target.
• Fall back on proven squishes while you wait. Established fan-favorites stay in stock: a → Shop NeeDoh Nice Cube on Amazon or a fruity → Shop Anboor squishy on Amazon scratches the sensory itch until the newcomers ship.

You can browse curated squish picks anytime in our collections hub.

What to Watch Next

The big question is which of these Toy Fair debutantes converts hype into staying power. Wigglitz has the Toy of the Year momentum, but the candy-coded lines from Toysmith and Orb, plus fidget-first Fijables, all have real shots given how broad the sensory audience has become. With kidults and gift-buyers both leaning in, Fall 2026 will be the proving ground.

History suggests that only a handful of these newcomers will still be on shelves a year from now. That's normal for any hype-driven category, the ones that survive tend to nail a distinct identity, whether that's a signature texture, a strong collectible mechanic, or a beloved theme. The candy-and-dessert brands have aesthetics on their side, the swap-and-trade lines have engagement mechanics, and Wigglitz has the industry's stamp of approval. Watching which of those advantages actually translates into repeat purchases is the real story to follow through the holidays and into 2027.

For now, the safest bet for shoppers is to enjoy the newcomers as they arrive while keeping a couple of proven squishes in the rotation. That way you're never left empty-handed if a hyped Toy Fair brand sells through its first run before you can grab one.

Frequently Asked Questions

What won Toy of the Year at Toy Fair 2026?

Wigglitz earned a 2026 Toy of the Year honor, making it the most industry-endorsed new squishy brand from the show. A Toy of the Year nod typically translates to wide retail placement and strong holiday demand, so expect Wigglitz to be broadly available through fall.

Are these new brands available yet?

Availability is rolling out through fall 2026, as is typical for Toy Fair debuts. New brands often appear at specialty toy retailers first before reaching big-box stores. Watching trade coverage and retailer listings is the best way to catch their initial drops.

What's the difference between these and NeeDoh or dumplings?

NeeDoh is a dough-filled sensory squish and the Mystery Squishy Dumpling is a blind-box silicone bao, both established category leaders. The Toy Fair newcomers, like Fijables, Sugar Skwisheez, Sugar Swaps, and Wigglitz, are fresh entries chasing that same sensory and collectible energy, often with candy themes or swap-and-trade mechanics.

Which new brand is most likely to break out?

Wigglitz has the strongest signal thanks to its Toy of the Year win, which historically drives retail and gifting demand. That said, the candy-themed and fidget-forward newcomers all target the broad, fast-growing sensory audience, so several could find lasting shelf space depending on fall performance.

Where will these new squishy brands be sold?

Expect the usual squishy retail spread as they roll out: specialty toy stores and Learning Express first, then Amazon, Target, Walmart, and Five Below as production scales. Candy-themed lines like Sugar Skwisheez and Sugar Swaps tend to land at impulse-buy checkouts, while a Toy of the Year winner like Wigglitz usually earns prime endcap space. Until they hit shelves near you, a search on Amazon is the fastest way to check whether early stock has appeared.

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