Sleeved blanket

{{short description|Body-length blanket with sleeves usually made of fleece or nylon material}}

File:Baby Doojo sleeved blanket - 20090820.jpg

A sleeved blanket is a body-length blanket with sleeves usually made of fleece or nylon material. It is similar in design to a bathrobe but is meant to be worn backwards (i.e., with the opening in the back). The product has been marketed by various brands but the original company was Slanket created by Gary Clegg, then other companies like Snuggie, Snuggler, Doojo, Oodie and Toasty Wrap, copying the brand later. It comes in varying sizes, colors and qualities of materials but similar basic design.{{Cite news |author= |date=January 31, 2009 |title=How to tell the difference between a Snuggie and ... |newspaper=Chicago Sun-Times |url=http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/1406531,CST-NWS-Snug31a.article |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090202173726/http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/1406531%2CCST-NWS-Snug31a.article |archive-date=February 2, 2009}}

Popularity

File:Snuggie model.JPG

In late 2008 and early 2009, the SNUGGIE brand of sleeved blankets became a pop culture phenomenon,{{Cite news |last=Yaniv |first=Oren |date=March 25, 2009 |title=Revelers ready for New York City Snuggie pub crawl |work=New York Daily News |url=https://www.nydailynews.com/life-style/revelers-ready-new-york-city-snuggie-pub-crawl-article-1.368731}} sometimes described humorously as a "cult".{{Cite news |last=Harmanci |first=Reyhan |date=March 29, 2009 |title=Warming to the cult of Snuggie |work=San Francisco Chronicle |url=http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/03/27/LVTI16LG23.DTL}}{{Cite news |last=Newman |first=Andrew Adam |date=February 26, 2009 |title=Snuggie Rode Silly Ads to Stardom Over Rivals |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/27/business/media/27adco.html?_r=1 |url-access=limited}}

The product became famous after a direct response commercial promoting the product was aired. It was featured on television programs like Today, where cast and crew donned SNUGGIE blankets for a segment, which was described as looking like a Black Protestant choir.{{Cite news |last=Celizic |first=Mike |author-link=Mike Celizic |date=February 4, 2009 |title=Matt said he'd never wear a Snuggie, but... |work=Today's Family Blog |publisher=NBC News |url=http://allday.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2009/02/04/1780135.aspx |url-status=dead |access-date=February 8, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090205170240/http://allday.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2009/02/04/1780135.aspx |archive-date=February 5, 2009}} Others have described mass-snuggie wearing as looking like a Harry Potter convention.{{Cite web |last=Halper |first=Jonah |date=February 17, 2010 |title=Snuggie Should you be snuggling up with a Snuggie? |url=http://www.infonotmercial.com/snuggie-review.html |website=infoNOTmercial |access-date=February 23, 2010 |archive-date=February 21, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100221054225/http://www.infonotmercial.com/snuggie-review.html |url-status=dead }} The Associated Press likened it to a "monk's ensemble in fleece" and proclaimed it the "ultimate kitsch gift". The SNUGGIE brand sleeved blanket initially sold singly for $14.95, and later in sets of two for $19.95.{{citation needed|date=September 2012}}

The Slanket was mentioned in an episode of NBC's 30 Rock entitled "The Ones". The product has also been ridiculed as a "backwards robe" or simple reinvention of the coat on radio and television talk shows in the United States. Comparisons have also been made with the Thneed, a highly promoted, amorphous garment in the Dr. Seuss story, The Lorax.{{Cite magazine |last=Lind |first=Dara |date=January 12, 2009 |title=You Shall Know Them By Their Slankets |url=http://culture11.com/article/36393 |magazine=Culture11 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090303112054/http://culture11.com:80/article/36393? |archive-date=Mar 3, 2009}}

On January 30, 2009, a group organized a pub crawl wearing Snuggies in Cincinnati.{{Cite web |title=Zebra Snuggie |url=http://www.snuggiepubcrawls.com/ |website=Snuggie Pub Crawl}} In the following months, they went on to complete over 40 more across the nation. Later, a group organized a Snuggie pub crawl in Chicago to raise money for an African orphanage, which led to similar events throughout the United States. Derek Hunter, an employee at the conservative think tank Americans for Tax Reform, started a Facebook page called "The Snuggie Cult"; he convinced fellow conservatives including Joe the Plumber, Tucker Carlson, and Andrew Breitbart to pose wearing the robes.{{Cite news |last=Gavin |first=Patrick |date=March 27, 2009 |title=Conservatives embrace the Snuggie |work=Politico |url=https://www.politico.com/story/2009/03/conservatives-embrace-the-snuggie-020558 |access-date=2023-10-03}}

