Jellycat stuffed animals have become incredibly popular over the last few years. With their super soft fabrics, quirky designs, and premium quality, it’s no wonder everyone wants to get their hands on these plush toys.
If you’re short on time, here’s a quick answer to your question: Jellycat is a leading designer and manufacturer of uniquely designed stuffed animals and plush toys made from luxuriously soft fabrics.
In this comprehensive guide, we will explore the history of the Jellycat brand, the different types of Jellycat plush available, what makes their fabrics so incredibly soft, where you can buy authentic Jellycat stuffed animals, and how to care for these premium plush toys so they last a lifetime.
The Origins and History of Jellycat Stuffed Toys
When and How Jellycat Was Founded
The beloved Jellycat stuffed animal brand traces its origins to London in 1999 when husband and wife duo James and Laura Buckingham founded the company. Envisioning whimsical and original plush toys unlike mass-produced teddy bears, the pair launched Jellycat with an initial line of uniquely designed rabbits and cats.
Crafting the stuffed animals by hand in their London studio, their goal was to create imaginative animal characters bursting with personality.
After successfully selling their handmade stuffed animals at London markets and fairs, the Jellycat brand began to gain buzz. By the early 2000s, Jellycat was supplying their growing variety of stuffed animals to boutiques and department stores in Europe and Japan.
Propelled by their quirky designs and ultra-soft fabrics setting them apart in the toy industry, the company saw meteoric growth. Today their products are sold globally across over 50 countries in major retailers like Nordstrom, Zappos, Amazon, and their own popular ecommerce site.
Over 20 years since its garage startup origins, Jellycat now offers over 200 whimsical stuffed animals for fans around the world.
How the Jellycat Brand and Products Evolved Over Time
While keeping to their founders’ original vision of delightfully huggable animal characters, Jellycat has continuously evolved their brand image and stuffed toy offerings. Moving on from only selling at London fairs, their first big product was the iconic Bashful Bunny launched in 2002.
With its supersoft fur and cute floppy ears perfect for cuddling, Bashful Bunny became Jellycat’s beloved flagship character that still sells by the millions.
Over the 2000s and 2010s, Jellycat steadily expanded their stuffed animal family with more irresistible animals like cats, dogs,pandas, and fantastical creatures like dragons and octopuses. While launching new characters annually like Glummy Bunny and Fuddlewuddle Monkey, they built up their brand recognition through smart product launches and buzzworthy product design winning major toy awards.
From their early beginnings selling solely at London markets, Jellycat is now an established category leader in the modern stuffed toy space.
While Jellycat continues innovating with new stuffed animals, their brand has grown beyond only plush toys. They have an apparel line of kids and baby clothing featuring their characters. Jellycat also sells various novelty and gift items like backpacks, baby blankets, greeting cards, and more emblazoned with their signature colorful designs.
Today with over 200 stuffed animals and counting, Jellycat keeps fans delighted with their variety of imaginative soft toys and playfully styled products for all ages.
The Different Types of Jellycat Plush Toys
Jellycat Bashful Bunnies
The Jellycat Bashful Bunnies are one of the most popular Jellycat plush toys. These super-soft bunnies come in a variety of colors and sizes, from tiny Baby Bunnies to large Bunnies. Some of the Bashful Bunnies even have cute outfits, like the Knight Bunny and Ballerina Bunny.
People love these snuggly rabbits for their velvety fur and floppy ears.
Jellycat Charles Dogs
The playful Jellycat Charles Dogs are modeled after cocker spaniels with their long, droopy ears. These pups have shaggy fur in sweet spotted or solid patterns. The Charles Dogs come in adorable poses too, like the Charles Sitting Dog and Charles Reading Dog.
One of the most popular is the Grey Charles Dog with its wise, bespectacled look.
Jellycat Amuseable Animals
Jellycat’s Amuseable Animals have unique, amusing expressions that live up to their name. These plush creatures include favorites like Alfred the Alpaca, Bernadette the Bobtail Cat, and even Duncan the Moose.
