Barbara Alper/Getty Images
If you’re an ‘80sbaby, either you were obsessed with Cabbage Patch Kids or you never understood the hype. The dolls were huge in the early ‘80s, and for some people, they’re still cherished collectibles today. There have been some revisions over the years, but they’re still immediately recognizable by their round faces, rosy cheeks andsquishy, cloth bodies.
This was one of those trends that crossed age thresholdswhile also saturatingthe youth market. It wasn’t just parents buying them for theiryoungkids—tweens were loving them too. The level of demand for the toys was wild, and the lengths people went to get their hands on these things was like something from a Black Friday nightmare.
The original Cabbage Patch frenzy has settled,but whydid the kind-of-creepy baby dolls become such a thing—and are they even still around? We explain it all on PureWow's nostalgic pop culture podcast, 'What Ever Happened To...?'—where we come together to relive pop culture history and uncover what became of the celebrities and trends that defined our adolescence.
What is the story of Cabbage Patch Kids?
The Cabbage Patch Kids were born, according to the brand’s website, in 1976 when a 21-year-old art student from Georgia named Xavier Roberts combined his interest in sculpture with the quilting skills he learned from his mother. He began creating soft-sculptures, using a German fabric technique called "needle molding” from the early 1800s.A couple years later, Xavier began showing off his one-of-a-kind creations, which he called Little People Originals, at arts and crafts shows. He even snagged a first place ribbon at the Osceola Art Show in Kissimmee, Florida, for his doll named Dexter.
Related: What Ever Happened to Dream Street, the Boy Band Only Millennials Remember?
Building on his success, he renovated an old medical clinic in Cleveland, Georgia, into “BabyLand General Hospital,” a store made to look like a birthing, nursing and adoption center for the dolls.The toys even came with a birth certificate and adoption papers.(Just wait—it gets weirder).
In 1981, marketing mastermind Roger Schlaifer came into the picture. Together they developed a mass-market, plastic head version of the dolls, which they renamed Cabbage Patch Kids, and took their show on the road. Apparently, they reached out to a bunch of toy companies, and allegedly were turned away because the dolls were too ugly (no argument here). But then, they found Coleco.
Roger told Syracuse University Magazine in 1988, "It was ideal timing for us. Smurfs had had their day. E.T. passed quickly. Strawberry Shortcake was on the wane. We saw a vital opportunity, timing-wise, to position Cabbage Patch Kids. All the psychological factors were right. It wouldn't have happened, I don't think, three or four years earlier."
The toys began appearing in major publications like Newsweek, The Wall Street Journaland Atlanta Weekly, who were all marveling at their ballooning popularity. By 1983, it was a full-on Cabbage Patch craze. The proud new parents (er, owners?) even had to recite an oath before taking their treasures home. At first, the kiddos were going for $40 a pop—but once they started getting really popular, product shortages caused a price spike. By 1983, TIME reported prices ranged from $125 to $1,000.
But let’s circle back to that origin story, shall we?There’sanother version ofevents thatwasdetailedin a documentarywhichpremiered at the 2022 Tribeca Film Festival. It’s called"Billion Dollar Babies: The True Story of the Cabbage Patch Kids,”and it’s narrated byNeil Patrick Harris.
Who really created Cabbage Patch Kids?
According to the documentary, Xavier Roberts might not be the true creator of Cabbage Patch Kids. The film says there was a legal battle between Xavier and a folk artist named Martha Nelson Thomas, who passed away in 2013. The movie claims Xavier stole the original design from her.
In 2015,Vice also covered this side of the story when they traveled to Kentucky to meet with Martha's friends and family and tell her side of the story. Martha's husband, Tucker Thomas, claimed in a video that Xavier not only ripped off the design of Martha's Doll Babies, but that the whole adoption concept was Martha's as well.Those close to Martha claimed Xavier purchased Martha's dolls at a fair and she denied him permission to sell her dolls, and that's when he decided to take things into his own hands.
