Vermont Teddy Bear: classic bears vs. hybrid bears
Vermont Teddy Bear publishes a plain account of where its bears are made. Classic bears are cut, sewn, stuffed and stitched in the USA, with US-made eyes, joints and suede details. “Hybrid” bears are cut and partly sewn in China, then stuffed and finished in Vermont. Fur comes from Wisconsin, Germany and China.[2][3][4][5]
Facts on this page come from the maker's own site or the FTC, each with a numbered source; sections marked “Our reading” are our interpretation. We haven't audited the maker or seen its supplier records, and nothing here is a finding that any product meets the FTC's standard. See what “Made in USA” means.
What the maker says is made in the USA
- Classic bears: cut, sewn, stuffed and stitched in the USA.[2][6]
- Classic bears' eyes, joints and suede details are made in the USA.[3]
- 15 In. Happy Birthday Bear: “Handmade in Vermont, USA”.[7]
What it says is made elsewhere
- Hybrid bears (it names Lil, Big and Giant Hunka Love Bears) are cut and partially sewn in China, then stuffed and finished in Vermont.[4]
- Fur: much from Wisconsin, mohair for special editions from Germany, and some from China.[5]
- Outfits: some from manufacturers in China, many from the US; outfits for Custom-Made Bears are tailored at the Shelburne factory.[8][1]
- Its Who We Are page says its production has grown worldwide.[9]
Where: places the maker names
| Place | What it is, in the maker's words |
|---|---|
| Shelburne, Vermont | Factory[1] |
What's unresolved or limited
What this means when you buy
If US origin is the point of the gift, choose from the classic bears and look for “Handmade in Vermont” on the product page; avoid the hybrid bears it names. For a specific bear, the maker says its Bear Counselors will answer where something is made.
This is a useful case for reading any toy claim: one company, three different origins (classic, hybrid, imported outfits), all disclosed on one page of its own site.
In our gift guide
Buy direct
Vermont Teddy Bear's Where It's Made page →
A plain link to the maker's own site: no affiliate tag. Something wrong or out of date? Send a correction.
Sources
Quotes are short excerpts from each page, shown exactly as printed. Our check re-finds every quote on its page before the site is rebuilt; if any quote can't be found, the site isn't rebuilt and this date doesn't move.
every single outfit worn by our Custom-Made Bears is handmade and exquisitely tailored right here in our Shelburne, Vermont factory.
They've always been cut, sewn, stuffed, and stitched in the USA (and always will be)!
And we're proud to say that all of these Bear parts (eyes, joints, and suede details) are also made in the USA.
our hybrid Bears, like our Lil, Big, and Giant Hunka Love Bears, begin their life by being cut and partially sewn in China, and then they travel back to our factory where they are lovingly stuffed and finished right here in VT, USA.
Many of our furs come directly from Wisconsin, USA. To get the fine quality fur for our special-edition Mohair Bears, we look to Germany. And some of our other furs come from our friends in China.
Since our beginnings in 1981 when Bearcho (the very first Vermont Teddy Bear) was just a baby, each and every classic Vermont Teddy Bear has been handmade right here in the USA.
Handmade in Vermont, USA using the softest fur we can get our paws on and 100% recycled stuffing.
We’ve found great manufacturers in China to create quality outfits and keep costs down, but many of our outfits come from places right here in the USA.
while our production has grown worldwide, our standards never budge.
If you have a specific question about where something is made, please feel free to contact a friendly Bear Counselor who will be happy to help!