The Pop Insider Reveals Finalists for the Inaugural Collectors' Choice Awards

Fan- and industry-voted awards program honors the best in licensed merchandise, collectibles, and fan-first experiences.

KPop Demon Hunters, Wicked, Stranger Things, and more snag finalist titles.

NEW YORK, Dec. 18, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Pop Insider, the only publication completely dedicated to officially licensed merchandise and pop culture fandom, is proud to reveal the finalists for its inaugural Collectors' Choice Awards. The awards celebrate the most innovative, creative, and fan-driven licensed products, experiences, and collaborations across entertainment, toys, collectibles, fashion, beauty, home goods, and more.

Now in its latest edition, the Collectors' Choice Awards spotlight the brands, creators, and companies that continue to raise the bar for fandom-focused merchandise. A panel of more than 20 licensing industry professionals and pop culture experts voted on their favorite items, experiences, companies and more of 2025, resulting in nearly 90 finalists across 16 categories. Finalists were selected based on a multi-point criteria, including originality, quality, fan appeal, market impact, and overall significance in pop culture.

"We created the Collectors' Choice Awards to give standout pieces, companies, and experiences the lasting recognition they deserve and make sure they live on not just on collectors' shelves, but in the spotlight where they belong," says Marissa Silva, Editor-in-Chief of The Pop Insider. "The first-ever Collectors' Choice Awards Finalists represent creativity, passion, and fandom. We can't wait to see which ones resonate most with fans, but all of them deserve their place in pop-culture history."

Public voting on the Collectors' Choice Award winners will take place Feb. 1-28, 2026. Fans can vote on thepopinsider.com. The final winners of all 16 categories as well as the overall Collectors' Choice Award winner will be revealed on March 18, 2026. The overall winner will be the brand, product, or experience that receives the most votes across categories.

2025 Collectors' Choice Awards Finalists
Best Apparel/Accessory Line

• Crunchyroll — My Hero Academia x NBA x Hyperfly Expanded Collection
• Hasbro — PEPPA PIG and Hill House Home Collection
• JanSport — Stranger Things 5 x JanSport Collaboration Line
• Kellica — Harry Potter Diagon Alley Advent Calendar
• Loungefly — Wicked: For Good
• Universal Products & Experiences — Wicked For Good x Ines Di Santo

Best Beauty Collaboration

• Glamlite — The Lord of the Rings x Glamlite
• Glamnetic — Glamnetic x Fanatics
• Jazwares — Blue Meadow Squishmallows Fragrance
• NYX Cosmetics — NYX x Wednesday
• SHEGLAM — The Matrix Resurrections Full Collection Set
• Universal Products & Experiences — Lush x Wicked: For Good

Best Branded Experience

• Bandai Namco Toys & Collectibles America — Tamagotchi USA Road Trip
• BBC Studios — Doctor Who: UNIT Black Archive Immersive Experience (SDCC 2025)
• Edelman — Dove Men+Care at New York Comic Con
• Mattel — UNO Social Clubs
• Paramount — Nickelodeon Land at The Land of Legends / Nickelodeon Hotels & Resorts Antalya
• The Walt Disney Company — The Key to Disneyland Interactive Experience

Best Collectible Line

• Funko — POP! Vinyl KPop Demon Hunters
• Hasbro — Marvel Legends
• Jada Toys — Street Fighter Action Figures
• McFarlane Toys — DC Multiverse Batman Returns Deluxe Wave
• Moose Toys — FANDROP
• Playmates Toys — TMNT Mutant Mayhem Knockoff Knockout 2-Packs
• The Loyal Subjects — M.A.S.K. MDU
• The Nacelle Company — Star Trek 1:10 Scale Action Figures

Best Con Exclusive

• Funko — Batman 15th Anniversary Pop! (SDCC)
• Hasbro — G.I. Joe Classified Cold Slither Commemorative Set
• Hasbro — Star Wars Vintage Collection Jedi Spirits 3-Pack
• Jazwares — Pokémon Squirtle Squad Plush Pack
• Thrilljoy — TMNT Bebop SDCC 2025 Exclusive
• Upper Deck — Convention Exclusive DC Trading Cards

