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Blåhaj

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This article is about the toy. For the shark species with the same name in Swedish, see Blue shark.
Blåhaj
Small and large variants of Blåhaj, displayed from the bottom (above) and side (below), all lying on the floor
Small and large variants of Blåhaj, displayed from the bottom (above) and side (below)
TypeToy shark
Invented byIKEA of Sweden
CompanyIKEA
CountrySweden
MaterialsPolyester
FeaturesSoft toy
Official website

Blåhaj (Swedish pronunciation: [ˈblôːhaj] ⓘ, lit. 'blue shark'; colloquially anglicized as /ˈblɑːhɑːʒ/, /ˈblɑːhɑː/ or /ˈbloʊhaɪ/) is a plush toy manufactured and sold by the Swedish company IKEA. Modeled after the blue shark and made of recycled polyester, the toy has become a globally popular internet meme since the late 2010s. For example, it has become a cultural icon in countries like Russia and China, played a symbolic role in Switzerland's same-sex marriage referendum, and found special significance within the transgender community.[1][2][3] It has also been used as a mascot by IKEA in some regions.

Product description

[edit]
A blue shark, the model and namesake of Blåhaj

Blåhaj is a stuffed toy resembling a blue shark. Both the outer fabric and the hollow fiber filling are made out of polyester, and in addition, the filling is 100% recycled. It is available in two sizes – a large 1-meter (39+1⁄4 in) version and a small 0.55-meter (21+3⁄4 in) version – and can be machine-washed at 40°C (104°F).[4][5] Its name is derived from the Swedish word blåhaj, meaning 'blue shark'.[6]

IKEA plush toys, including Blåhaj, are designed with embroidered eyes rather than the commonly used plastic ones. This design is primarily a safety measure to eliminate the choking hazard that detached plastic eyes pose to young children. Additionally, IKEA states on its website that this method enhances the toy's durability, ensuring it can better withstand play and washing over a long period.[4][7]

Production and distribution

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The shark plush design, now known as Blåhaj, was first available from IKEA in grey variants from at least 2008. These earlier grey versions were sold under the names "Grössby" (stylized GRÖSSBY; Swedish pronunciation: [ˈɡrœsːbyː])[8] and "Klappar Haj" (stylized KLAPPAR HAJ; Swedish pronunciation: [ˈklaparːhaj], literally 'petting shark'). The Grössby variant featured a slightly stiffer filling, comparable to IKEA's "Ensta" (Swedish pronunciation: [ˈeːnsta]) killer whale plush.[9]

By 2012, IKEA transitioned to using blue fabric for the plush but continued to use the "Klappar Haj" name.[10] The product was rebranded with the current "Blåhaj" name in early 2014.[8]

An earlier predecessor, named "Korall Fisk" (stylized KORALL FISK; Swedish pronunciation: [kʊˈralː fɪsk]; literally 'coral fish'), dates back to 2006.[8]

Blåhaj are manufactured in Indonesia[11] and Ludhiana, India.[12]

In response to the toy's popularity, IKEA has produced a line of Blåhaj shopping bags, which are sold at its stores in some regions, including Taiwan and Malaysia.[13][14] IKEA has also used Blåhaj in marketing material; IKEA Japan used the toy as a mascot in a marketing campaign for tiny apartments sold by IKEA in the region. In the campaign, Blåhaj plays a real estate agent who envisions a tiny apartment.[15][16] IKEA of Malaysia and Taiwan sold red-bean and sesame-filled buns resembling Blåhaj.[17][18] IKEA Hong Kong featured Blåhaj as part of an advertising campaign for its Tsim Sha Tsui branch, punning the location as "Tsim Shark Tsui".[19]

As a cultural phenomenon

[edit]
See also: LGBT symbols § Blåhaj

According to KnowYourMeme, whimsical photographs of Blåhaj circulated on Tumblr and Instagram as early as late 2014.[8][20] By 2018, Blåhaj gained wider prominence as an internet meme, with social media users worldwide, such as in Russia, posting lighthearted images featuring it.[1][21][22][23] Many of these featured the toy in human-like scenes, such as reading a book or dining with other Blåhajs.[24]

Blåhaj held during London Pride 2023

Since 2020, Blåhaj also began to be associated with the LGBT and particularly transgender communities, in part because users noticed that the primary colors of the toy (blue body, pink mouth, and white belly) matched the transgender pride flag. IKEA appeared to acknowledge this phenomenon, without explicitly mentioning it, when the company ran a series of ads supporting the 2021 Swiss same-sex marriage referendum. One such ad featured Blåhaj in bed with IKEA's polar bear toy, Snuttig (Swedish pronunciation: [ˈsnɵtːɪj]).[3][6][25][26] Some transgender people buy a Blåhaj or receive one as a gift as a rite of passage after coming out.[11][27]

