Questions You Should Know about plush toy fabric

Author: Steve

Mar. 31, 2025

5 Most Important Things to Look For When Purchasing Minky Plush ...

If you’ve ever been to your local quilt or fabric shop, you’ve undoubtedly noticed the shelves of fabric in all styles and colors — it’s like a toy store for adults, but at a certain point the variety can start to blend together (and get a little overwhelming). We get it, and as a company with over a million yards of fabric in our warehouse, we know exactly what you’re experiencing, but it’s important to remember not all fabrics are created equal — especially minky fabrics. 

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So, what is minky fabric? You can check out our in-depth coverage here, but minky plush fabric is essentially a super soft plush synthetic fabric made from 100% polyester fibers that are knitted into varying weights and pile heights. It can be used by both manufacturers and at-home sewists for anything from quilts, throws and baby blankets, to stuffies, apparel and accessories.

This article addresses five of the most important things to consider when purchasing minky plush fabric. Through our experience developing high quality minky plush fabric for over 25 years, we know all the ins and outs of what you should look for and what to avoid. 

The goal is to help you find a quality, well-made minky fabric that will be enjoyed by you, your family or your customers for years to come. 

5 Most Important Things to Look For When Purchasing Minky Plush Fabric

  • Shedding
  • Finishing
  • Weight/Density 
  • Washability/Recovery
  • Crocking (Color Fastness)

Shedding

One of the most-commonly asked questions we get here at Shannon Fabrics is “does minky fabric shed?”. Our short answer is, “not if you purchase our brand of Cuddle® minky fabric”, but the long, less-exact answer is “it depends”. 

A well-constructed minky fabric will have little to no shedding, even after months and years of use. Inexpensive minky fabrics will have significantly more shedding, and will leave loose fibers all over the house, usually sticking to other soft surfaces like carpets, bedding, couches, curtains, etc. These fibers can be tough to completely remove, and will be noticeable especially if the colors clash. 

See Related: Top 5 Minky Fabric Problems, Concerns & Solutions

How can you tell if minky fabric sheds before you purchase? Easy — just give the pile a gentle tug and see if any fibers pull out. Another technique is to rub the fabric on a piece of dark clothing to see if there’s anything left behind. 

Finishing

First let’s define what “finishing” means — it’s essentially the hand feel of the fabric. The quality of the yarn, as well as the manufacturing processing and finishing plays a big role in how minky feels to the touch.  

High quality minky fabric can be described as flowy, soft, plush and silky, whereas cheaper minky fabric usually feels more synthetic, flat and stiffer. 

See Related: 10 Must-Try Minky Fabric Sewing Tips

You want to find a minky fabric that feels “alive”, meaning it has a nice drape and the pile stands up nicely even after being used. You won’t be able to tell any of these characteristics online, so head to your local fabric or quilt shop and feel them in person (or if you’re a manufacturer, request headers or swatches). 

Weight/density

This one is simple, a minky fabric that’s denser and weighs more just feels better. The amount of raw materials and fibers used in the manufacturing process has a direct correlation to the price and cost — ultimately, you get for what you pay for. 

See Related: Minky Fabric vs. Fleece Fabric: A Side-By-Side Comparison

Cheaper minky fabric uses less yarn to cut down the cost, which means it’s lighter weight, less dense and less cozy. You also might be able to see the backing in between the fibers in the pile, which makes for a less polished look. 

Washability/recovery 

A well-made minky fabric should be able to withstand years of daily use, including washing in a washing machine (just be sure to wash on cool with no fabric softener, and tumble dry with no heat). 

Some minky fabrics, though, are ruined after a single wash. These fabrics are covered in chemicals to make them feel soft in the store, but once it’s washed, these chemicals are stripped out and you’re left with the inferior base fabric. 

Same goes for recovery — a fabric’s ability to return back to its natural shape without being permanently stretched out or deformed. High quality minky fabrics will do this without issue, whereas cheaper minky fabrics won’t. This is especially important for sewists and manufacturers to keep in mind when using minky fabric yardage to create something special (nobody wants a stuffed animal or pillowcase that won’t hold its shape!). 

