Teddy Repair
Service
Max’s Bunny before & after repair
Jellycat teddies are often given as gifts to our children at birth, and they quickly become precious companions. Even when duplicates are purchased, the original is still the favourite and irreplaceable, so if something happens to that soft toy (dogs, lawnmowers, you name it!)… or it becomes damaged through wear, don’t worry because we can help.
We are pleased to offer a teddy repair service for modern plush cuddlies who may be in need of some tender loving care - Jellycat toys are a speciality but we can fix any brand. We also have experience with mending vintage and antique bears.
Services offered include:
Cleaning
Restuffing/refreshing or topping of stuffing (kapok, shoddy or wood wool for vintage toys; recycled polyfill or poly beads for modern ones)
Patching of holes with new or reclaimed plush, felt or mohair as appropriate
Darning and support of weak areas
Replacement or reattachment of joints, ears, limbs etc.
New paw pads (usually on vintage bears)
Replacement of eyes - safety eyes; or glass ones for old bears
Prices
Prices will vary according to the complexity of each job.
For reference, our standard hourly rate is £35/hr. Return postage via Royal Mail Special Delivery (for peace of mind) will be factored in to the estimate - for a standard size medium Jellycat this is currently £8.75 (£9.25 from 7 April). Cleaning, restuffing & a small mend will usually take around an hour; more extensive patching, lining, reconstruction is generally 2-3 hours. Many holes, even on a small toy, may be more like 5. We should be able to give you a rough idea of time from some photos. There is a standard charge of £5 to cover cleaning.
We usually have capacity for 2-3 teddies a week, if we are booked up - and it’s an emergency - we do offer an ‘express’ service which is at a premium of £45/hr… let us know in your enquiry if it is urgent!
Payment will be through an invoice which will be emailed to you once the work is completed, and which you can pay through the website’s secure online checkout. Once your invoice is paid your teddy will be safely packed and returned to you.
Our Ethos
We are very inclusive and do our best to accommodate your child’s needs, especially where neurodivergence may be a factor. We take every care to retain the toy’s character and uniqueness, so it comes back to you stronger, repaired and ready for it’s next adventure rather than looking ‘new’.
The majority of the work is undertaken by Katie - who has a growing depth of experience in repairing soft toys with varying degrees of damage and wear - with support as needed from Ian.
All of the work is undertaken with love and care… your teddy will receive the best of treatment here. Each part of the mending process is designed to add extra years of life and strength to your/your child’s precious companion... sometimes this can be quite challenging.
Browse our portfolio here to see examples of previous work!
Use the enquiry form on this page to make an enquiry in the first instance. We aim to get back to you within a few hours , so if you haven’t heard from us please check junk/spam folders just in case it’s landed there!
Terms and Conditions can be found below as part of the FAQs.
The Process in a Nutshell!
Send an enquiry using the form - include up to 5 photos
We reply to discuss options and give you an estimate
When you decide to go ahead - receive a simple agreement document by email, review and accept
Send us your teddy via Special Delivery or similar tracked service
Teddy is assessed and revised estimate given if it looks like more work is required than appeared on the photos.
Work is completed during the agreed timeframe
Photos of completed work sent for approval
Receive an email with an invoice - pay via our secure online checkout
Your teddy will be packed up and returned to you via Special Delivery same or next day depending on time of day.
American Friends! We’ve had quite a few enquiries recently from across the Pond. We are always very happy to help - but before you make your enquiry, be aware that USPS parcel rates to the UK are relatively high, so you might wish to explore those prices first. If you find a cheaper alternative, we’d love to know!
This calendar shows current availability for your reference
Meet our Jellycat Hug!
I wasn’t really aware of Jellycat as a brand before I had children - but my work colleagues at the time thoughtfully gifted each of them a Jellycat Bashful cuddly when they were born… Monty the Bashful Monkey for my eldest (short for Montezuma!) and Lily-White the Bashful Bunny for my youngest.
Mini-Monty was purchased online as a back up but not having looked carefully at the sizing, we discovered he was tiny on arrival, so he was named Mini-Monty and is equally loved. Both Montys are now 13 years old and still going strong.