The toy has continued to inspire memes and social media posts on Instagram, Twitter, Reddit, and TikTok,[21][28] and is a popular product in numerous territories.[1][29] Blåhaj also made a brief appearance in the Marvel Studios-produced television series Hawkeye.[28]

In September 2021, concerns arose after Twitter accounts representing IKEA in Ireland and Singapore suggested, in response to customer inquiries, that Blåhaj would be discontinued in April 2022. These worries intensified as the toy was reported to be out of stock or delisted from IKEA stores in China, Taiwan, and Singapore. The news prompted a significant social media reaction, with "Blåhaj" trending for several days as fans expressed fears of the toy becoming "extinct".[2][30][31] Subsequently, IKEA's USA Twitter account affirmed the toy's continued availability in the United States,[6][30][31][32] and IKEA's Media Relations team later clarified that Blåhaj was not being discontinued globally. They explained that the delistings and stock issues in some countries were due to temporary supply chain problems.[33]

Following this, fans reacted with mock outrage when IKEA stores in Hong Kong showcased Blåhaj in a demonstration of vacuum-sealing bags, jokingly acting as if flattening them was an act of cruelty.[34][35]

In November 2022, IKEA Canada hosted a giveaway offering transgender people a special edition Blåhaj in the colors of the transgender pride flag, with their name embroidered on their fin.[36] One of these was gifted to a sexual health center in Halifax, Nova Scotia.[37]

See also

[edit]
  • Costco bear, a stuffed bear sold by a big box retailer that has attained a similar level of pop culture status
  • Djungelskog, a stuffed bear toy from IKEA that became an internet meme