With their oversized heads and tiny bodies, the Amuseable Animals look like whimsical cartoon characters. Their super-soft plush makes them irresistible for hugs and cuddles!
Limited Editions and Rare Jellycats
Part of the appeal of Jellycat plushes is finding rare and limited edition stuffed animals, which are only available for a short period of time. Some special Jellycat plushies have included holiday designs, like the Christmas Penguin, while others are made of unique materials, like the velvety soft Flocks for seasonal collections.
For the serious Jellycat collector, spotting an unusual limited edition Jellycat is an exciting event!
With dozens of plush animals to choose from, Jellycat has soft snuggly friends for all ages. From bashful bunnies, to amusing alpacas, to limited edition rarities, Jellycat stuffed animals make perfect gifts and loyal plush companions.
What Makes Jellycat Fabrics So Exceptionally Soft
Jellycat stuffed animals are beloved for their exceptionally soft and cuddly fabrics. But what exactly makes Jellycat’s fabrics stand out? There are a few key factors that contribute to the unique softness and quality that Jellycat is known for.
Unique Fabric Blends
Jellycat uses proprietary fabric blends that are specially designed to maximize softness and durability. Many Jellycat fabrics combine super soft fibers like plush, velour, and velveteen with strong yet flexible fibers like polyester.
This creates a smooth, supple, and cozy texture that feels great against your skin.
In particular, Jellycat is known for using extra-long plush fibers in many of its stuffed animals. As described on Jellycat’s website, these knitted plush fabrics feature textured piles made up of 3-inch fibers that resemble lambswool.
The result is an incredibly soft, fluffy, and squishy texture that you can run your hands through over and over.
Custom Designed Knits
Rather than sourcing generic fabrics, Jellycat specially designs unique knitted fabrics that are custom-produced to its specifications. The brand works closely with manufacturing partners to develop fabrics with specific qualities from scratch.
For instance, Jellycat’s Bashful collection uses a proprietary lightweight velour knit that balances softness and structure. Meanwhile, the Cordy Roy collection features an extra chunky bouclé knit designed exclusively for its tactile texture.
By custom engineering fabrics, Jellycat can perfectly dial in properties ranging from fiber densities, yarn combinations, knitting gauge, pile height, weight, stretch, and beyond.
Threads, Embroidery, and Finishing Touches
Jellycat pays keen attention to all the little touches that enhance both feel and visual appeal of its stuffed animals.
Its products use soft, smooth threads and high-stitch-density seams designed to be irritation-free. Items often incorporate decorative accents like colorful embroidered eyes, noses, patches or motifs. These not only look cute but also provide textural contrast and form life-like facial features.
Lastly, Jellycat stuffed animals undergo extensive quality control and refinement during production, undergoing brushing, sculpting, air-blowing and other processes to realize their final ultra-soft form.
So while Jellycat’s stuffed animals may seem impossibly soft, their exceptional fabrics and plush quality results from skilled design and craftsmanship rather than magic!
Where to Buy 100% Authentic Jellycat Plush Toys
Jellycat’s Own Online Store
The best place to find official Jellycat stuffed animals is from Jellycat’s own online store. When you shop directly from the creator, you can rest assured you’re getting a genuine product. Jellycat takes great pride in their plush, so buying straight from the source guarantees you receive a high quality toy.
Jellycat’s online store has the largest selection with favorites like Bashful puppies and Bunny rabbits alongside newer designs and seasonal plush. As an official retailer, their website may reveal upcoming releases and previews weeks before other sellers.
With free shipping on orders over $50 in the US, it’s easy to shop Jellycat’s boutique from the comfort of your home.
Authorized Retailers and Boutiques
In addition to Jellycat’s website, they authorize certain toy stores and gift shops to carry licensed merch. Look for the “Authorized Retailer” badge online or on-location to buy with confidence. Popular authorized sellers include Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom, Saks Fifth Avenue, and Barnes & Noble.