Martha's attorney, Jack Wheat,told Vice, "The lawsuit was filed, if I recall correctly, about 1979; and I believe it ultimately went to trial in 1985. It was about 6 years of pretrial wrangling which wasn’t uncommon in those days. At some point, in the middle of the trial, Xavier Robert’s council approached me and said, 'Let’s discuss a settlement,' and that day, the case settled."
Related:What Happened to Limited Too, the Cherished Tween Store That Vanished From Malls?
So, what happened to Cabbage Patch Kids, anyway?
Let’s rewind back to the late '80s. The dolls’ popularity was diminishing, and the toy company Coleco filed for bankruptcy. Enter: toy and game mega-producer Hasbro, which is a household name in the toy biz. Think My Little Pony, Transformers, Play-Doh, Monopoly, Power Rangers…the list goes on and on. And, in 1988, they added the production rights for Cabbage Patch Kids. The entertainment giant set to work with some revamps for the wilting brand, like shrinking the babes from 16 to 14 inches, so little ones had an easier time playing with them.
Cabbage Patch Kids also made their way to the small screen. An animated special called The Cabbage Patch Kids' First Christmas premiered on ABC in 1984. By the ‘90s,this included a bunch of stop-motion TV specialstoo—there was The New Kid, The Club House, The Screen Test, Saturday Night and Vernon’s Christmas.
In 1994, the production rights passed to Mattel. But not all their plans for the garden babies went as planned. In 1997, The Washington Postreported they had to recall their recently-launched Snacktime Kids because the mechanized dolls were munching on kids fingers and hair, instead of the plastic snacks they came with. Oops!
In 2001, Toys "R" Us took a turn, producing 20-inch kids and 18-inch babies until 2003. Then, the company Play Along released a Cabbage Patch Kids 25th Anniversary collection using some of the original head sculpts from the first Coleco editions. If you missed that, they also released a 30th birthday collection in 2013, so who knows, maybe a 40th edition is on the horizon, in case your inner child is still obsessed.
Can you buy Cabbage Patch Kids today?
You sure can! Wicked Cool Toys is the company who makes them now, and they're available for sale on the official Cabbage Patch Kids website, alongall your favorite toy-selling retailers like Target, Walmart,Amazon—you name it.
The company also released a family of Cabbage Patch-related toyscalledLittle Sprouts, which are tiny baby, kid and pet figures, and Adoptimals, which are plush pets for thekids. They also have Cabbage Patch "Cuties,"which are9-inch, thumb-sucking babies wearing cute animal costumes. But if you want to keep it really authentic, you can adopt a hand-stitched, completely one-of-a-kind doll beginning at a mere $260. If a basic Cabbage Patch kid is good enough for you, those range from around $15 to $60.
Andfor those who are still really into collecting the cuddly cherubs,Babyland General Hospital still exists in Georgia. It’s basically a museum-meets-nursery—and yes, they still make a whole to-do of the dolls being birthed.
So, what ever happened to Cabbage Patch Kids? A whole lot—but they’re stillaroundandpeople still love them.
Want more nostalgia? Tune in to 'What Ever Happened To...?' every Tuesday on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Don’t forget to send your "What Ever Happened To's" toinfo@gallerypodcasts.com—or just comment on one of our TikToks@WhatEverHappenedToPod.
Related:What Ever Happened to Steve from'Blue’s Clues,'the Nickelodeon Icon'90s Babies Loved?
FAQs
What is the value of a 1980 Cabbage Patch doll? ›
How Much Are Cabbage Patch Dolls Worth? Cabbage Patch dolls from earlier times are typically worth $500 to $2000, while standard dolls with vinyl heads usually cost between $10 to $30. Teresa Ann was the most valuable Cabbage Patch doll to sell in 1985. In April 2021, it sold on eBay for $2000.
Why was the Cabbage Patch Doll recalled? ›The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and Mattel, Inc. today announced that Mattel will attach warning labels to all Cabbage Patch Snacktime Kids dolls following reports of children getting their hair and fingers caught in the doll's mouth.
What happened to Cabbage Patch dolls? ›Hasbro took over the rights to produce Cabbage Patch dolls in 1988 after Coleco filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, and continued to make the dolls with various gimmicks, including dolls that played kazoos.
