Petit Loup's Development Workshop
This is the heart of Petit Loup, where the development of teddy bears and product planning takes place at our headquarters. When we say “teddy bear,” it encompasses a wide variety of bears.
There are sitting bears, standing bears that make great decorations, bears with magnets in their hands, and special bears for different occasions—such as milestone celebrations, bridal gifts, birthdays, or even as a gesture of condolence. Of course, they’re not just for gifting; they can be cherished as personal companions too.
Each bear is crafted with meticulous attention to detail, tailored to its intended purpose. From its adorable expression and posture to its fur texture, eye placement, and stuffing technique—every little touch is poured into creating a unique bear in this development workshop.
Nearly all our teddy bears are developed from scratch by our founder, Chairman Osada, who has been designing and crafting teddy bears for over half a century. His passion for innovation often surprises the entire team, as he continually comes up with fresh ideas that push boundaries. (You can also read more about our company’s history in our blog!)
This time, we got a behind-the-scenes look at the development process of one of our teddy bears. We had the opportunity to hear about the thought and care that goes into each creation, and we’re excited to share a glimpse of it with you!
How Petit Loup’s Teddy Bears Are Made
The process begins with sketching the envisioned form into a pattern.
How Chairman Osada translates the bear he imagines into a pattern remains a mystery to everyone but him. Even after decades of experience, his passion for taking on new challenges is unwavering. His creativity often leaves the team in awe, wondering, “How did he come up with that?” The teddy bear currently in development includes some first-time design elements, requiring painstaking trial and error down to the millimeter.
Cutting fabric:
The Next Steps: Sewing and Stuffing
Sewing:
At the sewing stage, even the smallest details are adjusted during the pattern-making process to ensure that the pieces are easy to sew and produce consistent results at the factory. Chairman Osada humbly said, “I’m not great at sewing—how embarrassing!” but that couldn’t be further from the truth. His sewing is meticulous, down to the finest detail.
Stuffing:
At Petit Loup, we are committed to hand-stuffing every bear—not only during prototyping but also at the factory. This traditional method may take more time, but it allows each bear to develop its own unique personality, with subtle differences in its body shape and facial expression.
Each bear is adjusted by hand, ensuring that the firmness and flexibility of its arms, legs, and body are just right. Once the stuffing is complete, the final touches are added: the eyes are placed, and the stuffing opening is sewn shut with care.
The placement of the eyes and even the direction the thread is pulled from can dramatically change a bear’s expression. Each bear’s face is tailored to bring out its charm. This entire process is repeated again and again, with the pattern being refined slightly each time.
One-of-a-Kind prototypes:
As a result, our development workshop is filled with unique prototype bears, each created using slightly different patterns. These one-of-a-kind samples are the stepping stones toward the final design.
Once the pattern is finalized, it is sent to the factory, where the same care and attention to detail are applied. Each bear is hand-sewn and hand-stuffed with precision.
Inspection:
When the bears return to Petit Loup from the factory, they undergo thorough inspection. Their faces are carefully adjusted, and they are lovingly prepared for delivery to your doorstep.
When a Petit Loup bear arrives at your home, we hope you’ll enjoy imagining the craftsmanship and care that went into creating it. It’s a story of dedication, passion, and love for teddy bears!
