Steiff: 140th anniversary
140 years of Steiff - that's quite a house number. It all began 140 years ago with a little elephant - the Elefantle. Messe.TV talks to Simone Pürckhauer about it. Steiff is celebrating a big anniversary this year - 140 years of Steiff. The company was founded in 1848 by Margarete Steiff.
From the Elefäntle to 140 years of Steiff
It all started with a small elephant, affectionately known at Steiff as Elefäntle. The original from back then can still be seen today in the Steiff Museum. Many people associate Steiff with the somewhat sturdy Steiff teddy bear. There is also a special edition to mark the anniversary. Including a teddy bear for collectors and, of course, the Elefäntle!
Replica glass workshop at the exhibition stand
At the trade fair stand, a replica of the original still stands in Giengen, showing how a Steiff animal, whether elephant or teddy bear, is still made by hand. At the toy fair, an employee sews elephants out of felt, the same material that was used back then. You can really see the handwork, the tradition at Steiff. The focus at Steiff this year is entirely on history, because it was of course a milestone and the aim is of course to show what came out of it.
