Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Your Character. Made Huggable. Made to Last.
Custom plush toys and stuffed animals are more than merchandise — they are brand assets that people keep, share, and remember. If your organization has a character, Loonie Times can bring it to life at scale.
About Custom Plush
Not sure where to start? The questions below cover everything organizations ask before placing a custom plush order — from what custom plush actually is, to who orders it, to what it costs. Open any question to get the full answer.
What is a custom plush?
Custom plush refers to soft, stuffed toys manufactured specifically from a client’s original character, mascot, or brand design — rather than generic off-the-shelf products. Unlike stock stuffed animals found in retail stores, custom plush toys are built from your artwork and produced in bulk quantities for your organization.
Every detail — from the shape and size to the materials and finishing — is tailored to your character. The result is a product that is uniquely yours and impossible to find anywhere else.
Are custom plushies and custom plush the same thing?
Yes, they are the same. Custom plushies are a widely used term — particularly in the entertainment, gaming, and creator communities — for custom-manufactured stuffed characters ordered in bulk.
The term plushies typically refers to the same product as custom plush toys but resonates with younger audiences, anime fans, content creators, and pop culture brands.
At Loonie Times, we manufacture custom plushies for entertainment retailers, video game studios, YouTube creators, and brands looking to turn their original characters into merchandise that their audience will love.
What are the benefits of custom stuffed animals for brands?
Custom stuffed animals give organizations a brand asset that buyers, fans, and recipients actually keep — unlike pens, flyers, or digital ads that disappear. They create emotional connections that extend brand visibility over time.
As customized stuffed toys, they are versatile enough for corporate gifting, fundraising, trade show giveaways, school spirit merchandise, and retail resale. High perceived value, broad demographic appeal, and strong social media shareability make custom stuffed animals one of the highest-return promotional products available for organizations investing in brand equity.
What types of custom plush toys can you make?
Almost any original character can be turned into a custom-made plush toy — animals, humanoid characters, anime-style figures, abstract mascots, book characters, and more. If your organization has an existing mascot, brand character, or original illustration, our in-house design team converts your 2D artwork into a production-ready 3D design.
We also work with clients who are starting from scratch, helping develop the character concept before moving into plush production.
The main requirement is that the character is original — we do not reproduce licensed or trademarked IP without authorization.
Who orders custom plush in bulk?
Organizations that order custom plush in bulk include corporate brands using plush for promotional merchandise, HR gifting, and trade show giveaways. Schools and universities order mascot plush for student bookstores and athletics. Sports teams, entertainment retailers, and visitor attractions such as zoos, museums, and amusement parks are also strong bulk buyers, relying on custom plush as high-margin, exclusive souvenirs. Healthcare organizations use custom plush to comfort young patients. A wide variety of organizations order custom plush in bulk to bring their unique brand identities to life.
The common thread is that each organization has a character or brand identity they want to extend into a physical, huggable product that their audience can take home.
How much does it cost to make a custom plush?
Custom plush pricing depends on several factors, including character complexity, size, quantity, and materials. As a general rule, higher-order quantities reduce per-unit cost significantly, which is why most organizations order between 2,000 and 3,000 units.
Our minimum order quantity is 1,000 units per character design. Pricing is comparable to a quality custom mascot costume investment, reflecting the design work, sampling process, and manufacturing oversight involved. The best way to get accurate pricing for your project is to submit a quote request with your character details and quantity.
Types of Custom Plush We Make
Every custom plush we produce is built from original artwork — no templates, no generic designs, no off-the-shelf characters. Whether you need custom plush animals, anime-style character plush, book character plushies, humanoid figures, or custom plush keychains, our in-house design team converts your 2D artwork into a fully realized, production-ready 3D plush. Each product type has its own design considerations, size ranges, and finishing options — explore each category below to find the right fit for your character and your order.
Custom Plush for Every Type of Organization
Custom plush toys and stuffed animals serve a wide range of organizational buyers — from corporate brands and healthcare providers to schools, sports teams, and entertainment retailers. What unites them is a shared understanding that a character-driven brand asset creates connections that outlast any campaign. Below are the industries and buyer segments we serve most frequently, each with its own use case, buyer motivation, and strategic application for custom plush as a branded product.
Questions About Our Custom Plush
Custom plush manufacturing is a significant investment — and a highly rewarding one when done right. The questions below address the most common things organizations ask before starting a custom plush project.
From pricing and MOQ to production timelines and safety certifications, we have answered the questions that matter most to buyers placing bulk orders. Still have questions? Our team is here to help design your perfect custom plush. Request a quote below or call us at 855-325-0921.
free Plush QuoteWhat factors affect custom plush pricing?
