Little friend Leo lion Size: 22 cm Class: Originals

From the day Steiff created the world's first teddy bear in 1880, until now, the magic of their plush toys has enchanted young and old. Thanks to the rich variety and proven German quality, today Steiff are a symbol of quality, style and originality and have the status of collector's toys. Handcrafted, built-in quality system, own weaving mill for materials and the trademark - "Button in the ear", are a guarantee that the fluffy friend will accompany not only childhood, but will bring joy for a lifetime.

Little friend Leo lion - Steiff's little friend is very gentle and loves to be petted. He measures 22 cm and is made of soft woven fur. Steiff's little friend, Leo the lion, loves to make lots of new friends and take part in exciting adventures.

Clean production processes and high quality are an important part of the identity of Steiff toys. That is why the brand's products exceed legal requirements to be harmless, valuable and sustainable. As one of the first toy manufacturers in Germany, it has implemented its own quality management system. This is certified according to DIN EN ISO 9001.

The brand's aspiration has always been that your children can play carefree and explore their surroundings with their best friend Steiff close by as loving companions. That is why it goes without saying that only harmless materials are used in the production of cuddly and fashionable clothing toys. In addition, the strictest hygiene and cleanliness requirements are applied in the production process. In the case of clothing, it is always ensured that accessories and mechanical parts such as fasteners are child-friendly and safe, and are regularly tested by independent, recognized institutions. The products are still made by hand and with a lot of love. The soft toys are made of extremely soft materials and according to Steiff's strict manufacturing standards with a quality guarantee. For the valuable collector's items, high-quality natural fibers such as hemp, bamboo, paper plush or mohair are used, which are processed in the Steiff-Schulte weaving mill in Germany.

Quality also means respecting the limited resources of our planet. Many of our products use cotton from controlled organic farming or recycled materials and guarantee environmentally friendly production. Only products that fully meet these requirements deserve the special button on the ear, as a sign of uncompromising quality, built on traditions built from 1880 to the present day, with an eye on the future.

CE marking

All items marked with the CE mark are toys. These items comply with the requirements of all EU directives applicable to these toys.

The Steiff story, told by them

• Our founder Margarete Steiff was a remarkable woman in many ways. Exceptional for her time, she fought for her place in life as a young girl, despite many difficulties, and became an independent entrepreneur.
• With a pincushion in the shape of a small fabric elephant, she wrote the first chapter of an unprecedented success story that is still being written today, more than 140 years later.
• The first step - Margarethe founded her own felt clothing store and successfully sold her self-made clothing and household items. She soon managed to hire several seamstresses.
• The Elefäntle is created - Margarete sees a pattern for a small cloth elephant in a fashion magazine. She sews the "Elefäntle" according to this pattern. The felt elephant, intended as a pincushion, soon becomes a popular children's toy. The first Steiff catalog is published soon and shows not only elephants, but also monkeys, donkeys, horses, camels, pigs, mice, dogs, cats, rabbits and giraffes.
• The Margarete Steiff felt factory is founded - On March 3, 1893, the toy factory is registered in the commercial register as "Margarete Steiff, Filzspielwarenfabrik Giengen/Brenz". Our toys are presented for the first time at the Leipzig Toy Fair.
• Richard Steiff 1897 - Margarethe's beloved creative nephew, joined the company after attending the School of Applied Arts in Stuttgart and studying in England. His animal sketches are the basis for many of our Steiff creations.
• The teddy bear is born 1902 - Richard Steiff designs the "Bear 55 PB", the world's first teddy bear with movable arms and legs. The original. While searching for the right material, Richard finds a fluffy mohair plush produced by the Schulte weaving factory in Duisburg. The breakthrough comes when an American retailer discovers the bear and orders 3,000 of them. The bear is a sales success in the US.
• "Steiff - Button in the Ear" 1904 - trademark created - To protect Steiff toys from imitation, Franz Steiff, Margarethe's nephew, developed the trademark, the famous "button in the ear", a trademark that is still protected today. Originally, the button depicted an elephant, but over the years this was replaced with the inscription "Steiff".
• Steiff Bear Becomes Teddy Bear - American President Theodore Roosevelt, nicknamed "Teddy", played a big role in the success of the Steiff bear and in giving it its name. He refused to shoot a helpless bear tied to a leash during a hunting trip. As a result, he was depicted by cartoonist Clifford C. Berryman in the Washington Post along with a little bear. This is the best advertisement for our teddy bear
• Teddy Bear Boom 1907- Steiff produces 1,700,000 toys and 973,999 teddy bears with 400 employees and 1,800 home workers!
• During the difficult war and post-war years, Steiff had to adapt its assortment - cellulose-like materials created the so-called "paper teddy bear", toys made of homemade wood were added to the range.
• The Roaring Twenties revived demand for cloth and plush. Steiff introduced assembly line production to meet the high demand for our products.
• First collaboration with Disney - In 1931, the first figures were created together with Disney. A partnership that continues today.
• A new beginning - after the end of World War II, Steiff makes a new beginning. Just one year later, our company employs almost 1,000 people. 5 years later, almost twice as many staff.
• 100 years of Steiff 1980 - to mark the company's 100th anniversary, our Steiff Museum opens in Giengen. In the same year, we begin producing limited edition replicas for collectors and enthusiasts.
• Steiff Club founded - our Steiff Club for lovers and collectors of Steiff products was launched on April 1, 1992.
• In December 2000, a 1912 Steiff bear was sold at auction at Christie's in London for €150,212.87. Also that year, our first Steiff children's collection, produced under license, was launched.
• 2005 - Opening of the fantastic Steiff Museum - on the occasion of the company's 125th anniversary, our new Steiff Museum in Giengen opens its doors. Animated dream worlds on an area of 2,400 m², an exhibition of historical Steiff animals, the world's largest Steiff zoo and the largest and longest Steiff snake slide.
• 2010 - The world's largest Steiff zoo opens. Children can ride life-size tigers, elephants and camels through an exotic jungle landscape or cuddle with impressive gorillas under palm trees.
• 2018 - Steiff receives the Disney Heritage Award 2018. 1931 was the first collaboration between Disney and Steiff. Many interesting soft toys followed. This year we at Steiff receive a very special honor: the Disney Heritage Award. In the same year, we bring the children's collection in-house and from now on we design and produce it ourselves.
• 2020 - Steiff turns 140 - 140 years of continuous new product innovations and countless happy children's hearts all over the world. We look back with pride on our history, from the invention of the soft toy to the present day. In the same year, Margarete Steiff was honored with a place in the famous "Hall of Fame" of the toy industry.