We will tell you the story of one of the most famous toys in the whole world - the teddy bear. The year is 1902 and Richard Steiff, nephew of Margarete Steiff, creates "Bear 55 PB" - the world's first teddy bear with movable arms and legs. Richard's material of choice is mohair, which is produced in Duisburg, Germany.
This same bear appears at the Leipzig Toy Fair and is loved by everyone who sees it. History began to be written when an American dealer ordered 3,000 units. The bear becomes a hit in the USA.
Thanks to an incident with American President Theodore Roosevelt, Steiff teddy bears became forever known as "The Teddy bear".
When, during a hunt, he is offered to kill a captured and tied bear, Mr. Roosevelt refuses because it is unsportsmanlike. Cartoonist Clifford Berryman posted a cartoon of the president with a small teddy bear in the Washington Post. Teddy bears get huge publicity. And Steiff becomes a globally recognizable brand. The following year saw the so-called "Teddy bear boom", which led to the production of 1,700,000 Steiff bears.
In fact, it all started much earlier - in 1880, with Richard's aunt and founder of Steiff - Margarete. And while it was 23 years before "The Teddy bear boom" happened, another toy became a favorite of many people - Elefäntle. The same toy is the reason the Steiff factory was founded and the company grew internationally.
"Knopf im Ohr" - Knopf im Ohr - is how Richard Steiff "marks" the toys that are manufactured by Steiff to protect them from imitators. This also becomes an invariable part of the recognizable vision of all representatives of the brand, as well as a guarantee of the highest quality that it strives for throughout its history.
Steiff products are completely safe and harmless to play with. In order for the touch to be great, the toys are still made by hand to this day.
Steiff toys are made in their renowned factory in Germany, from exceptionally soft materials, and strict manufacturing criteria ensure consistency in quality. For the collector's items, the brand uses high-quality fabrics such as hemp, bamboo, paper plush or mohair, which are processed in the Steiff-Schulte weaving factory in Germany.
The magic that Steiff carries in itself makes their toys popular as a Valentine's Day gift. And their collectible brands have made many avid toy collectors around the world get a rush of happiness when they renew their collection.
For us at My snowdrop, the joy is great. We are the first store in Bulgaria that will be joined by Steiff items. We feel as if we are becoming part of something bigger than ourselves - part of something that has made many people around the world happy and created a legend.
Enjoy these timeless and classic toys.