Disneys Stitch poised to become 2025s most popular toy as NYC Toy Fair ramps up: sources

Stitch, the blue, pointy-eared, pug-like creature from Disney’s “Lilo & Stitch” franchise, is shaping up to be this year’s most popular toy – and it will be hard to ignore at Toy Fair this weekend, The Post has learned.The largest toy trade show in North America kicks off on March 1 at the Javits Center in Midtown Manhattan.Hundreds of toy makers will be displaying their big bets for the upcoming season, including ZipString and anything having to do with dinosaurs and dragons, insiders said.But to a remarkable degree this year, they’ll also be showing off their Stitch merch.

The assortments will only grow in the coming months ahead of Disney’s Memorial Day release of a live-action/CGI remake of the original “Lilo & Stitch” movie from 2002, according to industry experts.“Stitch is popping up all over the place in everything from collectible phone and gaming controller holders and slime,” said Toy Book editor-in-chief James Zahn.“Expect to see Stitch and friends all over the Javits Center.”Momentum around the yipping, grimacing character has been building on social media over the past several months, including 2.7 million likes on TikTok for the movie trailer. The buzz around Stitch was capped off with a viral, 30-second ad during the Super Bowl. The mischievous creature appeals to teens and tweens who are scooping up backpacks, water bottles and even bed sheets with its image, according to toy consultant Chris Byrne.At least one Stitch item won Toy Book’s “Product of the Year” award in January, a $76 electronic “Disney Stitch Puppetronic” by RealFX.Other hot items include ZipString, that makes a loop of string appear to float in the air, which was launched two years ago and got a “Shark Tank” investment. It sold its 1 millionth unit by the end of the holiday season and is poised to announce new iterations of the product, sources tell The Post.An FAO Schwarz rep at the Rockefeller Center store said ZipStrings were ...