Do any zoos have custom toy lines?

Brayden Delashmutt

Brayden Delashmutt

Well-Known Member
After visiting a few gift shops, I’ve been wondering if any zoos have actual custom toy lines (plush, figurines) that aren’t just one toy with the zoo’s logo on it or whatever. If so, I’d be interested in collecting said items, any help would be awesome!
 
Cincinnati Zoo sells their own Monopoly knock-off board game.

czopoly_1200x1200.jpg
 
Chester has their own versions of top trumps and guess who, I own both for the novelty. :D It wouldn't surprise me if they've made more similar things since.
 
So I actually do this for work and can say yes! The company I work for is plush and we do many custom pieces for various US zoos such as San Diego, National, Mystic Aquarium, Georgia- really any place that has some kind of stand out species or animal that's looking for a specific piece, we custom make for them and it's exclusive to them. Rex, the San Diego Zoo mascot, is a custom plush we do for San Diego Zoo, for example.
 
Lionsbian said:
So I actually do this for work and can say yes! The company I work for is plush and we do many custom pieces for various US zoos such as San Diego, National, Mystic Aquarium, Georgia- really any place that has some kind of stand out species or animal that's looking for a specific piece, we custom make for them and it's exclusive to them. Rex, the San Diego Zoo mascot, is a custom plush we do for San Diego Zoo, for example.
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Awesome! Which, for example, have you made?
 
Brayden Delashmutt said:
Awesome! Which, for example, have you made?
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I haven't personally made/designed anything custom for anywhere (yet), but I've been a part of the process for a handful. I do know that some places carry the line I do design, which is Spudsters, these chubby, potato shaped animal plush :) I try hard with those guys to cater to both zoo/aquarium customers and general gift accounts. It's def nice to be able to do stuff for work that combines my love for zoos.
 
As far as I know Artis has its own line of merchandise, including plush toys of its mascot Artis de Partis. It’s a pretty cute toy in my opinion.

I believe large zoos in Japan also have plush toys made for them. For example you can find a lot of okapi merchandise in Yokohama Zoorasia.

Fallax said:
Chester has their own versions of top trumps and guess who, I own both for the novelty. :D It wouldn't surprise me if they've made more similar things since.
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Bronx also has its own edition of Top Trumps. The zoo also gave away some extra cards featuring animals from the Madagascar! exhibit celebrating the opening of said exhibit.
 
This stuff is getting harder and harder to find with how stream-lined gift shops are getting. It's much easier for store managers to order the same stuff as everyone else, rather than finding their own stuff, but it becomes so boring.

Brayden Delashmutt said:
That’s epic! I need that next time I visit lol
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You can get it on their website, too.

Lionsbian said:
So I actually do this for work and can say yes! The company I work for is plush and we do many custom pieces for various US zoos such as San Diego, National, Mystic Aquarium, Georgia- really any place that has some kind of stand out species or animal that's looking for a specific piece, we custom make for them and it's exclusive to them. Rex, the San Diego Zoo mascot, is a custom plush we do for San Diego Zoo, for example.
Click to expand...

I would love to know more about this! Did your company do the elephant twins one for Rosamond Gifford? I have a maned wolf from National that I haven't seen anywhere else, too.
 
Colchester Zoo have quite a lot of memorabilia - they have, or have had, their own version of Top Trumps, Monopoly and supply quite a number of toys with their name stamped on them. One quite interesting thing I can vividly remember them selling when I was very young was their own version of the DK Finders book - like the one in the link below, but specifically about Colchester Zoo. Unfortunately, it is no longer sold and I cannot even find evidence it exists anymore.

Zoo Animals by Dorling Kindersley Publishing; DK Publishing 9780789416780 | eBay
 
TinoPup said:
This stuff is getting harder and harder to find with how stream-lined gift shops are getting. It's much easier for store managers to order the same stuff as everyone else, rather than finding their own stuff, but it becomes so boring.



You can get it on their website, too.



I would love to know more about this! Did your company do the elephant twins one for Rosamond Gifford? I have a maned wolf from National that I haven't seen anywhere else, too.
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I don't know off the top of my head, I'd have to see the plush to really know (I'm only on my 2nd year doing this job), but that zoo is in our accounts system so def a possibility!

Specific ones I know we've done are:
The Aquarium of the Pacific mascots (axolotl, snail, etc)
Various specific Pandas for the National Zoo in DC
Juno the Beluga for Mystic Aquarium
A bunch of characters and animals for Henry Doorly's various special events (they host some pretty large events)

Not having to do with my job but pertaining to the topic and my love for collecting Build a Bears: The Saint Louis Zoo used to have a special Build a Bear location at the zoo with exclusive animals you could only make there, as well as outfits. This was because Build a Bear was started in STL and is based there. Location closed in 2017 and is now a Starbucks.
 
Fallax said:
Chester has their own versions of top trumps and guess who, I own both for the novelty. :D It wouldn't surprise me if they've made more similar things since.
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Oooh, need to have a look, we should be going back in 2-3 weeks.

Dudley Zoo have the Trump cards too. The boyfriend bought it, but I'm pretty sure it's not opened yet. I would assume it has pictures of Dudley's own animals, and not just a random animal.

I wish some Red Panda plush would be more like the real colors they are.
And the headbands being sold, they have black ears, which isn't correct either. (though, I found a correct one in a zoo in The Netherlands).
 
Lionsbian said:
I don't know off the top of my head, I'd have to see the plush to really know (I'm only on my 2nd year doing this job), but that zoo is in our accounts system so def a possibility!

Specific ones I know we've done are:
The Aquarium of the Pacific mascots (axolotl, snail, etc)
Various specific Pandas for the National Zoo in DC
Juno the Beluga for Mystic Aquarium
A bunch of characters and animals for Henry Doorly's various special events (they host some pretty large events)

Not having to do with my job but pertaining to the topic and my love for collecting Build a Bears: The Saint Louis Zoo used to have a special Build a Bear location at the zoo with exclusive animals you could only make there, as well as outfits. This was because Build a Bear was started in STL and is based there. Location closed in 2017 and is now a Starbucks.
Click to expand...

I hope more zoos start to do this, especially outside of special events! It could make such a bigger connection for kids to actual animals and mascots, vs a generic animal or to a character from entertainment (all clownfishes being Nemo, etc). I'm not an elephant person at all, and I'm good about not buying plush, but I had a difficult time passing up the elephant and twins one just because of the uniqueness and importance of it.
 
TinoPup said:
I hope more zoos start to do this, especially outside of special events! It could make such a bigger connection for kids to actual animals and mascots, vs a generic animal or to a character from entertainment (all clownfishes being Nemo, etc). I'm not an elephant person at all, and I'm good about not buying plush, but I had a difficult time passing up the elephant and twins one just because of the uniqueness and importance of it.
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San Diego Zoo had us do a whole line of like animal duos for them that went with books they made of certain animals (ex: an orang baby who had heart surgery there, a dog and cheetah who became buddies) and when I was there this July, that display had next to none left so it's great to see these more personal products doing well!
 
Lionsbian said:
San Diego Zoo had us do a whole line of like animal duos for them that went with books they made of certain animals (ex: an orang baby who had heart surgery there, a dog and cheetah who became buddies) and when I was there this July, that display had next to none left so it's great to see these more personal products doing well!
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I was about to mention the cheetah and lion one :) Those were very cute!
 
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