As we have seen, Teddy Bear manufacturing companies have come and gone, but teddy bears remain enormously popular. Their appeal is universal. They manage to survive economic up-turns and down-turns, becoming more precious as time wears on. And as time has worn on, teddy bear makers have become more innovative. The rise of teddy bear artists has contributed to this trend, as have specialty teddy bear companies such as Vermont Teddy Bear and Build-a-Bear Workshop.
This section will take a closer look at these two teddy bear makers; another section will discuss teddy bear artists. I’ll also touch on the use of teddy bears as mascots for sports teams and state flags.