The History of Superplastic
Superplastic, founded by artist Paul Budnitz in 2018, has rapidly become a pioneer in the world of designer toys and digital collectibles. The company was founded on the principle that effort and scarcity are intrinsic components of value, which is seen through their limited edition works for a limited audience. With a mission to blur the lines between art, fashion, and culture, Superplastic creates iconic, limited-edition art toys that fuse streetwear aesthetics with pop culture references. Their signature characters, Janky, Guggimon, Dayzee, and Ghost Kidz, are central to Budnitz creations, frequently starring in collabs with brands like Gucci and celebrities from Post Malone to Pusha T. The brand also has an official partnership with Fortnite, which only adds to the strong impact they have on the virtual ecosystem.
Superplastic's roots are deeply embedded in street culture, with its designs often reflecting the fun and out-of-the-box spirit of modern streetwear. From their first release, Superplastic distinguished itself through a playful yet disruptive visual style that captured the attention of collectors, influencers, and pop-culture enthusiasts worldwide. Their iconic Janky and Guggimon have turned into influencers themselves, with a joint Tik Tok account where they partake in trends, and being featured in one of Budnitz Instagram campaigns titled ‘Series A.’
Alongside their high-end vinyl collectible toys, the brand has a strong footprint in animated entertainment, music, gaming, high fashion, and live experiences. The brand is a leader in the metaverse, releasing NFTs, offering a new level of interactivity for fans and collectors. In response to the growing popularity of Superplastic and NFT’s, Gucci linked up with the company to develop a range of “SuperGucci” NFT’s which comes with exclusive 8-inch tall white ceramic SuperGucci SuperJanky sculpture, crafted by ceramicists in Italy.
Superplastic’s has a large catalogue of incredible collabs under its belt including partnerships with brands like Supreme, KidSuper, Mercedes Benz and street artists such as Sket One. Their limited-edition drops consistently sell out, and have become a key part of the streetwear universe and its pursuit for exclusivity.
The brand has redefined how streetwear intersects with art. By creating pieces that appeal to both collectors and those who just want something cool in their space, Superplastic has cemented itself as a trailblazer in the world of designer toys. Their level of innovation and creativity continues to push the boundaries of what we think art is in both the physical and digital space.
We are super excited to announce that Superplastic will be dropping exclusively at Shelflife this week, in-store and online!
Please note: Superplastic is carbon-negative, which means they offset all the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions that they produce.