Manufacturing Custom Plush and Stuffed Toys with Happy Worker

Manufacturing Process
How Happy Worker Makes Custom Stuffed Toys

Manufacturing Custom Plush with Happy Worker

Just The Basics

Design & Creative Decisions

Manufacturing Process

This page introduces Happy Worker’s premium custom plush toys prototyping & manufacturing process. If you’re the detailed oriented type and like to know how the toy magic happens, then this page is for you!

First things first: If you haven’t already, please visit Custom Plush – Just the Basics to get started on the right foot.

Custom Plush Prototyping

Like all fashion and fabric creations, the plush prototype starts from a pattern. Working from the final character artwork, design decisions and material preferences, the plush toy’s draft sewing pattern is created. The patterns are templates for each different piece of fabric and material that make up the final plush, along with fabrication and sewing instructions. From the patterns a rough physical custom toy prototype is created showing the shape and basic detailing for the plush, which we send to our clients for feedback.

Prototyping Stages

Depending on the project, we may decide to create an initial rough prototype. This is often made in a plain test material rather than the desired materials, and may not have branding or logos. Our main goal with a rough prototype is to agree on a general plush toy shape and construction before moving onto the final detailing. From feedback, we will create a final “pre-production” prototype with any changes, and with final detailing. On approval, we will begin plush toy making & manufacturing!

Custom Plush Manufacturing

Stuffed Toy Production Process

After the plush toy prototype is completed and approved, it’s toy-making time! For anyone who’s familiar with bespoke suit tailoring, plush toy making is a similar process. At a high level, plush manufacturing includes the following steps:

Fabric Making

Unsurprisingly, the first part of plush production is ordering all fabrics and materials. In many cases Happy Worker creates and dyes unique fabrics, colors and patterns for plush toys so that we can match Pantone PMS colors exactly and get the right design look and feel.
Fabric Cutting

Then, the plush toy pattern is used to create a series of cutting dies, which are placed in a press to precisely cut the fabric into the pieces needed to make the toy. Some pieces are also cut by hand using old-fashioned fabric shears.
Embroidery & Detailing

Most embroidery, printing and detailing is added after the fabric is cut, though in some cases this can also be done prior to cutting.
Sewing & Assembly

The fabric pieces are stitched together inside out, leaving a small hole at an appropriate location for stuffing to occur. Tags are also added at this stage. While Happy Worker manufactures plush toys in quantity each toy is sewn together by hand operated sewing machine and occasionally by hand stitching.
Stuffing

Using the small hole that was left during sewing, the plush toys are stuffed until they get the right level of softness or denseness as desired. This commonly includes polyester fill and plastic “beanie” pellets.
Quality Control

Before being packed for shipping, the stuffed animals are checked for quality assurance against Happy Worker’s toy quality control checklist. Additional Plush Toy Testing & Safety Certification is also performed.

Plush Testing & Toy Safety

All the toys Happy Worker makes as well as their raw materials are subjected to safety and quality testing. Standard plush toy testing includes placing all toys through a metal detector to ensure no lost sewing needles make it into the toys. Additional safety testing is required for toys intended or marketed for children and teens less than 15 years old. Happy Worker works with certified toy testing labs that perform U.S. CPSC, CPSIA, ASTM and other tests as required by each country and region to meet and exceed federal and international safety standards.

Stuffed Articles Registration in the U.S. and Canada

Three U.S. states and three Canadian provinces require stuffed articles – whether they are mattresses, pillows, or stuffed plush toys - to be tagged and registered with the state and provincial government. This includes:

U.S.: Pennsylvania, Massachusetts and Ohio
Canada: Ontario, Quebec and Manitoba

If your plush is intended for use or sale within these areas, Happy Worker will coordinate registration of the stuffed toy with the appropriate regional authority.

Plush Delivery

Whether it’s for an event, trade show or retail launch, we’re experienced at delivering custom plush toys around the world, from large shipments to small, by sea, air, truck, or courier. We can also kit plush together with other items and manage complex distribution requirements.

Together we’ll discuss your distribution needs, and then work with our shipping and logistics partners to deliver plush toys happily on time and in good condition.

For super important rush shipments – if we agree to produce a rush order (e.g. plush toys less than 18 weeks), then please see our Time critical rush shipping – the fine print for additional information to be aware of.

Important Extra Step: Happiness Now & Forever

We’re just as excited about your custom plush as you are. And we want to make sure your new stuffed toys are delivered to the quality we both expect, and that they achieve the goals of your program and business.

We follow-up both during launch and a few weeks or months after launch to get your feedback – and feedback from plush recipients – to make sure we know that together we’re achieving toy and program goals. In our spirit of constant betterment, any potential improvements to products and processes are captured so we make sure that every new custom toy and gift is our best item ever.