Chia Pet

2025-09-29T17:11:39Z

2601:681:8481:B930:87B5:3C48:7CD7:A956: Added hedgehog to list of animals chia pet has released.

{{Short description|Terracotta figurine used to sprout chia}}
{{about|the terracotta figurines|the molecular biological technique|ChIA-PET}}
{{pp-pc|small=yes}}
{{infobox brand
| name = Chia Pet
| image = Chia Pet logo.png
| caption =
| type = [[Terracotta]] [[figurine]]
| currentowner = [[Joseph Enterprises]]
| origin = [[United States]]
| producedby = [[Mexico]]<br>[[China]]
| introduced = {{Start date and age|1977}}
| markets = International
| tagline = Watch It Grow!
| website = {{URL|https://chia.com/|chia.com}}
| misc = [[File:Alligator Chia Pet.jpg|200px]]
| misc1 = An alligator Chia Pet
}}
'''Chia Pets''' are American styled [[terracotta]] [[figurine]]s used to sprout [[salvia hispanica|chia]], where the chia [[Sprouting|sprouts]] grow within a couple of weeks to resemble the animal's fur or hair.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|last=Edwards|first=Owen|date=2007-12-01|title=Chia Pet|url=https://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/chia-pet-180308610/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140427070357/http://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/chia-pet-180308610/ |archive-date=2014-04-27 |access-date=2020-08-24|website=Smithsonian Magazine|language=en}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=An American Icon: the Chia Pet|url=https://chia.com/chia-pets/about-chia-pets/|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200625010341/https://chia.com/chia-pets/about-chia-pets/|archive-date=June 25, 2020|website=Chia.com}}</ref> Moistened chia seeds (''[[Salvia hispanica]]'') are applied to a grooved terracotta figurine.<ref name=":1" />

The Chia Pet was marketed and popularized by Joseph Pedott.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Traub |first=Alex |date=2023-06-30 |title=Joseph Pedott, 91, Dies; Made Chia Pets an 'as Seen on TV' Sensation |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/30/business/joseph-pedott-dead.html |access-date=2023-07-04 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref> Pedott first learned about "something called the Chia Pet" being imported from Oaxaca, Mexico, when he attended a housewares show in Chicago in 1977. Negotiating the rights from importer Walter Houston, Pedott began marketing Chia Pets in the US.<ref name=":0" />

The first Chia Pet was created on September 8, 1977.<ref name="Chia Products">{{cite web |title=Chia Products |url=http://www.chia.com/index.php/chia-products |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110809130705/http://www.chia.com/index.php/chia-products |archive-date=August 9, 2011 |access-date=2012-01-10 |website=Chia.com}}</ref><ref name="metrowestdailynews1">{{cite news |date=December 11, 2010 |title=Green Space: It's beginning to look a lot like Chia, everywhere you go |work=The MetroWest Daily News |location=Framingham, MA |url=http://www.metrowestdailynews.com/mysource/home_and_garden/x1921995463/Green-Space-It-s-beginning-to-look-a-lot-like-Chia-everywhere-you-go |access-date=2012-01-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120325083624/http://www.metrowestdailynews.com/mysource/home_and_garden/x1921995463/Green-Space-It-s-beginning-to-look-a-lot-like-Chia-everywhere-you-go |archive-date=March 25, 2012}}</ref> A trademark registration was filed on Monday, October 17, 1977.<ref>[https://archive.today/20120719025734/http://socialmedia.trademarkia.com/chia-pet-73144986.html CHIA PET – Reviews & Brand Information – Encap Products Company Mt. Prospect, IL – Serial Number: 73144986]. Socialmedia.trademarkia.com. Retrieved on 2012-01-10.</ref> They were produced by Pedott's [[San Francisco]]-based company, [[Joseph Enterprises|Joseph Enterprises, Inc.]],<ref name=":0" /> which was purchased by National Entertainment Collectibles Association in 2018.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Pizzutillo |first=Rich |date=2018-02-16 |title=Hillside's NECA buys creators of Chia Pet, Clapper |url=https://www.roi-nj.com/2018/02/16/lifestyle/hillsides-neca-buys-creators-chia-pet-clapper/ |access-date=2023-07-04 |website=ROI-NJ |language=en-US}}</ref> They achieved popularity in the 1980s following the 1982 release of a [[ram (sheep)|ram]], the first widely distributed Chia Pet.<ref name="metrowestdailynews1" /> Originally made in Mexico, Chia Pets are now produced in China.<ref name=":0" />

The [[catchphrase]] sung in the [[television advertisement|TV commercial]] as the plant grows in [[time lapse]] is "Ch-ch-ch-chia!" This catchphrase originated at an agency brainstorming meeting, where one of the individuals present pretended to stutter the product name.<ref name=":0" /> As of 2019, approximately 15 million Chia Pets were sold annually, with most sales happening during the holiday season.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /> In 2000, a Chia Pet was included inside a New York Times time capsule to be opened in the year 3000.<ref name=":0" />

A range of generic animals has been produced, including a hedgehog, turtle, pig, puppy, kitten, frog, and [[hippopotamus]]. [[Cartoon]] [[Character (arts)|characters]] have also been licensed, including [[Garfield]], [[Scooby-Doo]], [[Looney Tunes]], [[Shrek (character)|Shrek]], [[The Simpsons]], and [[SpongeBob SquarePants (character)|SpongeBob]].<ref name="Chia Products" /> Additionally, there are Chia Pets depicting real people, including [[Barack Obama]], [[Bob Ross]], and [[Donald Trump]].<ref name="Chia Products" />

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
{{commons category}}
* [https://chia.com/ Official Chia Pet website]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20081211172041/http://joshmadison.com/article/chia-pet-planting/ A look at a Chia Pet growing in pictures]

[[Category:1980s fads and trends]]
[[Category:Garden features]]
[[Category:Products introduced in 1977]]
[[Category:Terracotta]]
[[Category:Salvia]]
[[Category:Sprouting]]

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Chia Pet