Why Are Bears The Most Common Plush Animal?
When you think about any plush animal, it’s likely that a bear will be the first one to pop into your head. You wouldn’t be alone in thinking so, as bears have always been the most common plush animal in the world. But why is this the case, especially when there are so many different options on the market these days? There are a couple of reasons for this, one of which involves a former American president with a story to share. To this day, over 100 million stuffed animals are sold in the U.S. each year, most of which are teddy bears. Let’s dig into why they are so popular, in order to better understand why they continue to be the toy of choice for families of all kinds.
Plush Bears: The Original Plush Animal
Although there are a couple of reasons why bears are the most common plush animal, fundamentally this is the case because bears are actually the original plush animal. Before we had stuffed unicorns, dragons, dogs and cats, teddy bears were the first to market, and more importantly, the first to captivate hearts around the world. It’s one thing to be the first of a collection of toys, but it’s another thing altogether to get the world to fall in love with you over and above the other options available. Teddy bears are the “Roger Federer” of plush toys so to speak, and their popularity hasn’t dwindled even when technology is changing the way kids are entertained in the modern world in a big way.
Why They Are Called “Teddy” Bears
Stuffed bears are affectionately known as “Teddy Bears” because of former U.S. president Theodore Roosevelt. The bears were actually named after him, thanks to a very curious incident. In 1902, he took part in a bear hunting trip in Mississippi. At one point, he refused to shoot a bear that had been clubbed, captured and tied to a tree by the group, dubbing the others “unsportsmanlike” for the way they went about it. Because of the compassion he showed, one of the most beloved toys in the world ended up being named after the president. The affiliation with a beloved president only served to amplify the popularity of blush bears, and sales soared very quickly.
The Teddy Bear is Born
As news about the incident spread around the country, cartoonist Clifford Berryman drew a satirical representation that was published in a national paper. A shopkeeper called Morris Michtom saw and was inspired by the cartoon, setting off to design a stuffed fabric toy that was meant to represent the bear that had been spared by Rooseveld. It was displayed proudly in the shop window as “Teddy’s Bear”, and because customers loved it so much, they started asking for their own versions. Morris then wrote to the president asking for permission to use his nickname, and after getting the go-ahead, mass production followed shortly after. Needless to say, people everywhere wanted one, and soon they began to be exported to other parts of the world.
Furry Friends For Every Occasion
If the story of the teddy bear has captivated your heart in the same way it did with people from the early 20th century, you’ll be happy to know that we’ve got furry friends for every occasion. From the Classic Bear through to Happy Hugs and Winnie The Pooh, we’ve got various options for you to choose from. The Build-A-Bear team has created over 160 million fluffy friends in the last two decades, and despite many new and different furry friends being born daily, it doesn’t look like teddy bears are going to be replaced as the most common and popular plush animal anytime soon. We hope to continue a plight to recognise the compassion shown by Teddy Roosevelt over 120 years ago, and look forward to helping you add a new teddy to your family in the near future.
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