Thingamababy

It’s the Next Big Thing — designer plush animals.

Xoddo.com is the latest to enter the designer market with a streamlined operation. On its website, you drag and drop body parts, colors and accessories onto a predefined body shape, then order your plush creature. Xoddo dolls are reportedly made in America and delivery takes about two weeks.

The creatures come in two sizes using water-based soy inks:

• Buddy size: 10" x 9" for $28, polyester fabric, polyfiber inside.
• Beaner size: 5" x 4.5" for $18, polyester fabric, filled with plastic beads (polypropylene, the stuff that does not contain BPA or phthalates).

Correction: After reading this profile, Xoddos updated its website and sent a correction: the stuffed animals are indeed machine washable.

While I’d only use an organic plush for a mouthing baby, Xoddo is a cool idea for older toddlers and the website’s design interface is fun for playing around.

• Xoddo.com
• Photo gallery: Digital versus real
• Photo gallery: More finished dolls

I’ve included below my own sad renderings… first, Cat-Rabbit, and then the closest approximation to my daughter’s existing plush Monster Pig.

See related:

• Kid-designed plush Missing Monsters
• FAO Schwarz designer monsters

Update: If you order a Xoddo, tell them "thingamababy" referred you. For every 5 referred customers who buy a Xoddo, a coupon code for 1 free Xoddo will be credited that I will then be gifted to a domestic violence nonprofit in my area whose safe house recently burned to the ground. Kids of moms escaping violence could use a little cheer. E-mail me too, so I know who to credit when I post photos of the gifted dolls the kid(s) create.

Wednesday, May 7th, 2008Toys