Collection: Steiff

Steiff Soft Toys

Steiff has been making soft toys in Germany since the nineteenth century, and the company is credited with inventing the teddy bear. Twenty-five of their pieces are here, from a small unicorn in the low twenties up to the largest teddy bears around a hundred and ten, with most sitting between thirty-five and forty.

What separates a Steiff from ordinary plush is in the details. Each animal carries small bean bags in its body, at the paws and along the soles, which gives it a pleasant weight and lets it sit upright on a shelf rather than slumping forward. Most are machine washable on a gentle cycle, which matters more than it sounds if the toy is going to a small child. The eyes are safety eyes, fixed so they cannot come loose.

The mark of the brand is a stainless-steel button set into the ear. Every genuine Steiff carries one, and it is the quickest way to tell a real piece from a copy. It also explains why these hold their value: the same button appears on animals bought decades ago.

The range covers the animals children ask for by name. Pedro Raccoon, Bodo Monkey, Elna Baby Elephant, Berno the Goldendoodle, Oskar the Dalmatian, Liam Lion, Benji Red Panda, Chip Capybara and Rocko Crocodile. Sizes start at six inches, which suits a baby, and run up to twelve and fourteen inches for older children. Jimmy the Teddy Bear comes in an extra large for anyone buying something to keep.

There are also the seasonal pieces, including Boris the Spooky Bat and Cobweb the Spider for autumn, and the bunnies and chicks that appear before Easter. Because these are made in smaller numbers than mass-market plush, a particular character is sometimes not available in every size at once.

Steiff is a good choice when the soft toy is meant to last rather than be outgrown, and when the person receiving it is old enough to look after it. For a baby's first toy, the smaller and machine washable pieces in the stuffed animals collection do the same job for less.

We keep the range in stock, and new characters arrive as Steiff releases them. If there is a particular animal or size you are looking for that you are not able to find on the website, reach out to us and we will be glad to help.