Crocking

Crocking is when the color of the fabric comes off either through abrasion, or when put through the wash. This is directly dependent on the dye that’s used in the manufacturing process, and what level of color fastness is achieved. 

For example, Shannon Fabrics uses the best dyes in the business which ensures crocking is eliminated or substantially reduced. Cheaper fabric suppliers are known to cut corners in this department, which can lead to a significant amount of crocking. 

Before committing to a large purchase or order, buy the minimum amount you can and give it a wash to see how it performs. Be especially careful if you’re washing cheap minky fabric in the same load as other clothes or blankets — it can give off residue dye and stain everything. For the ultimate test, add a piece of white cotton fabric into the wash with your minky fabric — if you take it out and it’s still white, the color fastness is great and you shouldn’t have to worry about crocking. 

If this isn’t an option, take a piece of white terry (such as a washcloth) with you to your local quilt or fabric shop and rub it on the fabric (like a dry rub) to see if any dye is discharged. 

Learn more

As you’ve read, there are a lot of “things” to keep in mind when purchasing minky plush fabric. Ultimately though, picking the fabric that matches the look and feel you’re going for is what’s most important — minky is truly a fabric you have to get your hands on and feel in person! 

Here at Shannon Fabrics we’ve perfected our collections of Cuddle® and Luxe Cuddle® minky plush fabrics for over 25 years. We’ve listened to the needs of sewists, quilters, retailers, manufacturers and designers to create minky that’s not just high quality and super durable, but minky that’s beautiful, luxurious and, if we do say so ourselves, irresistible. 

Toy Stuffing Materials | Facts You Need to Know And List of ...

There are a lot of factors to consider when it comes to choosing toy stuffing materials.

In this guide, we’ll talk about all the different types of materials and alternatives that can be used as well as their pros and cons.

There are several types of toy stuffing materials. You can choose any material that best suits your needs, but you should always consider safety standards and the quality of the product.

Some people use recycled polyester for their plush toys because it is cheap to purchase or find around them. However, this type of material may irritate some children’s skin.

That said, the following are some of the factors that are generally considered when choosing a toy stuffing material:

Reputable firms are likely to produce high-quality toy products, so you should consider looking for toys that are made by reliable manufacturers. You should also read product reviews before making a purchase so as not to waste your money on low-quality ones.

The quality of the filling material also affects the overall quality of the toy. It should be able to fill up all areas inside a stuffed toy so as not to leave empty spaces for children’s fingers or parts of their skin to get stuck in it.

As explained earlier, there are several types of toy stuffing materials, each with its own set of properties that may or may not suit your needs.

The company is the world’s best plush toy fabric supplier. We are your one-stop shop for all needs. Our staff are highly-specialized and will help you find the product you need.

For example, if you are making a stuffed toy for children under three years old, it is best to avoid polyester because this material can cause choking hazards due to the tiny pieces it tends to shed off over time.

This goes to the manufacturers as well. Some toy stuffers rely on polyester materials because they are cheap to purchase. However, this may affect the overall quality of the product that you are selling or giving away as a gift.

While most companies will say that their product has a long lifespan, you should always consider the risk of having your toy stuffers deflated by children.

In order to prevent this from happening, find out if the supplier offers replacement filling materials so as not to have your money wasted when replacing them in case they get damaged or lost.

You can also check warranty terms in case you get defective toy products. Some suppliers may provide free replacement stuffing materials for several years after the purchase of their products, but this is not always true.

Flammability tests are designed to measure how fast a stuffed toy catches fire. It’s crucial because the materials used in toys must not produce any flames or toxic gases when exposed to open flame.

According to the U.S. Stuffed Toy Regulations and Labeling Requirements, the ideal burn rate should be less than or equal to 0.1 square inches. Anything higher could pose serious risks to children.

Mechanical testing includes measurements on tearing, stiffness and tensile strength. The tearing test determines how much force is needed to tear a toy stuffing material into two halves using only hands. The goal of the test is to ensure that toys are not easily torn apart by children during play time.

