How Coco Came to Life

When we set out to create the perfect soft toy, we knew it couldn’t just look good, it had to be irresistibly cuddly, photogenic, and full of personality. But where do you even start when you want to design the ultimate companion?

We decided to go right back to where this idea first sparked: the charity shops. We gathered every shape and size of teddy and soft toy we could find, handed them out to friends, family, and some very willing little testers, and asked for honest feedback. What made them lovable? What felt awkward? What made people smile? Piece by piece, this feedback helped shape our own vision.

But here’s where things took a lovely twist, we didn’t end up designing a teddy bear at all.

Why? Because Kyle, our founder, had the perfect inspiration close to home: his cheeky cockapoo, Cooper. With his floppy ears, waggy tail, and endless charm, Cooper was the real muse behind our first creation. And just like that, Coco the dog was born. We carefully thought through every detail of Coco’s design: long, weighted legs so he could sit (or hang!) perfectly for photos, a soft rounded head and slim neck so he could be posed however you like, even hanging by his head for those playful shots. Plus, Coco needed to be fully washable and UKCA-certified for ages 3+, because cuddly companions are meant for everyday adventures, not just the shelf.

With Coco’s design in hand, the next challenge appeared: who could bring him to life?

For two months, we searched everywhere from local tailors to small businesses and online makers, but

no luck. Just when we thought we’d reached a dead end, our Prince’s Trust mentor came to the rescue. He introduced us to Ellie, the talented bridal seamstress behind Mayflower Design Studio. Teddy-making was brand new to her, but she threw herself into the challenge, and wow, did she deliver.

Ellie’s first Coco prototype captured everything we hoped for. After careful testing (and some very helpful focus groups), we refined every material and detail to make Coco as soft, poseable, and photo-friendly as possible.

Ellie made a second prototype soon after, this time adding all the little improvements our testers suggested. Coco was really coming to life.

Next came the big question: how do we make lots of Cocos…not just one?

We dreamed of keeping production local, but sadly the UK soft toy industry has all but disappeared. Fortunately, through a contact at Birmingham City University, we were introduced to a business that worked with trusted factories in India. Just three weeks later, a sample arrived!

At first, the colours and materials were slightly different to Ellie’s handmade prototypes, and we’ll be honest, it caught us by surprise. But the more time we spent with this new Coco, the more we appreciated the craftsmanship and quality. He had charm, softness, and that all-important cuddle factor.

Just as everything seemed ready to go, another bump appeared: the factory’s minimum order quantity was 1,000 units, far more than we could manage for our first launch. It was a tough moment after so much progress.

But fate stepped in again in the most unlikely place: the sauna at the local gym! Kyle got chatting with someone who, as luck would have it, had connections in product sourcing. One conversation led to another and soon we were speaking with a trusted supplier in China. Samples were made from two factories there, plus another from Lithuania, giving us plenty of options to compare.

When all the samples arrived, we carefully considered everything, quality, price, scalability, and the all-important human connection. One of the Chinese factories ticked every box. After a few final tweaks and thanks to the patience and kindness of our wonderful factory contact…Coco was finally ready.

And now? Coco’s set to meet his new forever friends, ready for snuggles, adventures, and the spotlight in a million happy photos.