Visiting an authorized Jellycat boutique lets you see plush animals up close before buying. Staff should be knowledgeable about their products and available to answer questions too. For rare designs or special occasions like holidays, call ahead to check a store’s inventory so you don’t leave empty-handed.
What to Watch Out for When Buying Elsewhere
It can be tempting to find cheap plushies online from unauthorized sellers, but hidden risks come with deep discounts. Fake Jellycat products may use inferior materials, have loose stitching, misshapen parts, odor issues, or fill that clumps easily.
Washing instructions can differ too, causing problems over time.
| Authentic Jellycat Features | What to Watch Out For |
|---|---|
| Soft, silky plush exterior | Coarse, matted fur |
| Elegant embroidery and details | Uneven stitching, loose threads |
| Sturdy limbs and appendages | Weak seams, stuffing leaks |
| Vibrant colors that won’t fade | Washed out or uneven dye |
| Proof of authenticity tag | Missing credentials |
Checking reviews can uncover issues with sellers too. Unscrupulous vendors may ship cheap counterfeits instead of genuine toys. Getting caught buying fake Jellycat items can put buyers at risk as well. When in doubt, stick to authorized retailers only for 100% authentic plush.
Caring for Your Jellycat Plush Toys and Stuffed Animals
General Care and Cleaning Tips
Keeping your adorable Jellycat stuffed pals looking their best requires some simple care. With some basic maintenance, you can help your snuggly friends stay soft, clean, and cuddle-ready for years.
First, check the tags on each Jellycat plush to see if they have any special washing instructions. Most are surface-washable by hand or machine. Use a gentle cycle and cold water if machine washing. Avoid bleach and other harsh detergents that could damage the plush fabrics.
For quick cleanups, spot clean stains gently with a damp cloth, mild soap, and cold water. Avoid rubbing the stain, which can work it deeper into the fabric. Allow plush toys to air dry completely before storing or playing.
In between deeper cleanings, use a soft brush or cloth to dust off surfaces. This keeps the pile fresh and helps prevent dirt from becoming ingrained.
When not being cuddled, store Jellycat stuffed animals in a clean, dry place out of direct sunlight. You can use storage bins or canvas bags to keep them tidy. Avoid attics, basements, or garages if they tend to be damp or have extreme temperatures.
Repairing Small Rips and Tears
Despite your best efforts, enthusiastic love and play may eventually lead to a small tear in a beloved Jellycat plush. But don’t despair! Many times, these can be easily repaired at home.
Start by trimming any ragged edges around the rip with sharp scissors. Try to create clean edges. This helps the torn sections fit closely back together.
Next, flip the stuffed animal inside out to access the hole from the inside. Line up the trimmed edges, pinch them together, and secure with straight pins. Use additional pins around the tear to hold the fabric in place for sewing.
Thread a hand-sewing needle with coordinating thread that matches the plush color as closely as possible. Tie a knot at the end of the thread.
Then, use a basic running stitch to sew up the hole, removing the pins as you progress. Make stitches small (about 1⁄8 inch long) and be sure to catch just a bit of the fabric’s edge with each pass of the needle, so the edges are held together.
When finished, knot the thread on the inside of the plush several times, then use scissors to trim off any excess close to the fabric. This hides the end inside so it doesn’t scratch tender skin.
While more significant damage may require professional help, you’d be surprised what you can fix at home with some thread, pins, a needle, and patience. Just take it slow and ensure the edges line up neatly as you work.
With some basic care and maintenance, your snuggly Jellycat friends can delight for years. Just be sure to give them lots of love in between washings!
Conclusion
Jellycat plush toys have developed an incredibly loyal following thanks to their unique designs, luxe super-soft fabrics, and commitment to quality. Now that you know all about the origins of this iconic brand, the different types of Jellycat stuffed animals available, where to shop for authentic Jellycats, and how to care for these precious plush pals, you can confidently build your own Jellycat collection.
