Heart. It’s the one word I kept coming back to after my visit with Vermont Teddy Bear for this write up.
What is “heart” and how do you describe it? For me, it was witnessing the utmost care, creativity, and passion the people at Vermont Teddy put into each bear or stuffed animal they create.
Teddy bears provide comfort and a feeling of security. Children (and adults, too!) sleep with them, stuff them into back packs when traveling, and talk to them. They may put the bear on a shelf as they grow older, but will secretly pack it in a suitcase as they prepare to strike out on their own.
Because they’re so cherished, teddy bears get handed down – from one generation to the next. A young man I know kept his childhood bear; when his son was born, he and his wife put it in the nursery for when their son was older.
The people at Vermont Teddy Bear understand this connection customers have with their bear (or favorite stuffy) and revere it; it’s what drives everything they do.
The tour: See the people making teddy bears
Creating connection with customers and their bears begins with a tour. The company attracts over 40,000 visitors annually – from all over the world – an amazing feat given its relatively small size and location in Shelburne, VT. It’s a testament to the company, its philosophy, and most importantly, its heart.
Vermont Teddy Bear is open to the public seven days a week (except major holidays); public tours take place every hour at set times. Adults pay a nominal $5; children under 12 are free.
You can even bring your dog! “We’re very dog friendly,” said store manager, and my personal tour guide, Lienne Bick. The company’s Brand Director, Cassie Clayton, joined us mid-tour, along with Luna, her beautiful Golden Retriever.
The tour includes a walk through the various areas of operation: fur cutting, sewing, the custom bear display, and most important, the Bear Hospital. You can see people making (or repairing) bears and ask lots of questions.
In comparison to the hundreds of industrial tours I’ve done over my career, Vermont Teddy is relatively low-tech – which is due in part to how much custom work they do. Yes, the company uses a computer-driven cutting table and machine to precisely cut bear parts, and another machine for embroidery, but the rest of the operation is decidedly hands-on – especially the sewing.
Skilled sewers make bear parts and the original outfits for custom-designed bears. Others use specialized mechanical tools to add the joints and stuffing. I watched one woman hand-sew buttons! As a former industrial sewer, I was impressed. The quality of work is impeccable.
The manufacturing side: 11,250 bear parts a day
Vermont Teddy Bear has two bear lines: The Classic Bear, which is 100% made in the USA, and the Soft & Huggable line. This line is made from imported bear “shells,” which are then hand-stuffed and finished at the factory.
Lienne explained the difference. The Classic Bear has movable jointed arms and legs. The entire bear is made at the factory, where a machine cuts fur using dies for the parts, and then is sewn by the small cadre of sewing techs.
The Classic Teddy Bears have a more structured look and feel – hence the “Classic” name. They can also be customized: You can choose from six fur colors, four eye colors, and embroidery on the paw pad. Bear parts are made singly; arms and legs are attached using plastic disks at the joints.
The bear “shells” for the Soft & Huggable line are made in China. They’re then stuffed and finish-sewn at the factory. These bears are more cushy or “squishy” – and are referred to as “plushies.”
The fill for both lines is US-sourced and made from recycled water bottles, which I found amazing. You would never know from the way the bear feels.
Now owned by Vermont Flannel
You can find a great deal of information about the company and its history online, so I won’t repeat it all here. Suffice to say, in 1981, founder John Sortino wanted to make a teddy bear locally after realizing his son had 38 stuffed animals, none of which were made here.
He created a prototype – which is on display at Vermont Teddy and part of the public tour – and then used it to create 200 Buddy Bears to sell at the local market on Church Street in Burlington. He sold 100 in a single day!
The company was officially founded in 1983; at one point it went public and was traded on the NASDAQ. It was taken private in 2005 by a Boston-based private equity firm, The Mustang Group.
The owners of Vermont Flannel, which is also a Made in USA brand, purchased the company in 2024. It was a natural fit as both share similar philosophies – along with a devoted customer base and local community involvement.
One benefit of the acquisition: You can outfit your bear in a custom embroidered Vermont Flannel shirt. Nice!
A new joint storefront at 72 Church Street in Burlington, VT features handcrafted Vermont Flannel clothing and accessories, as well as the full Vermont Teddy Bear offering.
Creativity encouraged!
My backstage tour included a brief visit to the corporate offices upstairs. Cassie Clayton took me to her work area where I could see prototypes of things in progress.
In addition to teddy bears, the company has a full line of stuffed animals – everything from Champ, the mythical creature that lives in Lake Champlain, to wildlife, insects, and a ton of other stuff.
“Only 25% of prototypes make the cut,” she says. “We’re always trying different things. We’ll make a prototype, then incorporate feedback from people within the company.”
Cassie also designs the unique, one-of-a-kind bears that customers request.
For example, a woman sent in photos of her wedding and asked that Vermont Teddy create two bears – one wearing her husband’s tux, and the other in her wedding dress.
Another customer sent photos of her father’s military uniform: she wanted Vermont Teddy to use it to create bears in uniform for her grandchildren as a way to remember their grandfather.
Cassie’s beautiful Golden Retriever, Luna, accompanied us through the tour. Because plushies are such a draw for dogs, Cassie provides Luna with her own giant Lamb Chop plushie – which she’s allowed to destroy.
I laughed; yes, my dog Rocky has gone through several plushies and is now on his second Lamb Chop. They don’t last long!
Guaranteed for life
The last stop on the tour is the famous Bear Hospital, which is managed by Dr. Pam. It was here that my heart burst with joy.
All Vermont Teddy Bears are guaranteed for life. If your bear (or other Vermont Teddy plushie) is damaged, you can send it to the Bear Hospital for repair. Dr. Pam will do everything she can to save it.
Each bear is admitted and placed in its own cubby. An intake board lists each patient, the injury, and its status. The front of the intake counter is graced by letters and photos people have sent with their bears: the dog ate it, a bear lost an arm or leg, or as my tour guide Lienne shows, was run over by the lawn mower. Yikes!!
I don’t know about you, but in this day and age of everything being temporary or disposable, the fact that a small company will go to such lengths to repair a teddy bear is remarkable.
It’s why people from all over the world make a stop at Vermont Teddy Bear when traveling through New England. It’s because Vermont Teddy reminds us of what it means to have heart.
Thank you, Lienne, thank you Cassie. My heart fills with joy each time I think about my visit. I loved it and am so glad to have met you. You and your team have created a very special place.
And, thank you to Vermont Flannel Owner Joe Van Deman, and CEO Matt Bigelow, who helped arrange this tour.
Company Details
Visiting Vermont Teddy Bear — Get directions; book a tour
Shop for a bear or animal plushie
Customize your bear or stuffie
“The Beary Best History Ever Told” — Vermont Teddy Bear history, with pictures, on the company blog
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Links
“On Factory Tours,” by James Coleman, Scope of Work. During its heyday and until 1993, Philip Morris held free public tours of its factory. Over 50,000 people visited each year. It’s this comparison I used when I stated Vermont Teddy’s annual number of visitors is amazing.
Handcrafted in Vermont: Luxurious Flannel Apparel – A Keep It Made USA write up
Full Disclosure
I’m not paid nor asked to write about products or the companies that make them. All links in this piece are FREE — meaning, they’re not sponsored or paid for.
My mission is to keep manufacturing jobs stateside and this blog is my way of giving back. We like to think a “small” choice, such as purchasing something made in the US by American workers, won’t make a difference. It does.