Custom plush pricing is determined by several factors: character complexity, plush size, order quantity, and material specifications. Order quantity has the largest impact — per-unit costs decrease significantly as volume increases, which is why most organizations order between 2,000 and 3,000 units. Our minimum order is 1,000 units per character design. Beyond unit pricing, a one-time $450 sample fee covers artwork, revisions, physical sample creation, and shipping — replacing the $2,000–$10,000 setup fees many other manufacturers charge.
What is the minimum order for custom plush toys?
Our minimum order quantity is 1,000 units per character design. This MOQ exists because creating a custom plush toy from scratch requires a unique design, custom-made fabrics, and a dedicated setup for each character. To make that initial design and setup cost worth it for your budget, we need a minimum run of 1,000 units. In fact, most of our clients order between 2,000 and 3,000 units because it lowers the price per toy. Plus, if you order 3,000 units or more, we can unlock our volume-discounted rates for you.
How long does custom plush manufacturing take?
The full custom plush process — from initial inquiry to delivered product — typically takes four to six months. This timeline covers plush design artwork, artwork approval, sample creation, sample revision, sample shipping and approval, production deposit, mass production, and final shipping. Our three-stage sampling process ensures your plush matches your character before mass production. We recommend planning your timeline accordingly, especially for event-based or seasonal orders.
Can I use my own character design or artwork?
Yes, you can provide your own artwork, character files, or brand assets to serve as our design reference. From there, our in-house team will adapt your files into a production-ready design optimized specifically for plush manufacturing, ensuring your 2D lines translate into a 3D fabric form. We will work closely with you to finalize these details before physical sampling begins.
Even if you only have a rough concept and no finalized artwork, we can help develop your character from a basic brief into a production-ready design. Please note that to protect intellectual property, we cannot manufacture copyrighted or trademarked characters without explicit written permission or a licensing agreement from the copyright holder.
Do you ship custom plush to the United States or Canada?
Yes. Loonie Times serves organizations across the United States and Canada. We are based in Toronto, Ontario and Dallas, Texas, giving us a strong operational presence in both markets. All shipping costs are included in your final quote so there are no surprise fees at delivery. The only exclusions are government taxes and customs duties, which are billed at actual cost. Our all-inclusive costing model means you know your total delivered cost before you commit to production.
What safety certifications do your plush products carry?
Our custom plush products are tested by third-party, CPSC-accepted laboratories to meet strict North American safety standards. For the U.S. market, we support our compliance with a Children’s Product Certificate (CPC), which is the legally required documentation for toy products distributed in the United States. This makes our plush suitable for schools, hospitals, children’s retailers, and any organization distributing plush to minors. We are also open to pursuing European CE testing for clients requiring international distribution compliance.
What sizes are available for custom plush toys?
We manufacture custom plush in a range of sizes to suit different use cases and distribution needs. Available sizes include 6-inch keychain plush (simple designs only, with plastic or metal charm), 9-inch, 12-inch, 15-inch, and 20-inch standard plush, as well as larger sizes on request. We generally do not recommend oversized or giant plush due to the significant increase in international shipping costs. The most popular sizes for organizational buyers are 9-inch and 12-inch, which balance visual impact with cost-effective shipping.
Can custom plush be made from any character type — animals, humans, or anime?
Yes, we manufacture custom plush across all major character types, including animals, humanoid figures, anime-style characters, abstract mascots, book characters, and more. Character type influences design complexity and production considerations, but does not restrict what can be manufactured. Our design team has experience converting a wide range of character styles into production-ready plush. The primary requirement is that your character is original. We do not reproduce licensed IP, franchise characters, or trademarked designs without verified authorization from the rights holder.
Can custom plush be sold in retail stores?
Yes, custom plush manufactured by Loonie Times can be produced retail-ready for store distribution. We offer in-seam tags and custom hang tags as part of the production process, allowing your plush to meet standard retail display and labeling requirements. Whether you are selling through your own storefront, a campus bookstore, a gift shop, or a third-party retailer, we can configure your order to arrive shelf-ready. Our CPC certification also satisfies the safety compliance requirements most retailers require before accepting a product onto their floor.
What is the difference between a custom plush and a mascot costume?
A custom plush toy and a mascot costume serve different but complementary roles for organizations. A mascot costume is a wearable, performer-operated character suit used for live appearances and events. A custom plush is a scaled-down, soft, manufactured version of the same character, produced in bulk for merchandise, gifting, and brand distribution. Many Loonie Times clients order both: the costume for live brand activation and the plush for merchandise their audience can take home. Together, they form the perfect team to make your brand unforgettable.