The two Lilys are so-named after their respective colours as we had, just a day or two before my maternity gift was received, picked out the grey bunny as a gift for our daughter from her older brother! So Lily-White and Lily-Grey stuck. They are hugely precious and nobody is allowed to touch them without permission, nor are they allowed to be sat on or (heaven forbid) accidentally knocked off the bed!!
Bun-bun is a recent addition to the ‘hug’ having been seen by W and been super-attached to her within a record 2.3 nanoseconds. Yes I’m a softie!
Last and littlest, but not least, Bug. Bug belongs to my mum, having been bought on a whim several years ago, though he ended up on an extended sojourn at our house when discovered on a visit by the kids.
As you can see… Jellycats, especially bunnies and monkeys, have a special place in our hearts here. I think that’s one of the reasons I love repairing those, specifically, because I recognise the attachment that children and adults alike have to them, and to be able to restore them to a family’s ‘hug’ and their special person’s arms again is so worthwhile.
Katie ♥
FAQs
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All sorts! Many of the teddies that come to us have had an encounter with an enthusiastic dog or puppy. Others are just very well loved, so might have some worn areas, holes or be a bit saggy.
We have experience of working with all materials from delicate mohairs, sheepskin, right through to plush.
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Absolutely not. Whilst we specialise in repairing modern teddies we are also experienced with antique or vintage ones. Teddies and other cuddlies are precious to their owners and we give them equal amounts of love!
Whether your teddy is 6 weeks old, 6 years old or 60+ years old, he or she is welcome!
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We pride ourselves on tackling the jobs that others can’t, or won’t. It will be very rare that we say something can’t be repaired - but as ever there is a judgement to be made (by you) as to the cost/benefit of undertaking a complex and lengthy repair.
In the first instance, send us some photos of the problem areas and we can see what’s possible and how complicated it might be. You might be surprised!
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If you can send us some photos and details of the work required in the first instance then we can start thinking about a price. Cleaning and restuffing a modern cuddly will usually be around £25 including return postage. More complex jobs are costed on an estimation of how long they are likely to take to complete and the materials required (new eyes, growlers etc.).
Payment is made through the website via our invoicing system. You will be sent an invoice via email which you can then click through to pay on the website checkout like you would any other product. Let us know if you would like to pay in advance, in instalments or at the end when the work is completed.
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Every soft toy is different, and poses different challenges depending on age, material and level of damage. If it’s a straightforward wash/restuff or simple repair then we can usually turn it around within fourteen days of receipt, depending on how busy we may be with events etc.
If it’s a very complex and challenging repair job for an antique bear, then it may take several weeks or even months as repairs are done gradually and solutions worked out with plenty of thought.
We will advise you on possible timeframes at the time of enquiry, and keep you updated throughout the process. Express turnaround (with an added premium) is an option if your child is very attached to their toy.
Please keep in mind that even if a repair job is only a few hours, it may be completed over several days, especially over winter, as the process is quite taxing physically…. and requires good light!
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Your trust in sending us your precious teddy/soft toy is enough. However, if you would like to spread the payments out we are happy to arrange instalments if that makes life easier!
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Firstly, we recommend sending using the shortest duration tracked service that’s appropriate for you. We use Royal Mail Special Delivery to send teddies back as it is a very secure, well tracked (and quick!) service.
Make sure your teddy is well packed in a box that is big enough to accommodate it comfortably (especially for older, jointed bears). Pack any voids with bubble wrap or non-coloured tissue paper.
Make sure you include a return address in the box! If the label comes off the packaging for any reason during transit it stands a better chance of finding its way back to you.
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If you live close enough to us (Rainworth, Nottinghamshire - NG21) then you are very welcome to make an appointment to drop off and collect your teddy in person. It will also give us a chance to give him/her a careful examination and give you a firmer idea of what work is involved.
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No work will be carried out until the agreement document is reviewed and accepted (online, sent via email)
Hygiene - if your toy has been damaged by a dog or your child habitually sucks it, please either wash it before sending or if this is impractical advise that it needs cleaning and we will factor that into the price. Teddy repair is up close and personal!
Estimates can be given on the basis of photos but may need to be revised on physical inspection of the toy on arrival as it’s not always easy to see the extent of damage.
We will do our best to undertake your repair speedily and communicate with you in the event of any delays.
All repaired toys will be returned via Royal Mail Special Delivery.