Surprisingly enough, the history of stuffed animals is inextricably tied to that of taxidermy. Hunters have long been fond of celebrating and preserving their greatest kills in the form of a hunting trophy. Over the years, hunters and outside specialists developed the skills necessary to keep those trophies for posterity. This often involved gutting the animals and stuffing them with materials.
Plush animals toys came about some time later, when children began demonstrating an attachment to the lifelike hunting trophies. In time, toy makers stopped using real animal hides and pelts for stuffed animals, eventually switching to cotton and other similar materials. The animals were made to look even cuter and more kid-friendly as time passed.
Tags: plush toys, stuffed teddy bear