The stiffness test determines how much weight a toy stuffing material can hold when placed between two parallel plates.

The tensile strength test determines how much force is required to stretch a toy stuffing material until it tears. The goal of the test is to ensure that toys are not easily torn apart by children during play time.

In the U.S., toy stuffing materials that do not have a Children’s Product Certificate cannot be sold or imported into any states. The certificate is issued by third-party testing and certification companies like:

  • UL (Underwriters Laboratories, Inc.)
  • CPSA (Consumer Product Safety Association)
  • ASTM International (American Society for Testing and Materials)
  • GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice Certification Program)

Toy stuffing materials that don’t have a Children’s Product Certificate usually contain heavy metals and do not meet flammability requirements. That means they can cause serious harm to children in the event of an accident such as fire, choking or poisoning.

The most common toy stuffing materials are organic in nature. These materials include cotton, wool and cotton-polyester blend fibers that can be found in clothing or towels.

In addition to being easy on the skin of children, these types of toy stuffing material also have a great durability factor because they do not easily lose their shape nor get damaged from regular machine washing.

This material is usually affordable and can be easily found around recycled facilities. Its main disadvantage is the tendency to shed polyester fibers over time.

Some manufacturers have tried using microbeads instead of regular stuffing materials in order to avoid this problem, but there are still some issues regarding choking hazards that they can cause if children ingest them too often.

Plus, most products made with microbeads tend to lose their shape when exposed to high temperatures, so they are not ideal for items that require washing.

This is the most widely used toy stuffing material in commercial toys because it does not cause any choking hazards even if children ingest a small piece of cotton. It also comes with various textures and fibers which makes it comfortable for children to play with.

However, cotton has a tendency to clump together when used in big quantities. This can make your toy stuffer deflate over time if it is not placed inside an additional layer of polyester stuffing materials.

Mohair is a material that comes from the hair of goats, and it’s very soft. It can be found as toy stuffing or as an alternative to wool in textile products.

This is because it’s made of high quality. It’s fire-resistant, hypoallergenic, antibacterial. As a result, it makes toys stronger and heavier than polyester toy stuffing.

Straws, paper or plastic bags can be used to stuff small toys. They also have the advantage of being machine washable and reusable for a longer time than cotton stuffing material.

Please note that very thin straws may not hold up well in the washing machine and could tear into shreds during a cycle.

Another safe option to stuff toys with shredded paper. This will allow children to add more stuffing as the toy gets older and they have a chance to learn about recycling.

This is an inexpensive way to stuff toys that can also be reused from year-to-year or during playtime with friends.

Kapok fiber is a material that was traditionally used to stuff pillows and quilts, but it has since been replaced by polyester or cotton stuffing. Kapok fibers are environmentally friendly because they come from the seed pods of native trees in South America and Southeast Asia.

These seeds can be harvested without cutting down any additional forested land.

Yes, you can use rice to stuff toys, but it’s not really recommended. In fact, rice is often used to fill pillows, plush toys, and voodoo dolls. However, you should use something that is hypoallergenic instead of rice, like polyester fiberfill or even cheesecloth. This is because rice can mold and become contaminated after a while. It will also attract bugs over time.

Polyfill is one of the best toy stuffing materials around. It is very soft, and perfect for little ones to snuggle with. But it isn’t the only option around! There are many plush toys with different kinds of filling. Here are some great alternatives to polyfill stuffing:

  1. Beans
  2. Corn
  3. Soy Fiber Fill
  4. Organic Cotton
  5. Scraps

We recommend that you use loose filling instead of preformed shapes like pellets. This makes it easier for your child to see what is inside each toy. It also gives them more control over the toy stuffing process.

Final Words

We are Jingsourcing, a leading sourcing company based in China. Starting in , we’ve helped thousands of business owners import all kinds of toys from China at competitive prices. If you need help in customizing and wholesale toys from China, please don’t hesitate to CONTACT US.

Want more information on polyester tent material? Feel free to contact us.

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