The phenomenon resulted in sales of the SNUGGIE brand sleeved blanket and its rivals that far exceeded their distributors' expectations: more than 4 million Snuggies {{As of|2009|Dec|lc=y}}{{Cite news |last=Heher |first=Ashley M. |agency=Associated Press|date=December 21, 2009 |title=The Snuggie could have been an episode of 'Seinfeld' |work=New Haven Register |url=https://www.nhregister.com/news/article/The-Snuggie-could-have-been-an-episode-of-11635640.php |access-date=2023-10-03}} and 1 million Slankets {{As of|2009|Feb|lc=y}}. The phenomenon has even resulted in variations such as "Snuggie for Dogs"{{Cite news |last=Spak |first= Kara |date=October 30, 2009 |title=Snuggies go to the dogs |work=Chicago Sun-Times |url=http://www.suntimes.com/lifestyles/pets/1854958,CST-NWS-snuggie30.article |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091102050537/http://www.suntimes.com/lifestyles/pets/1854958%2CCST-NWS-snuggie30.article |archive-date=November 2, 2009}} and Snuggie with printed patterns.{{Cite web |date=November 21, 2010 |title=Latest Snuggie Photo Submissions |work=Blanket Humor: The Website with Sleeves |url=http://snuggiehumor.com/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130730113611/http://snuggiehumor.com/ |archive-date=Jul 30, 2013 |access-date=August 27, 2013}}

File:Twins vs. Angels April 6, 2010 - 02.jpg record for the "largest gathering of people wearing fleece blankets" at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on April 6, 2010]]

In the summer of 2009, the Designer SNUGGIE was released to the public, as well as the Snuggie for Kids and the Snuggie for Dogs.{{Cite web |last=xeniagirl007 |date=Sep 5, 2009 |title=Ridiculous Snuggie commercial |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BeM4GMGWInY |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180929072507/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BeM4GMGWInY |archive-date=Sep 29, 2018 |website=YouTube}}

On March 5, 2010, at a Cleveland Cavaliers game, Snuggie wearers broke a world record for sleeved blanket wearing. Over 22,500 fans wore custom-made, limited edition Cavaliers Snuggie blankets for 5 minutes. A Guinness World Records representative was on hand to present the official World Record certificate to KeyBank, the Cavaliers, and Snuggie.{{Cite web|url=http://www.nba.com/cavaliers/snuggie/|title=CAVS Snuggie™ Night brought to you by KeyBank|website=NBA.com|date=February 27, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100227030629/http://www.nba.com/cavaliers/snuggie/|archive-date=February 27, 2010}} However, in just a little over a month, the feat was broken during a Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim home game when over 40,000 spectators wore a promotional Hideki Matsui sleeved blanket for five minutes.{{Cite news |last=Carpenter |first=Eric |date=April 17, 2010 |title=Angel fans cozy up to new world record |work=The Orange County Register |url-access=subscription |url=http://www.ocregister.com/articles/record-242922-blanket-fans.html}}

In March 2018, Allstar Marketing Group, owner of the "Snuggie" brand, was fined $7.5 million by the US Federal Trade Commission for deceptive marketing and ordered to provide refunds to deceived customers.{{Cite web |title=FTC Sending Refund Checks Totaling More Than $7.2 Million to Consumers Who Bought Deceptively Marketed "Buy-One-Get-One-Free" Products, Company often billed consumers without their consent |url=https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/press-releases/2018/03/ftc-sending-refund-checks-totaling-more-72-million-consumers-who |access-date=March 15, 2018 |website=Federal Trade Commission |date=March 12, 2018 }}

=Parodies=

Several hundred parodies of the commercial have appeared on YouTube, as well as numerous fan pages on Facebook.{{Cite news |last=Puente |first=Maria |date=January 28, 2009 |title=Snuggie gets a warm embrace from pop culture |work=USA Today |url=https://www.usatoday.com/life/lifestyle/2009-01-27-snuggie_N.htm |access-date=January 28, 2009}} Mockings of the product and its commercial have also been made by comedians such as Daniel Tosh, Jay Leno, Ellen DeGeneres, Bill Maher,{{Cite web |last=Leo |first=Alex |date=2009-05-26 |title=SlumWow! Bill Maher Brings You The Latest Craze In Infomercials (VIDEO) |url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/slumwow-bill-maher-brings_n_191380 |access-date=2023-04-12 |website=HuffPost |language=en}} Jon Stewart, Whoopi Goldberg, Tim Burton, Loulogio (in Spain), Tim Hawkins, and on iCarly, as well as website parodies and Lacie and Olivia.{{Cite web |last=Rivenburg |first=Roy |date=December 26, 2009 |title=Snuggies for Monsters! |url=http://notthelatimes.com/snuggie.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091226131419/http://notthelatimes.com/snuggie.html |archive-date=December 26, 2009 |website=Not The Los Angeles Times}} jacksfilms's YouTube parody, entitled "The WTF Blanket", has reached over 25 million views {{As of|2025|lc=y}}.{{Cite web |last=jacksfilms |date=Jan 22, 2009 |title=The WTF Blanket (Snuggie Parody) |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h05ZQ7WHw8Y |access-date=September 25, 2014 |website=YouTube}}

Commercial variations

The product was first commercialized as the Freedom Blanket.