References

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  1. ^ a b c Rachael Krishna, Victor Stepanov (29 October 2018). "Russians Are Obsessed With These Big Plush Ikea Sharks". BuzzFeed. Retrieved 29 December 2022.
  2. ^ a b Cheryl Teh (4 October 2021). "Ikea is discontinuing an $18 blue shark stuffed animal, and it sent Chinese social media into a total meltdown". Insider.com. Retrieved 13 November 2022.
  3. ^ a b Milner, Roz (1 February 2022). "How a Stuffed IKEA Shark Became a Trans Icon". INTO. Archived from the original on 2 February 2022. Retrieved 18 July 2022.
  4. ^ a b "BLÅHAJ Soft toy, shark, 39 ¼"". IKEA. Archived from the original on 18 July 2022. Retrieved 19 July 2022.
  5. ^ "BLÅHAJ Soft toy, baby shark, 21 ¾"". IKEA. Archived from the original on 3 September 2022. Retrieved 12 December 2022.
  6. ^ a b c Gibbs, Alice (23 October 2022). "How the IKEA shark became a trans icon". Newsweek. Retrieved 11 June 2025.
  7. ^ "Choking hazard prompts recall of stuffed animals". WPRI.com. 17 May 2017. Archived from the original on 22 September 2024. Retrieved 20 February 2024.
  8. ^ a b c d "BLÅHAJ: the Internet meme, the trans icon, the world's favorite plush". MIT Admissions. 19 July 2023. Retrieved 24 April 2025.
  9. ^ "Archived: "IKEA - KLAPPAR HAJ Soft toy"". Internet Archive. 17 September 2010. Archived from the original on 17 September 2010. Retrieved 25 August 2023.
  10. ^ "Archived: "KLAPPAR HAJ Soft toy - IKEA"". Internet Archive. Archived from the original on 31 October 2012. Retrieved 25 August 2023.
  11. ^ a b Focken, Christina (2 September 2023). "Hailiges Maskottchen". Die Tageszeitung (in German). Archived from the original on 3 May 2024. Retrieved 7 October 2024.
  12. ^ Narayanan, Chitra (23 October 2023). "Gen next of Ikea supplier knits a new venture". The Hindu Business Line. Archived from the original on 11 November 2024. Retrieved 7 October 2024.
  13. ^ "RUMPLING – 環保購物袋, 藍色/鯊魚". IKEA 線上購物 (in Chinese). Retrieved 19 July 2022.
  14. ^ Ang, Hui Yi (18 October 2021). "IKEA launches the new BLÅHAJ Shark Eco Bag! Extra large capacity and durable for only RM8.90!". Leh Leo Radio News. Archived from the original on 10 August 2022. Retrieved 19 July 2022.
  15. ^ Guy, Jack; Ogura, Junka (25 November 2021). "Ikea is offering a tiny apartment in Tokyo for less than $1 per month". CNN. Archived from the original on 12 January 2023. Retrieved 20 August 2022.
  16. ^ Amy Houston (29 November 2021). "Ad of the Day: Ikea's Blåhaj shark comes to life to sell tiny apartments in Tokyo". The Drum.com. Archived from the original on 13 April 2023. Retrieved 30 December 2022.
  17. ^ Karen Lui (14 July 2021). "Ikea Taiwan selling adorable shark buns with black sesame filling at S$1.69 each". mothership.sg. Archived from the original on 19 July 2022. Retrieved 19 July 2022.
  18. ^ Chelvi, S. Tamarai (13 June 2022). "IKEA's cute shark bun nibbles at our hearts". thesundaily.my. Archived from the original on 15 June 2022. Retrieved 19 July 2022.
  19. ^ Ong-Wood, Ivy (11 August 2022). "Shop with the sharks". The Standard (Hong Kong). Archived from the original on 13 April 2023. Retrieved 26 August 2022.
  20. ^ "IKEA BLÅHAJ Shark". Know Your Meme. 27 September 2021. Retrieved 11 June 2025.
  21. ^ a b Samson, Anna (23 March 2022). "A toy shark from IKEA has blown up on TikTok as creators say it provides them with a unique kind of comfort and community". Insider. Archived from the original on 10 August 2022. Retrieved 18 July 2022.
  22. ^ Yap, Mae Yen (20 January 2020). "Someone created a Twitter account of the IKEA shark going about life and it's adorable". Mashable SEA. Archived from the original on 30 October 2021. Retrieved 18 July 2022.
  23. ^ Emma Taggart (26 October 2018). "People Around the World Are Obsessed With This Plush Shark from IKEA". My Modern Met. Archived from the original on 19 July 2022. Retrieved 19 July 2022.
  24. ^ Kayla Wong (4 December 2019). "People are rearranging IKEA Shark plushies to make them do human things". mothership.sg. Archived from the original on 18 July 2022. Retrieved 18 July 2022.
  25. ^ "Ikea Schweiz wirbt mit «Ehebett für alle»". Persoenlich (in German). 8 September 2021. Retrieved 10 June 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  26. ^ "SNUTTIG Soft toy, polar bear/white". IKEA US. Retrieved 10 June 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  27. ^ Cherry, Meghan (13 November 2022). "The Power Of The Shark". Retrieved 25 April 2025.
  28. ^ a b Nuckolls, Bethany (20 January 2022). "An Unlikely Community". The Smart Set. Archived from the original on 19 July 2022. Retrieved 19 July 2022.
  29. ^ Wyllie, Ami (17 December 2021). "Wildly popular IKEA shark vanishes from shelves". DevonLive. Archived from the original on 18 July 2022. Retrieved 18 July 2022.
  30. ^ a b Lean Jinghui (6 October 2021). "Social media users everywhere shookt at news of IKEA shark plushie being discontinued". mothership.sg. Archived from the original on 18 July 2022. Retrieved 18 July 2022.
  31. ^ a b Melissa Teo (7 October 2021). "Is Blahaj the shark plushie really 'going extinct'? Ikea Singapore says otherwise". AsiaOne. Archived from the original on 3 July 2022. Retrieved 19 July 2022.
  32. ^ "Hi Melody! Thanks for reaching out. We appreciate your interest in our BLÅHAJ shark soft toy! IKEA USA doesn't have current plans to discontinue this product..." Twitter. 27 September 2021. Archived from the original on 20 July 2022. Retrieved 20 July 2022.
  33. ^ King, Maya. "Maya King on Twitter: "NEW: IKEA Global Press Officer Diana Lavrenova has stated, quote, that there are "no plans to discontinue [BLÅHAJ] at any market so far", implying that the Europeans were simply, uh, confused and/or misled. I have asked for further clarification."". Twitter. Archived from the original on 8 October 2023. Retrieved 25 August 2023.
  34. ^ Lee, Jeremy (31 January 2022). "IKEA HK Squashes Shark Plushies To Promote Vacuum-Sealed Bags, Now They Look Like Dried Fish". MS News - Independent News For Singaporeans. Retrieved 10 June 2025.
  35. ^ Mandy How (31 January 2022). "IKEA's shark plushie tragically flattened to demonstrate usefulness of vacuum bags". mothership.sg. Archived from the original on 19 July 2022. Retrieved 19 July 2022.
  36. ^ North, Nick (3 November 2022). "TLDR: @ikeacanada wants to give trans folks BLÅHAJ, tag and share! ..."". Instagram. Archived from the original on 5 April 2023. Retrieved 27 December 2022.
  37. ^ Glassman, Julia (18 January 2023). "IKEA Canada Releases Blåhaj Shark in Trans Colors". The Mary Sue. Archived from the original on 3 June 2023. Retrieved 19 January 2023.
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