We have all seen the devastation that wildfires leave in their wake and footage of the thousands of firefighters that are out trying to fight them. That is today, but back in the era of World War II, able bodied men were out fighting in Europe, which didn’t leave many at home to take on firefighter roles. This is when the United States government knew they had to step in and do something.

When you think of mascots that are forever linked to a brand a few names come to mind. There’s the Kool Aid Man, Ronald McDonald, the Energizer Bunny, the M&M’s and oh yes, Mr. Clean. None of these mascots are real of course– although there have been a few actors over the years who have played Mr. Clean on television commercials—but we all know who they are, and most importantly what they represent.

Mascots are very popular in baseball where the likes of the Philly Phanatic, Mr. Met or Paws can be seen at each of their teams’ home games. Hockey teams have mascots too, though they sometimes aren’t as obvious especially when you think of the Detroit Red Wings and the fact that they have an octopus as a mascot.

Rupert Bear may not be one of the first famous bears that spring to mind, especially not to those of us who grew up in North America, but he is as famous as they come in Britain and has been since the 1920’s when he first appeared. Rupert started out as a comic strip in the Daily Express newspaper back in 1920 and it is still published daily in the same paper, although with different illustrators over the years who have taken to drawing the cute little guy.

Custom plush animals like teddy bears, keychains, pens, water bottles; what all of these have in common is that they can be used to promote your business. While some businesses use television, newspaper or online ads to get their product noticed, there have been many studies that show just how more effective it is to use a promotional product and there are many reasons why.

We are all familiar with the little blue creatures that wear white pants and have the cute little white hats perched on their blue heads. They are, of course Smurfs and although the United States and Canada didn’t embrace them as household names until the early 1980’s they have been around since the 1950’s.

Toys, like with anything are constantly changing to keep up with the times and trends. It is no surprise then that stuffed animals and toys in general are increasingly smarter and more interactive as toy makers are trying to tap in to the smartphone driven society that we live in.

Teddy bears have come a long way from the first renditions that looked like and in fact were modelled after real bears to the plush and cuddly ones that we know and love today. While they have changed in size, shape, plush-ness and personality, the first teddy bears have a certain charm and most certainly a history that make them something collectors all over the world clamour for.

In the olden days, long before the teddy bears and stuffed animals of today made an appearance, little girls played with dolls that were handmade by their parents. Mom would use fabric scraps or straw to stuff the body that she would craft of fabric and make little dresses with other odds of material so the doll could have clothes.

When you are creating a custom plush figure, whether it be a teddy bear, an iguana, a moose, a giraffe or just something completely out of your imagination, you get to choose colours and fabrics that will bring your idea to life. Why not go that extra step further and get your creation ‘dressed’ for the occasion with accessories?

You have your idea. On paper. Now all you need is for that idea to become a sample plush toy that you can hold, squeeze and inspect before you place your order. How does what you see in a picture turn into something tactile, soft and fun for all? Enter the Project Manager—the person that will see you through the entire process of creating a custom plush toy just how you envision it to be.

With all sorts of ready-made products just waiting to be bought in numerous stores, why create a custom plush for your next book launch or fundraising campaign? The answer lies in the word ‘custom’ by allowing you to create something unique, especially designed for your needs and built to your strict guidelines.

Beanie Babies were different. They were stuffed with beans instead of classic fillers like fiberfill, and their pile was thin. They could be ‘posed’ thanks to metal threads that were in their legs, arms and sometimes pinchers and let’s face it, they were cute. Back in 1993 the nine original Beanie Babies were ‘born’ or launched into the market.

If you are thinking of creating a custom character one of your first thoughts will probably be ‘what will it be made of?’ Will it be plush, will it be fluffy, will it be made of cotton, satin or burlap? Will it be soft and cuddly or will it be durable, tough and rugged? What about denim? Yes, the same denim that your favourite jeans are made of can also be used in your custom creation.

Cotton is everywhere, and has been everywhere since seemingly the beginning of time itself. Today our clothes, furniture and toys can be made of cotton, and it wasn’t that long ago that there was a Civil War in the United States that had much to do with cotton and the slaves that grew it for their masters.

Back in 1981 there were characters created for the American Greetings Corporation for use on birthday and other greeting cards. These characters were colourful teddy bears that had special pictures embroidered onto their tummies to depict their personality.

If you were a kid in the 1980’s chances are you had one. If you were a mom or dad in the 1980’s chances are you stood in line for one, or maybe you were in one of the many riots for one. They weren’t particularly nice looking and they were made of a combination of stuffed parts with plastic faces, but they were the ‘it’ toy of the decade.

When you are embarking on your journey to create the perfect custom plush creation one of the things you have to think about is what your plush will be covered and/or filled with. While there are lots of choices, one of the most durable is polyester. It can be used for stuffing, it can be used for clothing or accessories and it can even be used for the plush project itself, depending on your needs.

Custom stuffed teddy bears have been made in all sizes since they were first introduced in the early 1900’s. It seems all the major retailers now have huge bears for sale at all times throughout the year, you can win huge animals at carnivals and what makes a cuter picture than a newborn snuggled on the lap of a giant teddy bear?

We have all seen custom teddy bears of all descriptions. There are the traditional brown teddies whose arms and legs can be positioned and there are the fluffy white teddy bears that children like to cuddle. They come in all sizes and shapes and of course, stuffies aren’t exclusive to bears, as there are all sorts of stuffed animals on the market today with everything from aardvarks to zebras created in plush form.