Craftmanship DREAMS - "Made in Germany"

The starting point is the vision of the designer. He has to gain his inspiration from the dream world of Steiff lovers and collectors, picture their dreams and return to a childhood world to relive a child’s longing for a playmate. This is how a first model is created and then evaluated. Standards are high and tradition is a top priority. Our company motto and guiding principle “Only the best is good enough for children”, laid down by our founder Margarete Steiff in 1892 still stands strong today and accurately describes our commitment with regard to the use of only the best materials made to the highest standards and level of workmanship, which too, is only the best.

After a model has been approved, it is used as the hand sample for the new series on which production will be based. Steiff never fails to procure the very best quality of fabric, felt and plush from a reliable source. For more than 100 years now, Steiff has been working with Schulte, a mohair weaving company in Duisburg that supplies the mohair plush for the extensive classic range. Mohair is made from the strong and silky fur of the Angora goat and is pro-cessed and dyed by an elaborate method.

The colour, grip, weave density and stretch of the fabric must be exactly right. Then the pattern can be meticulously transfered to the back of the mohair, using a stencil and paint. Each part of the pattern is lovingly and carefully cut out by hand, taking care not to damage the valuable mohair. Like a jigsaw, the parts are sewn together by dexterous fingers on sewing machines. The body, now complete, is then turned right side out so that it may be stuffed by our skilful fillers. For certain replicas and some strictly limited editions, wood shavings especially imported from Switzerland are used.

Skill, devotion, a touch of romance and a strong feeling and belief for the work are essential for finishing too. Nose, mouth and claws are stitched carefully by hand and give each Steiff classic animal its own individual character. Then the eyes are fixed in position, gifting the animal sight and so much more. The eyes create expression, whether it is bright and cheerful, wise and sagacious, mischievous, nostalgic and even romantic. If the animal is to have individual markings to the mohair, they are applied by hand at this stage using the airbrush technique.
And the result is a work of art! Not a mass-produced article but an extraordinary and much valued soft toy to delight the hearts of collectors and children alike. But before it can help to make dreams come true and take its place in cabinets, living rooms, children’s play-rooms, every rooms all over the world, it still has to face a strict inspection. Only if perfectly made will it be given its button and tag.