Looking for a way to immortalize a pet you’ve lost?
This toy maker hopes his plush replicas can keep memories alive Cheerblesmart Interactive Cat Toys
[David Tan, Founder, Pampanga Teddy Bear Factory]
"So the way this whole idea of clones came about is that I used to have this Golden Retriever. I loved her dearly and she passed away in 2019. Now, since I was doing plush toys at the time, I asked my pattern-maker: 'As a way of remembering my beloved pet, can you try making a realistic clone of her?’”
Each of these costs about $65
Customers send over photos and details of their pets
The team begins by drawing the animal’s silhouette on cardboard
Fabric is sewn on to create a shell, later filled with stuffing
Synthetic fur is airbrushed to recreate the pet’s colors
"One of the things I’d like to say is we’re not taxidermy. So it removes that "ick" factor, right? We’re not actually using the real skin of the pet, you know. This is actually one hundred percent, genuinely a stuffed toy. So, basically it’s just the same fabric we use for making teddy bears but it looks realistic."
Toys For Dogs Online Sometimes hundreds are made per month, the company says