Teddy Bear Factories

 The original teddy bears that were made both in America and Germany were produced with mohair fabric "fur" that was commonly used for upholstery, black leather shoe-button eyes, and excelsior packing as stuffing. In the 1920s, glass eyes were used, but both the glass and button eyes pulled off easily. In 1948, Wendy Boston patented a screw-in eye made of molded nylon. These were supplanted in the 1950s by plastic eyes mounted on stems and fastened securely to the inside of the fabric with grommets or washers. These safety eyes became standard by the 1960s.

Changes have also occurred in the manufacture of articulated bears. Materials for the original designs included disks and cotter pins (twistable fasteners) that attached separately. This meant to attach arms, legs, and heads that the body that had to be firmly stuffed to support the pins. The early disks were made of wood with leather coverings to protect the outer fur. Companies using this process today have substituted plastic disks, but the manufacture is still largely by hand and is expensive. In the 1940s, teddy bears were made with prestuffed arms that were sewn into the body seams and legs. The joints were stuffed loosely, so these bears could flex at the joints without being articulated.

Today's materials are most varied in fabric. Plushes made of many fibers are popular because they are fur-like. Early bears were made of mohair that consisted of Angora (goat's wool), sheep's wool, rayon, or silk. Today's plush may be wool, silk, rayon, nylon, other synthetics, or combinations of fibers.

Velvet or velveteen (velvet made of cotton instead of silk or synthetics) is popular for its softness and range of colors. Fake fur fabrics are classics for modern bears. Fake fur is dissimilar from plush because it has a knitted instead of woven backing that is lightweight and flexible; the shaping of the fiber can eliminate sheen and closely resemble real fur with blended colors. Real fur can also be used for teddy bears, but fur bears are delicate and require special care.

Other fabrics such as corduroy, denim, calico, terry cloth, and velour are also bear basics. They are selected for variety in producing durable bears of terry cloth for babies and cowboy bears of denim, for example. Leather and suede (real or synthetic) produces handsome feet and paws. Felt can also be used for these and other features or for entire bears, but this fabric is not strong and tends to wear.

Similarly, bears can be knitted or crocheted, but the resulting fabric stretches. Other raw materials include thread, embroidery floss for noses and other features, glue, Velcro™ for fastenings, and eye assemblies made of plastic and metal. Polyester stuffing has replaced the wood shavings used in the original teddy bears to produce products that are more durable and huggable. If the manufactured bears are clothed or decorated, a wide range of fabrics, ribbons, fasteners, and decorations (like eyeglasses for a Teddy Roosevelt bear) may be required.