What is the most valuable Cabbage Patch doll? ›1. Hand Signed 1979 Xavier Roberts Little People Twins, $3,500. The most valuable Cabbage Patch Dolls come as a set of twins.
How much is a 1985 Cabbage Patch Preemie doll worth? ›A 1985 Cabbage Doll called Teresa Ann sold on ebay for $2000 in April this year. The green-eyed cutie with a dimple in her left cheek still had the signature of creator Xavier Roberts on her bottom, which may have helped her fetch such a grand price.
How much did a Cabbage Patch Kid cost in 1984? ›They were sold by toy company Coleco for about $25. The Cabbage Patch Kids had a unique hook that made them popular.
Did Cabbage Patch dolls get banned? ›Snacktime Cabbage Patch Kid
This doll's mechanical jaw wouldn't stop chewing, even if a child's finger were in it! Hair was also another victim to this ever-hungry doll. Mattel banned it in 1997.
The voluntary recall by the world's biggest toymaker came after several highly publicized cases of Cabbage Patch Snacktime Kids dolls sucking in youngsters' fingers and hair, and not letting go. About 100 incidents were reported to El Segundo, Calif. -based Mattel, many of them after Christmas.
Which came first my buddy or Chucky? ›My Buddy was a success and wa considered as the inspiration behind Chucky from the Child's Play movies. I wrote an article about My Pet Monster and how it was seen as a plush doll marketed towards boys. Every kid has a stuffed animal at some point but boys tend to outgrow them.
When did they stop making Cabbage Patch Kids? ›Coleco manufactured the Cabbage Patch Kids until 1989. They have since been produced by Hasbro, Mattel, Toys “R” Us, Play Along Kids, and Jakks Pacific. Numerous toy accessories and other licensed products (clothing, dinnerware, etc.)
How can you tell how old a Cabbage Patch doll is? ›
How To Identify Vintage Coleco Cabbage Patch Dolls - YouTube
When was the cabbage patch craze shortage? ›NEW YORK (WABC) -- In November 1983, America went bonkers for Cabbage Patch Kids. The dolls were so scarce and demand was so high that riots broke out in stores, parents were ready to drive hundreds of miles to buy them, and desperate gift givers were willing to pay big bucks for a rare doll.
When was the first black Cabbage Patch doll made? ›On the left side of every doll's tush, you can find the signature of Cabbage Patch Kids inventor, Xavier Roberts. However, what you might not know is that just about every year the dolls were made, the color of the signature changed. For instance, in 1983, the signature was black but in 1993 it was forest green.
How big is a Cabbage Patch Preemie doll? ›The Preemie Cabbage Patch Kids 14 1/2 to 15 inches from their head to toes. Their neck is 8 inches. Their waist is 12 1/2 inches. There are no products listed under this category.
Are porcelain dolls worth money? ›Generally, porcelain dolls sold there are priced between $10 and $20, and even rarer ones go for $200, but it's difficult to determine their actual value.
What was the top selling toy in 1985? ›- Cabbage Patch Kids: ...
- Transformers: ...
- Pillow People: ...
- Pogo Ball: ...
- Skateboard: ...
- G.I. Joe: ...
- Atari: ...
- Teddy Ruxpin:
1983. By the end of the year almost 3 million of the Cabbage Patch Kids Toys have been adopted but demand has not been met. The Cabbage Patch Kids Toys go on record as the most successful new doll introduction in the history of the toy industry. In December, they are featured on the cover of Newsweek.
Are vintage Cabbage Patch dolls toxic? ›Even the original Cabbage Patch dolls, with their squeezable fabric bodies, have plastic heads that were made decades before the current regulations. Touching phthalate-rich plastic isn't gonna kill your kid — if it did, we'd all be dead by now. But exposure does add up and the chemicals are now regulated for a reason.
Where is the banned toy museum? ›And let's not forget the Atomic Energy Lab for kids -- with materials that turned out to be actually radioactive. All are banned (or recalled) toys. And all are on display at The Banned Toys Museum in Burlingame, California (which also includes a Classic Toys and Pez Museum).
