Squishmallows maker, Build-A-Bear call truce in plush toy legal battle
By Blake Brittain
Aug 25 (Reuters) - Jazwares, the Berkshire Hathaway-owned BRKa.N maker of Squishmallows, has agreed to end a lawsuit against Build-A-Bear Workshop BBW.N over its alleged knockoffs of the popular plush toys, according to a filing in Los Angeles federal court.
Jazwares and Build-A-Bear asked the court on Friday to dismiss their dispute with prejudice, which means it cannot be refiled. Attorneys and spokespeople for the companies did not immediately respond on Monday to requests for comment, including on the terms of any settlement.
Jazwares' Squishmallows, launched in 2017, went viral on TikTok during the COVID-19 pandemic. Sales of the toys topped $1 billion in 2021, and Warren Buffett's Berkshire bought Jazwares' parent company in 2022.
Jazwares sued Build-A-Bear in California last year, arguing that Build-A-Bear's Skoosherz copied Squishmallows' look and feel and would create consumer confusion. It asked the court for an unspecified amount of monetary damages.
Build-A-Bear responded with counterclaims that Skoosherz were a kind of "soft, pillow-like squishie-type" toy that has been trending for years, and that Jazwares lacked trademark rights in its Squishmallows design.
U.S. District Judge Josephine Staton rejected Build-A-Bear's request to dismiss the lawsuit last year, finding that Skoosherz were similar enough to Squishmallows to let the case move forward.
Related Articles
What to Watch in Nvidia’s Q2 FY2026 Earnings: AI Growth, Margins, and Market Impact
TradingKey - NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ: NVDA) will report its Q2 FY2026 earnings on Wednesday, August 27, 2025, after the U.S. market closes. The earnings call is scheduled for 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time. With Nvidia being a bellwether in AI, gaming, and data center markets, and carrying significant...
U.S. July PCE and Q2 GDP Preview: With Rate Cuts Looming, Will U.S. Stocks Continue to Rise?
TradingKey - On 28-29 August 2025, the U.S. will release July PCE and Q2 GDP data. Market expectations suggest both headline and core PCE will rise 0.3% month-over-month, consistent with June figures. For growth, in line with the preliminary estimate on 30 July, the revised Q2 annualised real GDP gr
U.S. Dollar Index: Assessing Its Future Trend Through Macro Analysis of the U.S., Eurozone, Japan, and U.K.
TradingKey - Looking ahead, in the U.S., slowing economic growth combined with ongoing interest rate cuts will exert downward pressure on the dollar. In the Eurozone, weak economic performance and continued ECB rate cuts will likely depreciate the euro, indirectly supporting the U.S. Dollar Index...
Powell's Jackson Hole Speech: For U.S. Stocks, Hawk or Dove Signal Could Be a Lose-Lose?
TradingKey - As U.S. inflation and labor market data show signs of rebalancing, Treasury traders and Wall Street banks have largely priced in a rate cut at the September FOMC meeting — the first of 2025. Yet both a more dovish-than-expected tone and a potential surprise hawkish signal from Fed Chair
Eurozone Q2 GDP Commentary: Will the Euro's Upward Momentum Persist?
TradingKey - On 14 August 2025, Eurostat published Q2 GDP figures, revealing a drop in the Eurozone's quarter-on-quarter growth from 0.6% in the first quarter to 0.1%. Consequently, annual growth eased from 1.5% to 1.4%. The slowdown primarily stems from the diminishing boost from European...
