- Singapore retailers and parents are worried about squishy toy safety as fake brands spread and overseas recalls report toxic materials and a “deadly ingestion hazard”.
- The Consumer Product Safety Office says it has seen only a “small number” of complaints since 2026 and no evidence of a widespread local problem, but it will keep monitoring the market.
- Sellers urge buyers to check certificates, anti-counterfeit labels and trusted buying channels, because fake toys may contain unknown fillings and unsafe chemicals.
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SINGAPORE – Making squishies from scratch used to be a fun mother-daughter activity for Rena Heng, amid a huge comeback in the toys driven in large part by social media.
But since news reports emerged about toxic materials found in such toys overseas, Heng has decided to err on the side of caution, bagging up all their handmade squishies as well as those gifted by others as a precaution.
This despite her five-year-old daughter not showing any signs of allergies or adverse reactions.
“I was slightly shocked when I came across the reports,” said Heng, a 37-year-old who works in marketing, adding that she had initially viewed playing with squishies as simply offering a sensory hands-on experience.
“It didn’t really cross my mind to check the authenticity and safety of the materials used in the toys, because there are so many videos of children, and even adults, buying squishies,” she said.
Concerns over the safety of squishy toys, especially for children and young people, have spiked across the world as fake replicas of popular toy brands - such as NeeDoh - have become more easily available.
Such unregulated counterfeits could contain toxic chemicals or harmful fillings.
In August, nearly 20,000 illegal squishy toys were seized in Thailand, for substances associated with cancer risks.
Another 37,000 squishies were recalled in the US in early October due to warnings of a “deadly ingestion hazard”.
Singapore’s Consumer Product Safety Office (CPSO), in a media reply to The Straits Times, said it has seen a “small number” of complaints and enquiries on squishy toys since the start of 2026.
Many consumers report concerns over chemical odours, skin irritation and product safety compliance, it said.
“CPSO has reviewed and followed up on these as appropriate, and the feedback received does not, on its own, establish that the products were unsafe or non-compliant,” it added.
The office said it has been monitoring overseas developments and there has been no evidence of a widespread safety issue affecting squishy toys sold in Singapore thus far.
The products identified in the recent US recalls also “do not appear to have been distributed in Singapore”, it said, adding that it will continue to conduct market surveillance of products sold in physical stores here or online, and will act on any credible safety concerns.
Rise in counterfeits
Local retailers who spoke to ST said they have seen a rise in fake squishy toys in recent months, prompting them to be more upfront with customers about the safety checks they have in place for their products.
Tan Wei Jie, the founder of independent toy store Spintaku, said he has noticed squishies being sold at more shops here since September, including at neighbourhood stores and markets, which has raised concerns that there could be fakes in the mix.
Some of these have a strong smell of paint, which could be harmful to children, the 34-year-old said.
Several customers, which include parents, have asked him about the contents of his squishy toys after learning about the risks of fake ones.
He added that the toys he imports from the US come with certificates from the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).
The Squishy Town founder Tryphena Ng, 37, said that it is good practice for consumers to ask for the relevant safety certificates when buying squishy toys.
For instance, reputable sellers carrying toys imported from China would be able to produce the “China Compulsory Certificate” or CCC, which shows that the product has met China’s national safety and quality standards, she said.
These sellers should also have a lab report that proves their products are compliant with standards set by one of these organisations: International Organization for Standardization, International Electrotechnical Commission, European Committee for Standardization or ASTM International.
“As a seller, I should show them (these certifications),” Ng said, cautioning consumers against patronising stores that do not have, or are not willing to provide, these certifications.
To further reassure her customers, Ng has also obtained official partnership certificates from popular overseas brands that she works with, such as Mido Squishy from China, which sells slow-rising squishies in the design of baked goods.
Kevin Kwok, the director of toy distributor Kids Village Asia, said that the appearance of fake NeeDoh toys in physical stores has been particularly worrying, “because a parent walking into a shop reasonably assumes what’s on the shelf has been checked”.
His company is the official distributor of the viral squishy toy brand in Singapore and Malaysia.
Kwok said that in some cases, stores may display printed “product test reports” next to an item being sold, but a closer look may reveal that these are for a different product.
“A piece of paper on a shelf isn’t proof of anything,” he said. “On its own, on a shelf, a fake can look convincing, which is why the anti-counterfeit label and the purchase channel matter most.”
All NeeDoh toys carry an anti-counterfeit label with a unique code that consumers can use to confirm that the product in their hands is authentic, he said.
“The practical risk with a fake is that you have no idea what’s inside it, no way to trace it, and nobody is accountable if it goes wrong.”
Some possible tell-tale signs of counterfeits would be those retailing at “well below normal” prices or are unbranded, he added. According to listings on the official NeeDoh site, most products are priced between about $9 and $30.
Consumers can also look out for unsealed boxes, misaligned printing, retyped small print or sparse fillings.
But the clearest giveaway would be if the product comes in a colour that does not exist or is marketed as part of a fake collaboration, such as with some food and beverage chains.
Buyers beware?
For fans such as Chua Ying Xuan, 23, there is still joy to be had in owning squishy toys and playing with them, as long as some safeguards are in place.
The part-time teacher first stumbled on squishy toys while on a trip to Vietnam in July, and enjoyed the feeling of “squeezing it as hard as you want, and releasing the tension and stress you have”.
“I don’t see a concern, unless the toy bursts or breaks,” she said, adding that damaged ones in her collection are quickly thrown away. She currently owns about 10 squishy toys, which are mostly gifts.
Squishy trading - which was popularised on TikTok and involves swopping toys with other collectors - has also become a way for her to bond with her students.
Chua, who teaches children from three to seven years old, said that she would be willing to buy squishies for her students who are in primary school, but would warn them about potential dangers.
While Heng has sworn off squishy toys for now, she said that she remains open to buying them for her daughter in the future - this time with more research done beforehand.
She said: “Now that I know there are risks, going to more reputable sellers would be one of the things I pay more attention to.”