The Slanket was created by Gary Clegg using a sleeping bag in Maine in 1998 (before the Snuggie). Clegg's mother made him a blanket with a single sleeve for use in his cold dorm room. Clegg later developed that into the Slanket with two sleeves.{{Cite web |author=Budda |date=October 19, 2006 |title=The Slanket |url=http://www.gadgetspy.co.uk/2006/10/19/the-slanket |website=GadgetSpy |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081013132502/http://www.gadgetspy.co.uk/2006/10/19/the-slanket |archive-date=October 13, 2008}}{{Cite news |author= |date=November 24, 2008 |title=Feeling chilly? The answer may be the Slanket |url=http://www.rte.ie/news/2008/1124/slanket.html |website=RTÉ News}}

The SNUGGIE sleeved blanket product has been sold in the United States, Canada, and Australia. It was marketed primarily through a television commercial.{{Cite news |last=Stephey |first=M.J. |date=January 13, 2009 |title=Suffocating in Snuggies: That Ubiquitous TV Ad |work=Time |url=http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1870762,00.html |url-status=dead |access-date=January 15, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090114222127/http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1870762,00.html |archive-date=January 14, 2009}} {{As of|2009|Jan}}, over 20 million of the product had been sold.{{Cite news |last=Schmidt |first=Mackenzie |date=December 21, 2009 |title=2009, The Year of the Snuggie: A Handy Timeline From 'The WTF Blanket' to Weezer's Wuggies |work=The Village Voice |url=https://www.villagevoice.com/2009-the-year-of-the-snuggie-a-handy-timeline-from-the-wtf-blanket-to-weezers-wuggies/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110511235958/http://blogs.villagevoice.com/runninscared/2009/12/2009_year_of_th.php?page=1 |archive-date=May 11, 2011}}

Another variant, the Toasty Wrap, has been sold via infomercials hosted by Montel Williams as a method for saving on heating costs.{{Cite news |last=Clifford |first=Stephanie |date=December 21, 2008 |title=Montel's Back, and Does He Have a Deal for You |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/22/business/media/22adco.html?ref=media |access-date=February 8, 2009}} However, based on the similarities of the Toasty Wrap's advertising to that of SNUGGIE, BrandFreak suggested that it is probable that both brands originate with the same manufacturer.{{cite web |url=http://www.brandfreak.com/2009/02/how-do-snuggies-and-toasty-wraps-differ-and-should-you-care.html |title=How do Snuggies and Toasty Wraps differ, and should you care? |first= Elena |last=Malykhina |date=February 11, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090211043732/http://www.brandfreak.com/2009/02/how-do-snuggies-and-toasty-wraps-differ-and-should-you-care.html |archive-date=2009-02-11 |work=BrandFreak.com |url-status=dead}}

The rock band Weezer released its own Snuggie blanket in November 2009, which is available in solid blue with the name "Weezer" on it in white font. It has been dubbed the "Wuggie".{{Cite news |last=Dombal |first=Ryan |date=May 26, 2009 |title=Meet the Wuggie, the Weezer Snuggie |url=http://pitchfork.com/news/35421-meet-the-wuggie-the-weezer-snuggie/ |website=Pitchfork}}

It is sometimes marketed as a "comfy blanket".[http://www.wweshop.com/item/john-cena-comfy-blanket/JohnCena/50-05888 WWE Wrestling Superstar Merchandise, WWE Clothes, Action Figures & More]. WWEShop. Retrieved on August 27, 2013.

The former business GO-GO Blanket holds the US patent for child-sized sleeved blankets.{{Citation needed|date=October 2023}} GO-GO Blanket was created as a travel blanket for children that claimed compliance with federal safety regulations for car seats and strollers.{{cite web |url=http://www.gogoblanket.com/so-what-is-a-go-go-blanket-3/ |title=What's a Go-Go Blanket |website=Go-Go Blanket |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160607050416/http://www.gogoblanket.com/so-what-is-a-go-go-blanket-3/ |archive-date=June 7, 2016 |url-status=dead |access-date=October 3, 2023 }} Another competing product is the Oodie, a knee-length sleeved and hooded blanket founded in Australia.{{cite web |url=https://theoodie.com/pages/about |title=The Oodie Story |access-date=2023-10-03}}

An Italian version sold in Europe, Canada, and Japan is the "Kanguru," which includes a large front pocket reminiscent of a kangaroo's pouch.{{cite web |url=http://www.milanotoday.it/blog/shopping/kanguru-lavatelli-coperta.html |title=Kanguru, diffidate dalle solite coperte |last=Giaquinta |first=Giada |work=Shopping a Milano |publisher= MilanoToday |language=it |access-date=August 27, 2013}}

In 2017, a U.S. trade court ruled that the product should be classified as a blanket, rather than clothing, as government lawyers had been trying to claim. In the United States, the tariff on imported blankets is 8.5 percent, whereas the tariff on imported "pullover apparel" is significantly higher at 14.9 percent.{{cite news |last=Swanson |first=Ana |date=2017-03-06 |title=Why a weird legal dispute about whether the Snuggie is a blanket actually matters a lot |newspaper=The Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2017/03/06/why-a-weird-legal-dispute-about-whether-the-snuggie-is-a-blanket-actually-matters-a-lot/ |access-date=March 6, 2017}}