Best Fandom Collaboration

• Cloudco Entertainment/Basic Fun! — Stranger Things x Care Bears
• Cloudco Entertainment/Basic Fun! — Wicked x Care Bears
• Funko — KPop Demon Hunters x Pop! Yourself
• Hasbro — TRANSFORMERS x NFL
• Paramount — Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles x Godzilla
• Sanrio — Hello Kitty x Strawberry Shortcake

Best High-End Collectible

• Agoro — Agoro Blind Boxes
• Basic Fun! — Arcade Classics Ultra Series
• Hasbro — Robosen G1 Bumblebee Auto-Converting Robot
• McFarlane Toys — Spawn #1 Resin Statue
• PCS Collectibles — TMNT Underground 1:1 Diorama
• Wēta Workshop — Masters Collection: The Fellowship of the Ring

Best Home Goods Line

• Coleman — Coleman x Stranger Things
• Homesick — Gilmore Girls Collection
• Paladone — The Icon Range
• Toynk — Magic: The Gathering Black Lotus Fleece Throw
• Trove Brands — Owala Disney Princess Collection
• Universal Products & Experiences — Wicked for Pottery Barn

Best Limited-Edition Drop

• 100 Percent Soft — Magical 8-Bit Dumpster Fire Vinyl Figure
• Factory Entertainment — Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Phaser Replica
• Loungefly — Wicked Glinda & Elphaba Mini-Backpacks
• Mondo — Juggernaut Prisoner Variant Vinyl Figure
• Monogram International — NBC Jack Deluxe Bank
• Paramount — Appa Wood-Carved Skate Deck

Best Retro Revival

• Alamo Drafthouse — Godzilla Collection
• Hasbro — G.I. Joe Cold Slither
• McFarlane Toys — Batman: The Animated Series Figures
• Playmates Toys — Mighty Morphin Power Rangers Reignition
• The LEGO Group — LEGO Game Boy
• The Loyal Subjects — My Pet Monster
• The Loyal Subjects — Popples
  

Best Tabletop Gaming Collaboration

• Free League Publishing — ALIEN Evolved Edition
• Goliath — The Sims Board Game
• Hasbro — Dungeons & Dragons: Stranger Things
• Ravensburger — Horrified: Dungeons & Dragons
• Spin Master — Disney Villains Chess
• Ultra PRO Entertainment — Pokémon Trainer Expert

Licensing Program of the Year

• DC Studios — Superman
• Jazwares — Squishmallows
• Marvel Studios — Fantastic Four
• Netflix — Stranger Things
• Universal Products & Experiences — Wicked: For Good
• Warner Bros. — Jaws 50

Merch Maker of the Year

• Bandai Namco Toys & Collectibles
• Jazwares
• The Nacelle Company
• Upper Deck
• Hasbro
• RSVLTS

Product Designer of the Year

• Mighty Jaxx — Jason Freeny
• OHKU — OHKU
• TOMY International — Chris Huisman
• TOMY International — Matt Synowicz & Brennan Hunt

Retailer of the Year

• Entertainment Earth
• POPMART
• Toynk
• Universal Products & Experiences — Target (Wicked: For Good)
• Walmart Marketplace
• Whatnot

The Underdog Award

• Banbo USA / Five K Ltd — Banbo Sockers Collector Figures
• Geek Orthodox
• OHKU
• TOMY International — Jixelz Remix Collection

For more information about the Collectors' Choice Awards, fan voting, and the upcoming winner announcements, visit thepopinsider.com.

About The Pop Insider:
Launched in 2018, The Pop Insider is the only multimedia publication in North America exclusively dedicated to licensed merchandise. The Pop Insider's website is home to news, new product listings, and special features about the world of fandom merch. Find information about all the latest convention exclusives, limited-edition drops, and more at thepopinsider.com. The Pop Insider is produced by Adventure Media and Events, LLC, publisher of The Toy Book, the leading toy industry multimedia trade publication, and The Toy Insider, the go-to source for information about children's toys, tech, and entertainment. For more information, visit thepopinsider.com and follow on Instagram.

Media Contact:
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SOURCE The Pop Insider