Fluffy, fuzzy, and oh so cute - who doesn't love plush toys?
Numerous materials of various kinds are used in the production of soft toys. From a baby's first teddy bear to the Squishmallows causing "plush frenzy" in adults, choosing the right materials is key to creating soft, cuddly plush toys.
Traditionally, most plush toys were made using synthetic materials. Nylon plush is a common choice, being fluffy, lightweight and durable. Some toys are also filled with polyester fiberfill to keep their shape while remaining very soft. However, with sustainability concerns growing, many manufacturers have started using natural materials like organic cotton or banana tree fibers.
According to Anna Craig, Senior Editor at The Toy Insider, material choice also has to consider skin sensitivities. Some babies and kids may do better with toys made from natural materials. But she stresses no material can be 100% guaranteed non-allergenic - it's about choosing what's right for each individual case.
Whether you're looking for the perfect plush toy gift or planning to make your own, understanding the material options can help you pick out the coziest, most play-friendly and eco-conscious plush pals. Next in this blog, I will learn more about plush toy materials for you.
What is a plush toy?
Most kids have a favorite stuffed animal they love to pieces. Some have entire collections! But have you ever wondered who invented stuffed animals in the first place?
In ancient times, the earliest dolls were made of hard materials like wood or clay. But the stuffed animal as we know it emerged with the creation of rag dolls around 2,000 years ago. The oldest rag dolls were stuffed with rags, papyrus or hay and woven with yarn and charms like beads.
It was not until the Industrial Revolution broke out in Britain in the 1800s that these dolls and many other toys were transformed from traditional hand-made to mass-produced in factories.
But when did stuffed animals like the teddy bear come about? That emerged in the late 1800s when a German woman named Margaret Steiff invented the first known plush toy - an adorable little stuffed elephant meant as a pincushion.
A few years later, Margaret's nephew Richard turned her idea into a children's toy - the stuffed teddy bear. Their newfangled stuffed bear hit stores in 1902. Around the same time in America, Morris Michtom designed his own plush bear after seeing a cartoon of President Teddy Roosevelt sparing a bear on a hunt. Michtom's bear became the classic teddy bear.
Two kinds of teddy bears quickly became popular in the streets as soon as they were released in Europe and the United States. So, whether your favorite stuffed companion is a bear, a bird, or another small animal, thank teddy bears! They accompany us as we grow up.
Example: Stuffed Animal Toy With Concealed Ultra-Soft Blanket
What types of materials are used to make plush toys?
As a plush toy enthusiast, I spend a lot of time studying their production processes. The most common plush toy materials are cotton, short plush fabric and polyester fiber.
Polyester fiber fillers such as Poly-Fil are the most common choice, occupying nearly 60% of the market share. Its characteristics of being fluffy and not easily deformed are very popular among toy manufacturers.
Furthermore, organic cotton is becoming more and more well-liked as a greener choice. Cotton's fluffy texture gives plush toys a supple, skin-friendly feel. In particular, organic cotton grown without pesticides and chemical additives is biodegradable and more suitable for delicate skin. Some plush toy brands that use organic cotton include Aurora World and Jellycat.
The outer fabric is equally important. Judging from my collection, about 70% use classic plush silk fabric, whose fluffy and soft fluff is most suitable for hugging and touching. But plush silk with different thicknesses and densities will bring different feels. I also like imitation fur fabrics, which use synthetic microfleece to simulate animal fur, such as Wild Republic's cuddly bears, which feel very realistic and natural. In addition, velvet, flannel, and short velvet fabrics each have their own characteristics, providing designers with a broad space for creativity.
In addition to these natural or synthetic materials, these high-quality plush toys also add weights such as wood chips, corn husks, or plastic beads to make them feel better in the hand. Interestingly, many manufacturers usually sew a small cloth bag on the surface of the toy and then fill it with trace amounts of spices to make it smell like fragrance.
In summary, we can see that the production of high-quality plush toys is very demanding, with careful consideration for the choice of materials from the inside out. The natural combination of organic cotton filler and outer plush silk fabric is undoubtedly the best option, balancing feel and eco-friendliness. However, the emergence of other synthetic and plant-based materials is also continuously driving technical innovation in this field, providing consumers and designers with more options.
I believe that over time, more and more new sustainable materials will be adopted, making future plush toys more environmentally friendly without compromising their soft qualities.
