Beans - Often used in "bean bag toys" to give it weight, and added “value”.  Dried beans, rice, peas, pebbles,

and more often now the use of plastic pellets.  Natural items do tend to attract animals, and plastic pellets can

be a small parts issue of toy is broken and if beans come out of the sewn in pouch they could be ingested.

- see bean bag plush

Bean Bag Plush - Plush toys with bean bags inside of them.  The "beans" are put in a fabric pouch and then

sewn to a seam inside the toy to keep it in place, often in the hands, feet, and or butt. - see beans

Counter Sample - Pre-production sample to test production patterns ensuring the factory can produce the item,

also used for costing. - see Pre-production sample

Costing - The value of money that has been used up to produce something, giving an idea as to how much of

each material was used to make the item, so that production costs can be estimated.

FOB - is an acronym for Freight On Board - meaning that the buyer pays for transportation of the goods (plush

toys), overseas factories often quote pricing from their port city, it is still your responsibility to import the

shipment into the United States or your own country (if you are an international customer).

Hangtag - A tag attached to the toy giving information about where it was made, Company logo, address, etc.

Inspection - To check a sampling of the quality of the manufacturing. For example, out of 500 manufactured

plush toys, typically 10% of the toys are selected from each of the boxes to be looked over for sewing and

seam quality.

Mechanical Plush - Plush toy with a mechanism put inside to make it do something, example, walk, jump.

Mechanism - Mechanical parts used inside a plush toy to make it do something, example, walk, jump.

Mock Up - Sample made to show example, typically just to get the look, not necessarily used for production.

MOQ - Minimum Order Quantities - The lowest number of pieces that a factory will produce of one item. Once

item would be a single design all with the same colors and materials.

NDA - Non-Disclosure Agreement - Agreement between owner of the concept and on behalf of everyone

involved before it's discussed to protect all parties.

One Off – One prototype made, a one of a kind, custom plush toy.

Pile Height - In referring to plush, it's the thickness or height of the yarn or fur above the backing.

Plastic Pellets - Often used in bean bag plush to give it a weight.

Plush - Faux or fake fur, typically with a knit backing, having a thick or deep pile.

Plush toys - Toys made of soft material, often a fur type of fabric, for example a Teddy Bear. Also referred to as

a stuffed toy, stuffed animal, plushie, plush-toy, soft toy, plushy.

Plushie - A stuffed character, plush toy, stuffed animal, common example would be a Teddy Bear.

Polyester Fiber Fill - Spun long-chain synthetic polymer fibers used as filling for plush toys, pillows, etc.

Pre-production sample - Counter sample plush toy prototype used as an example to “prove production patterns”

to ensure the plush toy can be duplicated.

Production Patterns - Reproducible patterns created for manufacturing to ensure that every plush toy produced

looks the same, reducing inspection rejection.

Prototype (plush) - Original or early sample of a plush toy to test a concept or design before production,

sometimes used to sell a plush toy concept.

Rag Doll - Doll made of cloth, also known as a soft doll.

RN or Registered Number - Textiles are required to have a Registered Number to be put on the sewn in label.

- see sewn in label.

Sewn in label - Is a label that is sewn into the seam of plush toys to give information, for example, company

name, fabric content, care, RN#, where manufactured.

Small Batch Manufacturer Registry - orders of 7500 pieces or less, expensive third party safety testing is no longer

required, once you are registered and approved for Small Batch Manufacturing of plush toys.

Small Parts - If a small part fits completely into the small parts test cylinder, and the toy or product from which it

came is intended for use by children under three, the toy or product is banned because the small part presents

a choking hazard.  ALL Plush toys should pass this test unless it's a collectable, to prevent endangering a small 

child.

Stuffed Toy or Stuffed Animal - A toy sewn from a textile, and stuffed with a soft material, also known as a 

Cuddly Toy, Plushie, Soft Toy, plush toy.

Stuffing - Used to fill or stuff a stuffed toy often made of synthetic fiber, cotton, straw, wood wool, plastic pellets

or beans.

Synthetic Fiber - Fibers that are man made, often used to make faux fur used in plush toys, or in stuffing for

plush toys.

This is a list of terms that I have put together as a quick reference for clients, if you would like a more thorough

explanation, or question about any of the terms, please contact me.