A tiny croissant with a small, smiling face sits on a desk. Nearby, a soft strawberry with dangling legs leans against a stack of books, while a floppy-eared bunny rests quietly on a bed. These charming plush toys are part of the world of “JellyCat,” a British brand known for turning everyday objects and animals into soft, friendly characters. With their gentle colors, simple expressions, and unusually soft texture, JellyCat toys have become instantly recognizable and widely shared on social media.
Although JellyCat had been around for more than two decades, the brand’s popularity grew rapidly during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. During that time, many people were searching for small sources of comfort and nostalgia. Viral videos on social media platforms further boosted the brand’s visibility, which contributed to a sharp rise in both sales and online searches.
This growing interest in comforting objects reflects a broader consumer trend known as the “healing economy.” The term refers to a market of products and experiences designed to reduce emotional stress and support mental well-being. From meditation apps to cozy lifestyle goods, people today actively look for simple ways to relax, feel emotionally safe, or reconnect with positive memories.
Photo: AdobeStock I 照片:AdobeStock
JellyCat is just one example of this trend. Many adults now collect stuffed toys from various brands, finding that these soft companions can provide emotional comfort. In a fast-changing and often demanding world, even a simple plush toy can offer a small but genuine sense of reassurance.
一個帶著小小笑臉的小可頌坐在桌上。在一旁，一顆雙腿懸掛著的軟綿草莓靠著一疊書，而一隻垂著耳朵的兔子靜靜坐在床上。這些迷人的絨毛娃娃是「JellyCat」世界的一部分，JellyCat 是英國品牌，以將日常物品和動物轉換成軟綿且友善的角色而聞名。JellyCat 的娃娃有著柔和色調、簡單的表情，以及極其柔軟的觸感，讓人一眼就能認出，且在社群媒體上被廣為分享。
雖然 JellyCat 已經存在二十多年了，但該品牌的人氣是在新冠疫情期間及結束後才迅速增長。在那段期間，許多人正在尋找撫慰和懷舊的小小來源。社群媒體平臺上爆紅的影片也進一步增加了該品牌的能見度，促進其銷量及網路搜尋急遽增加。
這種對慰藉物品日益增加的興趣，反映出一種更廣泛的消費趨勢，即所謂的「療癒經濟」。這一詞指的是一個以減輕情緒壓力並促進心理健康為目的的產品與體驗的市場。從冥想應用程式到舒適的生活風格商品，如今人們積極尋找簡單的方法來放鬆、在情緒上感到安心，或重新連結那些正面的回憶。
JellyCat 只是這股潮流中的一個例子。許多成年人如今會蒐集各種不同品牌的絨毛娃娃，他們發現這些軟綿綿的夥伴們能提供情緒上的慰藉。在步調快速且往往苛刻的世界裡，即便是簡單的絨毛娃娃也能提供小卻真實的安心感。
To be continued tomorrow（明日待續）
https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/lang
Words in Use
1. stack n.（整齊的）一疊
A neat stack of towels sat on the bathroom shelf.
浴室層架上放著一疊整齊的毛巾。
2. texture n. 質地，觸感；口感
The spongy texture of the cake indicates that it was baked perfectly.
這顆蛋糕鬆軟的質地顯示它烤得非常完美。
3. recognizable a. 可辨認的
The company’s logo is widely recognizable across the globe.
這家公司的標誌在全球都具有極高的辨識度。
4.pandemic n. 疫情，（大範圍、全球性）流行病
Public health measures helped slow the spread of the pandemic in urban areas.
公共衛生措施有助於減緩城市地區疫情的擴散。
5.viral a.（在網路上）廣為流傳、爆紅、病毒式的
That viral dance challenge originated from a small studio in London.
那個爆紅的舞蹈挑戰起源於倫敦的一家小工作室。
Practical Phrases
1. lean against. . . 斜靠在……之上
The heavy broom was leaning against the kitchen wall.
那把沉重的掃帚靠在廚房牆邊。
2. have been around for + 一段時間
已存在若干時間
These ancient stone circles have been around for thousands of years.
這些古代石圈已經存在數千年之久。
3. refer to. . . 指的是……
The pronoun “it” in the sentence refers to the old wooden bridge.
句子中的代名詞「it」指的是那座老舊的木橋。
4. be designed to V 被設計來……
This app is designed to track your daily water intake.
這款應用程式是設計來記錄每日的飲水量。
5. reconnect with. . . 找回與……的連結
Oscar planned a trip to the mountains to reconnect with nature.
奧斯卡計劃了一趟山區之旅，以找回與大自然的連結。
What Did You Learn?
Which word in the Day 1 passage means “the degree to which something attracts public attention”? （簡答題）
答案: visibility
聽文章朗讀及講解: https://ivy.pse.is/455bfu
本文出自常春藤解析英語雜誌: www.ivy.com.tw
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