Ask any parent of a teenager and you’ll get the same answer: Hacky sacks are back in a big way. Yes, those stoner symbols of the ‘90s (hello, do you remember Clueless?) are back. This time with our kids.
Personally, I’m more than OK with dropping money (and lately it can be big money: I spent $45 on Etsy for four bags for my sons two weeks ago; I hear that amount is much more now) on something that gets them off screens and playing together. And, sure enough, teens are creating social media accounts and clubs to play the resurgent game.
I was curious, though: How did the balls filled with seemingly little pellets come back, and come back so quickly? I asked Jonathan Berkowitz, CEO of PlayMonster, which partnered with Wham-O in 2025 to bring the beloved toy back, about how the company relaunched the product in February.
“From the beginning, we saw Hacky Sack not just as a nostalgic brand but one with all the ingredients to become a viral trend,” he told Scary Mommy. “That informed how we approached its relaunch earlier this year — modernizing the product line, building a social-first presence, and positioning the brand for today’s consumers and creator culture.”
In other words, they knew how trends start now, and so far it’s paid off. According to TikTok, #hackysacks is up 32,400%, and searches for “hacky sack” are up 6,995% since the start of the year. So PlayMonster used a Gen Z playbook: They built an active presence across their TikTok and Instagram channels and connected and collaborated with fans directly through content. Indeed, PlayMonster’s channels have netted 100 million video views across TikTok and Instagram; their last product drop on TikTok sold out in less than three hours, and pre-orders on Amazon went nearly as fast, Berkowitz said.
The resurgence of hacky sacks isn’t a one-off, either. “We’re seeing nostalgia evolve into what we’re calling ‘reclamation’, people are looking to the past for comfort, but remixing it in ways that feel relevant today,” Sydney Stanback, Global Trends & Insights Lead at Pinterest, told me via email. “The resurgence of hacky sacks fits perfectly into that. It’s playful, low-pressure, and rooted in a simpler, more analog kind of connection that people are really drawn to right now.” It makes sense, really. People — kids definitely included — are searching for nostalgic items because everything, no matter if it’s true or not, used to feel simpler.
I asked Stanback what she predicts could come back next. “If hacky sacks are any indication, we’ll continue to see the return of nostalgic, low-tech activities that encourage people to unplug and connect in real life. Searches for ‘analog aesthetic’ are up 260% on [Pinterest]… from ‘grandma crafts’ like knitting and embroidery to nostalgic rituals with a modern twist,” she said. “Next, I imagine we can expect to see continued interest in retro-inspired hobbies, collectibles, and social activities that feel tactile, playful, and customizable. Think disposable cameras and backyard games with a reimagined feel. What’s interesting is that these trends aren’t returning exactly as they were before; younger consumers are remixing them through personalization, humor, and aesthetics that make them feel fresh for today.”
This certainly is the case in my household. My boys and their friends are into sports card collecting; they spend hours looking at their cards, swapping, but with the modern twist of selling them online or watching videos of other people unboxing them. And don’t get me started on mini collectibles.
So what could be next to relaunch from PlayMonster? Berkowitz isn’t so interested in chasing fads; he cares “more about identifying iconic brands with the potential to feel culturally relevant for new generations when paired with social storytelling, product innovation, and consumer engagement.” After all, he notes, “classic play is classic for a reason. [T]he best ‘comebacks’ harness timeless play patterns like creativity, self-expression, connection, and pure fun, and evolve those experiences for modern audiences.”
But heads up: PlayMonster owns Koosh (the stretchy, porcupine-y like balls I played with allllll the time as a kid) and Spirograph, so you might want to buy some now before they’re hard to come by. And if TikTok is to be believed, junk journaling, bedazzling, and even Tae Bo (Billy Banks, anyone?) are on the up-and-up with Gen Z, too.
Nostalgia all the way to the bank.
