Little Kösen Hedgehog

Their craftsmanship and – above all – design are among the best on the market. Every one of the Kösen plush animals is crafted by hand with great attention to detail. Sewn together from as many as more than 70 single parts made of European woven plush in different colours, hair lengths and structures – this is how the characteristic features of each animal can be authentically represented. For just one animal, more than ten types of plush of different colours and hair lengths are often used. So that the toys keep their shape for as long as possible, they have a stuffing of silicone hollow fibre, which frequently also underlines their lifelike design, and they have securely fastened safety eyes. For every model, thorough studies of anatomy and movement are first conducted in the animals’ natural environment or at the zoo. Then follow sketches and first clay models – only in this way can plush animals as lifelike as those from Bad Kösen be made (not just intended to look “sweet”). They have won many awards and so are also collection pieces for a display cabinet but are nevertheless primarily designed to survive everyday wear and tear in a child’s hands. The first Kösen doll manufactory was founded in 1912 by Käthe Kruse, who left East Germany in 1949. But what remained were the skills in doll-making acquired over the course of more than four decades. The manufactory subsequently specialised in the production of plush animals and design standards constantly rose higher and higher, as a result of the meanwhile even longer co-operation with neighbouring Burg Giebichenstein, which has been one of the major training centres for product design since the beginning of the 20th century.

If necessary, the Kösen animals can be washed carefully by hand; only those with short plush fur are suitable for tumble drying.