The maker of the popular squishy toy NeeDoh is urging Australia to take action against counterfeit versions of the product after reports of serious injuries linked to these toys. Schylling, the US-based company behind NeeDoh, and its Australian distributor William Valentine have registered the toy’s intellectual property with the Australian Border Force’s Notice of Objection scheme. This allows authorities to identify and seize suspected counterfeit goods at the border. The company is also working with local lawyers to identify sellers of counterfeit products and take legal action. A surge in demand for NeeDoh in Australia has led to genuine products selling out quickly, while cheaper, fake versions have flooded the market. Schylling warned retailers in June that counterfeit products and websites are appearing rapidly. The company is taking a “three-pronged approach” to the counterfeit trade, including raids on factories in China and action at the Australian border. Documentation is being lodged with Australian Customs to allow authorities to seize goods brought in by unauthorized importers. Benjamin Halls, managing director of William Valentine, stated that genuine NeeDoh toys undergo rigorous design, manufacturing, quality control, and independent safety testing—steps counterfeit products may skip. He emphasized that counterfeit products not only infringe on intellectual property but also bypass safety checks, which can pose risks to consumers. Concerns over the toys’ safety have grown as children have been hospitalized with serious burns and other injuries after following a social media trend encouraging them to microwave the toys to make them softer. Heating can cause the filling to become extremely hot and sticky, and if the toy bursts, it can cause severe burns. Sydney Children’s Hospitals Network reported that 11 children aged between six and 12 had been referred to the Burns and Plastics Treatment Centre at Westmead between January and September after being burned by heated squishy toys. Injuries included mid-to-deep burns to the face, neck, chest, arms, and hands, with some children requiring skin grafts and long-term scar treatment. Queensland Children’s Hospital pediatric emergency physician Veevek Thankey reported at least 13 similar cases since April. One case involved a 10-year-old girl from the Gold Coast, Violet Zerbst, who spent a week in the hospital after putting a NeeDoh Nice Cube in the microwave. She told 7NEWS she had seen people online heating the toys to make them softer. When she squeezed hers, the contents burst across her face, lips, and mouth. Her father, Jody Zerbst, described the filling as "scalding and sticky" and said it stuck to his daughter's face, adding that "all the skin had sort of peeled off – it was really gruesome." Not all incidents involved microwaves. At the Royal Adelaide Show earlier this month, a 10-year-old boy named Mason was playing with a squishy toy when it burst across his face. His mother, Amanda, told News.com.au that the contents went into his eyes, nose, and mouth and that he began choking. She said the toy had no packaging or product information, leaving her worried that it had been a counterfeit. "I’m extremely concerned because if they can’t tell you what the ingredient is, then they shouldn’t be selling them," Amanda said. Counterfeit NeeDoh toys are often difficult to distinguish from genuine products and have been dressed up as supposed brand collaborations. Counterfeit NeeDoh Nice Cubes bearing fake Red Bull, Coca-Cola, and Monster branding have appeared in UK convenience stores. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has warned that squishy toys can contain gels, beads, water, and other materials and may become dangerous if they split, leak, or release their contents. The ACCC advises consumers to look for clear information about the toy and its materials and to avoid products with strong chemical smells, weak seams, loose beads, or leaks. It also warns against putting squishies in microwaves or leaving them in hot cars, as heating can cause them to burst or leak hot contents. In the US, the Consumer Product Safety Commission said it had stopped 55 shipments of non-compliant squishy toys at ports, preventing more than 355,000 units from entering the country. In the UK, the Office for Product Safety and Standards rejected an import of counterfeit NeeDoh Splash Balls on 15 September after classifying the toys as presenting a high chemical risk. Officials said there was no evidence that the products had undergone the relevant UK conformity assessment procedures because the supplied Declaration of Conformity did not match the product.