About Bears

Charlie Bears is one of the most successful of contemporary teddy bear companies. It was founded by Charlotte and William Morris in 2005 to offer traditionally hand-made ‘bears with personalities’ at affordable prices. They showed their first collection at the Birmingham Spring Fair in 2006 and were surprised and delighted by the immediate, overwhelming response. Today, they work with teddy bear artists from around the world to design and create their highly individual, top quality collectable bears, crafted of plush and mohair and fully jointed. Their ever-increasing popularity has taken them from an initial range of 12 bears to the point where they have now created over 60 exclusive designs.

In 1948, after the end of the Second World War, Hans Clemens settled in Mannheim, Germany to build a new life. He and his sister started making teddy bears by hand out of army blankets. The popularity of the bears when such toys were in short supply, was instant and demand, and the family business, continued to grow. Other plush animals were added to the range, all exemplifying the renowned Clemens quality and the style of their products. Today, Clemens is a famous name in both Germany and abroad with the company still family-run by Peter Clemens and with Hans, whilst in well-deserved retirement, still keeping an eye on the continuation of his work.

British Teddy Bear manufacturer Merrythought has been producing top quality teddy bears from the family-run company in Ironbridge, Shropshire since 1930. It takes its name from an old Shropshire country term for the ‘wishbone’ of a fowl and whilst the reasons for choosing it for the company name are unknown, it is undoubtedly appropriate - they have certainly granted the dearest wishes of generations of children. Using the finest materials, time-honoured techniques and traditional finishing methods, they give a very individual hand-crafted appeal to every single bear they create and ensure that no two are ever exactly alike, each one is unique.