# Extraterrestrial Plushies Stuffed Meerkat ‘Star Trek' Characters by NiftyKnits By Andrew Robichaud | Published 2009-05-30 | Pop Culture Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/star-trek-knitted-meerkat References: [buzzfeed](http://www.buzzfeed.com/expresident/meerkat-star-trek/) & [etsy](http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=24987548) Captain’s Log Star Date 104-39-65: Knitted ‘Star Trek’ characters in the form of meerkats are a Trekkie’s dream. Although most true ‘Star Trek’ fans already recognize how attractive the original cast is (including Sulu), these meerkats are just adorable. Each one is priced at $35 (Enterprise not included). These [knitted little galactic voyagers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/star-trek-uss) are a quirky but necessary addition to a Trekkie’s collection. You could also just give it to a child who would have no idea what ‘Star Trek’ is—they’re [just that damn cute](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/giftable-squishmallows). ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 2.2/10 - Popularity: 33% | Activity: 26% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 70% men, 30% women - Primary generations: Gen Z, Millennial - Top markets: North America, Europe ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Pop Culture](https://www.trendhunter.com/popculture) > [Media](https://www.trendhunter.com/media) ## Key Themes ### Why This Trend Is Growing - **Extraterrestrial Plushies:** The growing popularity of unique stuffed animals based on popular science fiction properties opens up opportunities for innovative designs and licensing deals. - **Knitted Collectibles:** The trend of creating handmade, knitted collectibles offers an opportunity for cottage industries and craft-focused businesses to offer unique, high-quality items for sale. - **Nostalgic Merchandise:** The demand for nostalgic merchandise, such as these 'Star Trek' themed plushies, presents an opportunity for companies to cater to fans of pop culture franchises. ### Industries Being Reshaped - **Toy Manufacturing:** The toy manufacturing industry can benefit from creating licensed plushies and stuffed animals for popular science fiction and pop culture franchises. - **Crafts and DIY:** Craft-focused businesses and online marketplaces can capitalize on the trend of handmade, knitted collectibles by offering unique designs and tutorials for a loyal and passionate audience. - **Nostalgia Merchandising:** Retailers and licensors can tap into the trend of nostalgic merchandise by licensing popular properties and creating unique, collectible items for fans to purchase and display. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Replica Sci-Fi Toy Kits](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/playmobil-star-trek-klingon-bird-of-prey.md) - [Sci-Fi Film-Themed Dart Toys](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/starfleet-phaser-blaster.md) - [Comforting Plush Collectibles](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/cloudheads.md) - [Transforming Sci-Fi Plush Toys](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/pillow-pets-star-wars-chewbacca.md) - [Sci-Fi Media Playsets](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/buildabridge-mini-bridge.md) - [Sensory Plush Accessories](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/mooshmoosh.md) - [Holiday-Edition Anime Plushies](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/godzilla-and-hello-kitty.md) - [Sci-Fi-Inspired Storage Drives](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/star-trek-discovery-flash-drives.md) - [Auto Cartoon Plushies](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/transformers-reversible-plushies.md)