Until I was around 15 years old, I couldn’t have cared less about the Hello Kitty franchise. Lying around my house were a few items of Hello Kitty and Mimi stationary, but I didn’t pay much attention to them besides briefly observing the characters.

Even though the designs are on the childish side, the Hello Kitty company, or Sanrio, piqued my interest when I got into my mid-teen years. Initially, I was simply captivated by the design of one of the most popular characters—Kuromi. She still has a place in my heart as my favorite Sanrio design, and she definitely makes up the majority of my Sanrio merchandise.

However, as I’ve gotten more involved in the franchise, I’ve found that the abundance of characters offers styles for anyone and everyone. These range from the dark and grumpy Badtz-Maru to the shy and sweet Cinnamaroll. In addition to Cinnamaroll, Pochacco has also landed a spot amongst the cuddliest mascots.

The characters themselves are more than enough for a successful franchise with the astounding variety and adorable personalities, but the merchandise sold by the Sanrio company is what drew me in more recently.

The plush are arguably some of the best purchases to make on the Sanrio website. From classics to complex designs to the soft and snuggly, there is a plush for every occasion and every character. The sleepover design is probably my favorite among the bunch, but the dressed-up Lolita plushes and other clothed characters are also enchanting.

The clothing is another charming aspect of the world of Sanrio. While some could argue that the style is childish, I tend to consider the articles of clothing an appropriate amount of cutesy and fashionable. A prime example of this is the Kuromi JapanLA Floral Cardigan, which is a light lilac with a subtly stitched Kuromi. The clothing articles such as this cardigan are youthful enough to be endearing but mature enough so they aren’t inappropriate for adults. Because of this, I own several articles of clothing from Sanrio, ranging from jeans to crewnecks.

Beyond clothing and plush, the stationary available to purchase from Sanrio is incredibly adorable and sweet. The plethora of pastels are tempting to purchase, especially the storage boxes in the Smokey Colors Series. This carries on to the stickers as well, which can come in packs that highlight a specific character. Each of these stickers perfectly combines the bold simplicity that Sanrio embodies.

Although each of these products is charming in its own category, the area of the Sanrio site that has the most utilitarian and cozy appeal is the home items. From The Crème Shop x Hello Kitty Y2K Luv Wave Brush Collection, which provides a blast from the past, to the Cinnamoroll Trash Bin, displaying a modern tone, there is a wide variety of products to choose from—434, to be exact.

Each collection of Sanrio has a lot to offer, and if I actually had a source of income right now, I would be sending my dollars to Sanrio in exchange for more of their loveable merchandise. While I’ve had people tell me that Sanrio is only for children, I think that the sweet demeanor of the brand is comforting to all ages.

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