If you've spotted a tiny flexi animal perched on someone's desk, clipped to a school bag, or peering out of a pocket at the markets — there's a good chance it's a Pocket Pal.
Pocket Pals are small, flexible 3D printed figurines, each one hand-printed here on the Sunshine Coast. They're around 7–7.5cm, fully articulated (meaning they actually move and wiggle), and come in a range that now spans well over 60 different animals — from everyday favourites to the wonderfully obscure.
Why people love them
Part of the appeal is how personal they feel. The range includes everything from Golden Retrievers and Corgis to Axolotls, Jumping Spiders, and Capybaras — so there's almost always one that feels like it was made for a specific person. That's what makes them such a good gift: they're affordable, tactile, fun to fidget with, and they say something about the person you're giving them to.
Many animals also come as keychains, which has been popular with kids and adults alike. The German Shepherd, for example, comes in a two-toned or single-colour face option — plus keychain versions of both — so you can really match it to someone's actual dog.
A look at the range
The Pocket Pals collection covers a lot of ground. Here's a taste of what's available right now:
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Dogs — German Shepherd, Golden Retriever, Corgi, Sausage Dog, Beagle, Yorkshire Terrier, Shiba Inu, Dalmatian
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Australian wildlife — Kangaroo (with or without Joey), Koala, Crocodile, Platypus
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Ocean animals — Shark, Whale Shark, Killer Whale, Sea Turtle, Clownfish, Blue Tang Fish, Lobster, Otter
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Dinosaurs — Baby T-Rex, Baby Triceratops, Baby Velociraptor, Baby Stegosaurus, Baby Ankylosaurus, Baby Pterodactyl, Baby Spinosaurus
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Creepy-crawlies — Spider, Jumping Spider, Ladybird Spider, Bee
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Fan favourites — Axolotl, Capybara, Red Panda, Hedgehog, Meerkat
And plenty more — cats in a variety of colours, farm animals, jungle animals, some of your favourite characters and some genuinely unexpected ones like the Ferret, Armadillo, and Rat (which is, against all odds, absolutely charming).
Pocket Pal Playsets
If you want to take things up a notch, the Pocket Pal Playsets are themed diorama scenes designed to pair with your favourite Pocket Pal. The range includes a Bat Cave, Mushroom Forest, Fish Tank, Jurassic Park Enclosure, Otter Onsen, and more — each one a little world of its own. Playsets are $25 and make a brilliant gift when bundled with a matching Pocket Pal.
Available online and at the markets
Pocket Pals ship Australia-wide and are printed to order, so you can browse and buy any time through the website. If you're local to the Sunshine Coast, you can also find them at the Caloundra Markets every Sunday — great if you'd like to see them in person first.
Browse the full range at amcollective.com.au.
