When Was the First Soft Toy Made? Three Honest Answers
The first soft toy depends on what you count: papyrus-stuffed dolls from Roman Egypt, Steiff’s 1880 felt elephant, or the 1902 plush bear. Here is the record.
Margarete Steiff
Who Invented the First Stuffed Animal? Meet Margarete Steiff
Margarete Steiff sewed the first commercial stuffed animal, a felt elephant, in 1880. Here is how her claim compares with the 1892 Tabby Cat patents and the 1903 Peter Rabbit doll.
The History of Stuffed Animals Is Older Than the Teddy Bear
Papyrus-stuffed dolls from Roman Egypt, Steiff’s felt elephant, printed cloth cats, plush bears, and washable postwar toys: the documented history of stuffed animals, with the dates sources still dispute.