Hansa Creation Soft Toys — where craftsmanship meets wildlife
When Hans Axthelm started Hansa Creation in Melbourne in 1972, he set out to make plush animals that people would look at twice. Over five decades later, the company produces more than 7,000 species — each one designed from photographs of the living animal. The range stretches from songbirds and beetles to full-scale safari animals. Production moved to the Philippines in 1994, where a permanent team of artisans has been refining the craft ever since.
From photograph to finished animal
The process begins in the design studio, where artists study reference images of a species in its natural habitat. They develop a pattern that captures the animal's proportions, stance and muscle structure. Workers then cut around 42 individual fabric pieces by hand — large animals require significantly more. The inside-out sewing technique ensures that all seams end up hidden inside the toy. Once assembled, airbrush artists apply shading, stripes, spots or colour gradients to the fur. The finishing touches come from a library of over 6,000 different eyes, claws, noses and whiskers, matched to each species.
Responsible materials
Hansa Creation moved to 100% recycled filling in 2011. Every animal is now stuffed with fibres made from recycled PET bottles, reducing both waste and the need for virgin materials. The production facility has been running on collected rainwater since 1994. Outer fabrics are custom-developed synthetic furs, tailored in length, density and colour to each animal. All materials undergo laboratory testing and meet the European EN 71 toy safety standard.
More than a toy
Hansa operates under the principle Conservation + Education = Preservation. Each animal comes with an information tag about its real-world counterpart — habitat, diet, behaviour and threats. The company partners with museums and conservation bodies to bring wildlife education into schools and public spaces. For collectors, this background adds another layer of interest: the tag turns a shelf ornament into a small lesson in zoology.
Choosing the right animal
With thousands of species available, picking the right Hansa soft toy depends on the purpose. For young children aged three and above, smaller animals that fit easily into small hands work best — squirrels, rabbits or hedgehogs, for example. Classroom settings benefit from animals that illustrate clear differences: compare a bird of prey with a songbird, or a reptile with a mammal. In therapy and elderly care, familiar domestic or garden animals tend to spark the strongest response. Collectors often start with a theme — native woodland species, ocean life or a particular continent — and build from there.
Looking after your Hansa animal
Surface cleaning with a soft cloth, lukewarm water and mild soap keeps the fur in good condition. Let the animal dry naturally, then brush the coat gently to restore its texture. Machine washing is best avoided — the airbrushed detail and the toy's sculpted shape are not designed for it.