South Carolina-based Big Plush is one of the last remaining American plush toy manufacturers.
Stuffed animals became a favorite children’s gift in the early 1900s with the introduction of the teddy bear.
While the teddy bear is still a favorite kids cuddle toy, the stuffed animal market has expanded to include all kinds of animals and figures, which are often plush versions of characters from popular movies and tv shows.
Big Plush, an Alliance for American Manufacturing 2025 Made in America Gift Guide selection, is one of the last remaining plush toy manufacturers in the United States. The company has a large line of animals that are entirely made in the U.S. with American-sourced materials.
Michael Matuska founded Big Plush in 2014 and continues to promote the brand as a consultant. He brings years of experience into this competitive space that is dominated by Chinese-made products.
“Our capabilities are kind of unique,” said Matuska from the company’s new manufacturing space in Little River, South Carolina. “With all the different types of fabrics and all the different types of stuffing, you have to be versatile. You wouldn’t stuff a 5- or 6-foot cow like you would a 12-inch cow you can find at Walmart. If you use all polyester stuffing it will look like a lump and people will hate it, so you have to use different, high-grade materials.”
Big Plush specializes in manufacturing larger stuffed animals and characters but offers models in the 12- to 24-inch range. With new ownership, the company plans to produce more in the smaller-sized categories.
Big Plush moved its operations from Newark, New Jersey to South Carolina more than a year ago as new owners Brian and Rhonda Leonard plan to recreate characters from her CoGlo Amigos brand of children’s books, animated videos and early-learning curriculum.
But in the meantime, the well-known Big Plush animals are still delighting both children and adults.
“Over the next 12 months or so we are gearing up to be able to do anything, from the smallest 4 inches to the biggest which we can do now,” said Matuska. “We have done 22-foot-long Black Labrador dogs for a commercial display, but we also sell 9-foot teddy bears all the time.”
Big Plush sources its fabric from Monterey Mills in Wisconsin and has a small cut-and-sew team at its factory. They work off a set of patterns that Big Plush has had for many years.
“We hand cut them. We do some laser cutting, too, on the thick fabrics,” said Matuska. “We cut out all the parts and sew them together. When the fabric pieces are sewn together it makes what is called a ‘skin’ and the skins are stored in boxes and we use small amounts of them at a time.”
So no, the Big Plush factory is not full of giant stuffed animals sitting around waiting to be adopted. They manufacture in small batches and when an item is nearly out of stock the team takes the skins and stuffs them.
Matuska has handled orders from a divergent group of customers. Corporations and businesses often order them for customers and display but the large Big Plush animals appeal to the hearts of both children and adults.
“Sometimes a customer may want to make an extravagant gift for a wedding or a baby shower,” said Matuska. “Some customers may request a bigger size, a different color or may want to add something on it that we can do pretty quickly. This transfers over to the B-to-B business when companies want something for promotion.
“We’ve had Hollywood set directors call and say, ‘I am on the scene, and the producer wants this type, but he wants it in green.’ We can do that pretty quickly because all of the work, the material and the design is American made.”
One such high exposure video moment for Big Plush came during a 2012 Super Bowl commercial for Honda. Matthew Broderick, reliving his Ferris Bueller role, drives around town with a giant panda bear by Big Plush in the passenger seat.
Among the most popular Big Plush stuffed toys is Santa Claus, which always sells well at this time of year. The company’s 18-foot-long snakes, which are exceptionally long but only about a foot wide, are another favorite.
“We also make a 30-inch penguin and a 5-foot [version] that get some decent traction. When Valentine’s Day comes around, we modify a lot of our stuff. We have a koala that holds a heart with a message on it. Our puppy dogs, monkeys and gorillas are also big sellers.
“For Christmas, the St. Bernard dog that comes in a 30-inch size and a humungous 5-foot size is popular. Our cow, believe it or not, even though it’s pricey is popular.”
According to Matuska, most companies that offer giant stuffed animals vacuum pack them for shipping. All of the air is taken out of them so they will fit in a tiny box, and the recipient has to carefully work them back into their giant size.
“We’ve never done that from day one. I was always thinking of the customers. That’s the niche,” said Matuska. “The last thing you want if you are getting it as a gift is for it to become a do-it-yourself project. We ship in large boxes and something like a 5-foot Teddy Bear will have just one fold at the waste. It perfectly slides out of the box in perfect condition and ready to hug.”
Big Plush also has a line of stuffed animals that are made in the U.S., but the skins are imported. Be sure to read about each item for sale to learn about the origin of Big Plush materials.
The median price range of Big Plush stuffed toys is from $200 to $300. The company offers a few items at the $100 price point, but its largest animals range from $500 to $1,000.
The large animals or characters are stuffed with 100% virgin, American-made polyester. Each item can be customized with embroidery, personalized t-shirts, add-a-zipper, add-your voice and more.
To learn more about Big Plush and the stuffed animals entirely made in America, you can read more on the company’s website.
The Alliance for American Manufacturing does not receive a commission from purchases made through the above links, nor was the organization or author paid for favorable coverage.
Labeling Note: This story is intended to highlight companies that support American jobs and that make great products in the United States. We rely on the companies listed to provide accurate information regarding their domestic operations and their products. Each company featured is individually responsible for labeling and advertising their products according to applicable standards, such as the Federal Trade Commission’s “Made in USA” standard or California’s “Made in USA” labeling law. We do not review individual products for compliance or claim that because a company is listed in the guide that their products comply with specific labeling or advertising standards. Our focus is on supporting companies that create American jobs.
For more on the Federal Trade Commission’s standards for “Made in USA” claims and California’s “Made in USA” labeling law, please also read this guest post by Dustin Painter and Kristi Wolff of Kelly Drye & Warren, LLP.