Teddy bears are comforting symbols of safety and security for so many and Bespoke Textiles has recently had a hand in producing some of these cherished family staples.
Bespoke Textiles are not solely focused on producing bespoke high-end luxury uniforms but also has a lot of experience in bespoke merchandise collections and have added teddy bears to the range of services we can now offer. Teddy bears are a great way to extend your product range as they appeal to children and to parents and family members. A well placed t-shirt on a teddy bear is a powerful way to get your company’s name and brand into the homes of your customers.
Bespoke Textiles’ clients and brands who use these cute mascots are: The Atheaneum Hotel, Beaufort House, Harrods, The Honorable Society of Middle Temple, The Royal Trust collection, Fortnum & Masons and even London School of Economics University.
Bespoke Textiles want to take you through the manufacturing process for making teddy bears.
Design
Bespoke Textiles went the extra mile when it came to design; taking the time to really consider our client’s requirements and specifications in terms of sustainable product development and ethical sourcing. We finally settled on a Bespoke family factory that make cruise liners.
Bespoke Textiles concentrated on sourcing sustainable and available materials (and the means to use those resources wisely) to make bespoke, small minimum orders. Bespoke Textiles concentrated on making each and every detail of these bears unique to our client’s style and were prototyped at least 3-4 times until we found the perfect sustainable and ethical solution to create a beautiful, luxury brand product that will last forever.
The full design for our teddy bears was first sketched and then the pieces of the bear were drawn to create the pattern.
The pattern was cut out and assembled, and the prototype bear examined for “character flaws.” Looking for these ‘character flaws’ was like doing a preliminary quality control check, to make sure that Bespoke Textiles had thought of everything and really achieved the best product for our client.
The manufacturing process
- Pattern pinning – After the design was accepted, it was transferred to a blueprint from which paper patterns were made. The shapes were cut out and pinned to fabric. Many layers of plush were stacked with the pattern pinned on the top, and a cutter with a blade much like a band saw was used to cut out many pieces at the same time.
- Assemblage – The small pieces are assembled first, eyes put on the face, and then all the parts were stitched together. The bears were initially inside out with their seams exposed and openings down the long seam in the back.
- Reversal – The bears were pulled right side out and dispatched to be stuffed. The bear was then stuffed. The head, feet, and paws needed to be firm, but the body had to be squeezably soft. Bespoke Textiles developed a very technical procedure to ensure maximum quality assurance called: the “hug test” which was highly successful in evaluating satisfactory cuddliness and provide quality control from bear to bear.
- Final stitching – The stuffed bear’s open back is then finally sewn up.
- Grooming – Because the plush fabric was stitched inside out, “fur” was caught in the seams and had to be pulled out so the seams did not show. An electrically powered wire brush was used to fluff the seams, and the bear is then blown through an array of air jets to remove the loose fuzz and brush the fur.
- Dress up – The bears were then dressed in their formal gowns and they graduated the factory. This was where Bespoke Textiles were able to exercise some expertise in terms of style development and style consulting. They were then ready to be packaged for transport and sale.
Quality Control
Although the Bespoke Textiles teddy bears were mass produced, their design and production required hands-on attention throughout the manufacturing process. Hand-production ensures that the bears are inspected at every step in their manufacture, and that mistakes do not reach the packaging department.
If you are interested in this service, please get in touch with us by emailing us at studio@bespoketextiles.co.uk
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