With dozens of  plush soft toy manufacturers around the world we take a look at just a few of our favourite brands with a little insight into their history.

GUND

In 1898 Adolph Gund,  a German immigrant to the USA, set up a company making plush stuffed animals. Following in Steiff’s footsteps they were one of the first companies to produce a teddy bear.

When Adolph retired in 1925 he sold his business to a Russian immigrant who worked for him. Since then Gund has remained as a family business.

GOTTA GET GUND

The rise to fame for Gund was through some innovative ideas that came much later on. They were the first company to produce stuffed versions of cartoon characters such as Micky Mouse. Licenced soft toys are now popular with many manufacturers.

Gund also started a trend of ‘under stuffing’ which resulted in the teddies  being very soft, squishy and huggable. Many other suppliers have sinced copied this style.

Today the Gund brand is recognised worldwide for it’s high quality , soft and cuddly teddy bears and stuffed animals. Their award winning products are the perfect gift for all ages and occasions. Here at Bears4u we are delighted to stock a range of Gund Bears, that can be personalised for any recipient, making them a unique quality gift at an affordable price.

KEEL TOYS

Keel Toys are a family run business founded in 1947. They have become one of the leading stuffed plush toy manufacturers in the UK with an excellent reputation for high quality soft toys.

Keel offers a large range of cuddly bears and animals including dogs, cats, elephants, monkeys, sloths and unicorns! All popular with both children and adults alike. With products ranging from 20cm to 120 cm there is something for everyone.

All Keel Toys are designed and distributed within the UK and Keel pride themselves on their quality and affordability. They are the largest exporters of soft toy gifts in the UK.

At Bears4u our best selling Keel teddy is Sherwood. A stunning traditional bear that can be personalised as a gift for any occasion.

AURORA WORLD

Aurora World are one of the newcomers to this market. Established in 1981 in South Korea. The company only arrived in the UK in 1996 and since then has proven to be a quality manufacturer. Aurora offers a very wide range of non jointed teddies and a huge variety of stuffed cuddly animals.

Aurora soft toys appeal to children and families rather than collectors. They offer the highest quality design and materials at a strong value price. As a company, in 2020, Aurora are committed to being environmentally friendly and all of the fibre and fill in their cuddly toys is made from 100% recyclable and sustainable materials.

At Bears4u we love the range of Aurora Baby Gifts and are delighted to be able to offer a variety of pink and blue teddy bears, giraffes and elephants that are popular gifts for a new born.

CARTE BLANCHE

Most people have probably not heard of Carte Blanche but if we were to mention the ‘Me to You Bear’ , then you would almost be sure to know who we are talking about.

The Me to You Teddy Bear , otherwise known as ‘Tatty Teddy’ first appeared as a character on a gift card. The first cuddly toy of this cute blue nosed character,  was not produced until 2000 and turned out to be the biggest success story for Carte Blanche.

Today, 2 decades later, Me to You Teddies for any occasion you can think of, can be found in stores around the world and are still a popular gift for all ages.

Our top selling bear in this range is the Personalised Me to You Bear who can have your own  message embroidered on his jumper, making him the perfect customised gift for all occasions.

So, we hope this little insight to some of the companies we work with, gives you a feel for the quality and design that we like. All of the characters in the Bears4u Orphanage are designed with love, care and attention to detail and are made to be lifetime friends.