Developed in 1987, the prototype of the Koosh was made out of rubber bands, and named "Koosh" because that's the sound it made when it landed. The Koosh ball was developed by Scott Stillinger and Matt Button, the owners of Oddz On Products. The toys had great appeal with a surprising number of adult fans. It was estimated that 40% of the toys were purchased for adults to play with. Several million units were shipped from the next four years and were supported by an official user's guide, "The Official Koosh Ball."
During the 1988 Christmas season, the Koosh ball was the hottest toy on the shelves. The Koosh ball was a rubber ball filled with a jelly-like plasma and its outside consisted of hundreds of rubber spikes making it look like a soft and flexible porcupine that did not hurt to hold or squeeze. When someone squeezed the object, the plasma caused it to squirm around in his hand while the spikes provided something to grip in one's hand.
While the number of units sold has dropped off, they are still a holiday favorite.
"Where can I get a Koosh Ball of my very own?" you might ask...
Ebay is one place where you can still find Koosh Balls.
Here's another:
And just in time for their 20th Christmas Anniversary!
Informative history adapted from the Bad Fads Museum.
Needless to say, HF feasts on bad fads.