Are Cabbage Patch dolls safe for babies? ›Cabbage patch dolls are great toys. It's just at age 1 she might not understand how to play with it and that is probably why the box recommends ages 3 and up.
What is a Cabbage Patch Snacktime Kid? ›
This particular doll, a CPK Snacktime Kid appeared briefly in the 1990s. The doll came with plastic snacks which the doll munched when the food was set in its open lips. The food moved through the mouth on metal rollers and exited into a backpack on the doll's back.
Is Chucky based off a true story? ›While Chucky, the killer doll from the Child's Play franchise, isn't a real life individual, he is actually inspired by an alleged true story. The real events that helped inspire what would become the story for Child's Play begin with the tale of Robert the Doll.
Why did they stop making good guy dolls? ›The Good Guy doll line was again cancelled after the discoveries of the events of Child's Play 3. Original dolls have since been sought after as collector's items, with an increased price for ones named "Chucky".
What are Buddy dolls worth? ›Hasbro's My Buddy Doll -- originally marketed for boys -- was a big hit with kids in the 1980s. You can find the dolls on sale at eBay, priced as high as $66, and sometimes higher if found in the original box. The Tomy water games were popular in both the 1970s and 1980s.
Can you put a Cabbage Patch doll in the dryer? ›How to Clean a Cabbage Patch Kid Doll | Full Step-By-Step Tutorial
How much does it cost to adopt a Cabbage Patch Kid? ›No two Originals are ever exactly alike. Adoption fees begin at $260.00. Birth Certificates and Adoption Papers are included and you will have the opportunity to change the name and birthdate of your Cabbage Patch Kid.
Can I get a new birth certificate for my Cabbage Patch doll? ›The customized birth certificate is offered exclusively to our website customers or those who shop at BabyLand General Hospital. Are replacement papers available for Little People and Cabbage Patch Kids? Replacement papers are only available for certain Handstitched Soft Sculptured Originals (those with a fabric face).
How much did the original Cabbage Patch dolls cost? ›It was an ingenious combination of marketing and timeliness; one that caused the FIRST Capra-esque “run on the toy stores in Christmastime” of 1983 in recent memory. Although retailing for $25, there were black market sales of Cabbage Patch Kids recorded as high as $2,000!
What year did Cabbage Patch Koosas come out? ›Designed by Appalachian Artworks and Coleco about 1983, the “Koosas” were born as animal versions of the Cabbage Patch Kids. Koosas were intended to be “pets” for the Cabbage Patch Kids, and included cats, dogs and lions! The Koosa had a soft-sculpted body with molded vinyl head, yarn hair and shaped ears.
Are old Barbies worth anything? ›Vintage Barbie dolls on the market from 1959 to the late 1960s are especially prized among collectors. Often, these Barbies had bendable legs or red hair, and they are considered some of the most rare and valuable. Today, the price of a mint condition Barbie from this era can run close to $25,000.
Do people still collect dolls? ›
People collect dolls for many reasons. Some collect them because of fond childhood memories, others for the artistry that goes into making them, others for historical value, and still others for their resale value.
Are 90's Barbies worth anything? ›While these life-size 90s Barbies only cost around $30 in the 90s, many My Size Barbie dolls have become pretty rare and expensive today. The 1997 My Size Rapunzel doll is one of the highest priced and can fetch up to $200.
How do I restore my Cabbage Patch dolls hair? ›How To Fix Cabbage Patch Doll Hair | #shorts - YouTube
Can you put baby dolls in the washer? ›Throwing a stuffed animal or plush doll in the washing machine is easy enough. Select the washer's gentle cycle, with cold water, and use a small amount of detergent. This article from The New York Times suggests using a mesh washing bag and then padding the load with towels to protect the stuffed toy during the cycle.
How do you clean old dolls? ›For a general cleaning, using a soft cloth and a mild dish washing liquid soap, gently wash the surface of the doll. For more embedded dirt, most vinyl doll's 'skin' can be cleaned by making a paste from baking soda and water and gently cleaning with a damp cloth. Be gentle, and don't scrub!
