Steiff

What they do

Margarete Steiff GmbH makes high-quality plush toys and collectors' pieces, best known for its teddy bears, from its home in Giengen an der Brenz in eastern Swabia. Margarete Steiff, a seamstress, founded the business in 1880, starting with felt toys.

Why it matters

In 1897 her nephew Richard Steiff joined the company. In 1902 he designed Bear 55 PB, a jointed toy bear made of mohair plush, which Steiff counts as the invention of the teddy bear. Whether Steiff or an American maker produced the very first teddy bear is a matter of debate, since toy bears appeared on both sides of the Atlantic at around the same time, but Steiff's bear quickly became the reference. In 1904 Franz Steiff introduced the metal Button in Ear as a mark of authenticity, an early example of brand protection in the toy industry that the company still uses today.

Products to know

• Teddy bears: classic jointed bears, descended from the 1902 design.
• Replicas and limited editions: pieces for collectors.
• Baby and children's toys: soft toys designed for younger children.

The German angle

Steiff's story combines craft, family enterprise and a remarkable founder who built a business in an era when few women could. The company was held for generations by the founder's heirs through Steiff Beteiligungsgesellschaft. In June 2026 Ravensburger, the board game and puzzle maker from Upper Swabia, agreed to take a majority stake, subject to antitrust approval, with Steiff continuing to operate independently from Giengen and the family retaining a significant shareholding.