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.
Plush Toys
Stuffed Animal Evolution Throughout the Years, Inside Out
From straw, felt, and printed cotton to mohair, wood wool, kapok, nylon, and foam, then to ASTM F963 and EU toy rules: how stuffed animals changed inside and out.
Finding the Oldest Plush in the World in Museum Records
The oldest stuffed animals in museum catalogs date to 1892, and the oldest firmly dated plush is a 1904–1905 Steiff bear. Here are the objects, their records, and the gaps.
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.