Gemmy Industries is a seasonal product manufacturing business founded in Irving, Texas in 1984. Gemmy is perhaps one of the most well known seasonal decorations manufacturers in the USA, for their innovative designs mainly in the fields of animatronics and lighting. Gemmy is the original creator of the Airblown Inflatable line as well. Gemmy began making holiday blow molds in 2013, and their blow mold lineup continues to expand each year.
History[]
Gemmy was formed in Irving Texas in 1984. Their first product on the market was a package of ballpoint pens; they also specialized in novelties and games at the time. They became known through their animatronic decoration pieces for the holidays such as Christmas and Halloween. In the 1990’s and 2000’s Gemmy produced numerous lighted foam designs that would ultimately pave the way for the company producing blow molds.
Gemmy’s Airblown Inflatables changed the yard decorating industry forever in 2001. Blow Molds were vastly popular for seasonal decorating from the 60s to the 90s, and with the invent of the inflatables they plummeted downward in sales in exchange for inflatables, which were larger, cheaper and easier to store. Inflatables are ridiculed by many blow mold fans for this reason, and some protest even having them out on their yard.
However in 2013, Gemmy made a move nobody was quite expecting, not even Gemmy's own vast fan base; they began creating vintage-style blow mold decorations like the the ones from the old days when companies like Union Products, Empire Plastics and General Foam Plastics ruled the yard decorating industry. Their blow molds were made in 2013 utilizing a Roly-Poly Santa and Snowman designs that Pan Asian Creations also made, these were followed several years later in 2017 by a Toy Soldier, a Christmas Candle, a Candy Cane, and a Santa and Snowman. Since, their blow mold collection has expanded in variety; from 2017 on, they produced a Mickey and Minnie mouse blow mold (with new versions each year), and many new molds were introduced starting in 2019, such as a penguin, Grinch and a Rudolph.
Currently, Gemmy's blow molds are still available in stores. Lowes, Michaels and Menards are three prominent stores where they can be found seasonally.