Are Cabbage Patch dolls from the 80s worth anything? ›Like many other nostalgic toys, Cabbage Patch Kids from the 80s have become a darling of collectors, and can even fetch seriously high prices on the resale market. Though most second-hand Cabbage Patch Kids from the 1980s retail at around $30, rarer dolls or dolls in mint condition can be sold for up to $3,000.
Do Cabbage Patch dolls have a smell? ›Though not necessarily attractive, one thing reminiscent of that doll, is their classic scent – a cross between a light powdery talc and a hard plastic material – it was the closest the doll-makers were going to get to an actual newborn baby smell, and as children, we loved it!
Why are they called Cabbage Patch dolls? ›Each doll came with a birth certificate, adoption papers, and a name pulled from 1938 Georgia birth records. Roberts finally licensed the doll to toy manufacturer Coleco in 1982. He changed the name to Cabbage Patch Kids, based on the childhood fable that new babies were plucked from cabbage gardens.
How do I identify my Cabbage Patch doll? ›How To Identify Vintage Coleco Cabbage Patch Dolls - YouTube
How much is a mint condition Cabbage Patch doll worth? ›Though most second-hand Cabbage Patch Kids from the 1980s retail at around $30, rarer dolls or dolls in mint condition can be sold for up to $3,000.
Are Cabbage Patch dolls collectible? ›
As for collectors, Cabbage Patch Kids may hold great sentimental value but not much collectible cache. Through the years, more than 130 million Cabbage Patch Kids were “born.” Celebrities from Ellen DeGeneres and Al Roker had a Cabbage Patch Kid look-alike made especially for them. They were everywhere.
Can you wash a Cabbage Patch doll in the washer? ›Place the doll inside a pillowcase with a knot on one end. Put it into the washer with the outfit and some clothes. Once the wash is complete, hang the doll by his head to remove any excess water.
How much does it cost to adopt a Cabbage Patch Kid? ›No two Originals are ever exactly alike. Adoption fees begin at $260.00. Birth Certificates and Adoption Papers are included and you will have the opportunity to change the name and birthdate of your Cabbage Patch Kid.
Are old Barbies worth anything? ›Vintage Barbie dolls on the market from 1959 to the late 1960s are especially prized among collectors. Often, these Barbies had bendable legs or red hair, and they are considered some of the most rare and valuable. Today, the price of a mint condition Barbie from this era can run close to $25,000.
Do people still collect dolls? ›People collect dolls for many reasons. Some collect them because of fond childhood memories, others for the artistry that goes into making them, others for historical value, and still others for their resale value.
Are 90's Barbies worth anything? ›While these life-size 90s Barbies only cost around $30 in the 90s, many My Size Barbie dolls have become pretty rare and expensive today. The 1997 My Size Rapunzel doll is one of the highest priced and can fetch up to $200.
Why were cabbage patch dolls so popular? ›In 1983, a Cabbage Patch Kids doll was a 16-inch doll, usually with a plastic head, a fabric body, and yarn hair (unless it was bald). What made them so desirable, besides the fact that they were huggable, was both their supposed uniqueness and their "adoptability."
What age group are cabbage patch dolls for? ›Cabbage patch dolls are great toys. It's just at age 1 she might not understand how to play with it and that is probably why the box recommends ages 3 and up.
Are porcelain dolls worth money? ›Generally, porcelain dolls sold there are priced between $10 and $20, and even rarer ones go for $200, but it's difficult to determine their actual value.
What was the top selling toy in 1985? ›- Cabbage Patch Kids: ...
- Transformers: ...
- Pillow People: ...
- Pogo Ball: ...
- Skateboard: ...
- G.I. Joe: ...
- Atari: ...
- Teddy Ruxpin:
What is the meaning of Cabbage Patch? ›
A plot of land on which cabbage is grown.
Did Cabbage Patch Kids come with diapers? ›Trying VINTAGE CABBAGE PATCH DOLL DIAPERS on our baby born ...