Bear necessities

Get yourself a custom-made teddy bear at the Bear Factory

The recently opened Bear Factory store at Deira City Centre is the first of its kind in the UAE. You can't miss this cute store located just besides Magrudy's Bookshop in the mall.

"At our store you can select your own teddy cover, give him a voice, a heart, have him stuffed and stitched, and it is ready to hug," says the store in-charge, Zeina Fahid.

The fun does not stop there. A variety of accessories like clothes, hats, shoes, and glasses are available to choose from. "If you want, you could even name your teddy and collect a 'Bear Factory' passport for him!" she adds.

"The Bear Factory is a UK franchise that centres around their mascot 'Ted the Tailor.' Special friends are created by Ted the Tailor and Bear Factory staff," explains Zeina. "It is a very warm experience for the children to pick out a furry friend of their choice, see it being stuffed according to their liking - fluffy or tight, take it home and look after it."

Pre-recorded voice boxes can be inserted in the toy or the child may choose to record his or her own voice. Squeezing the toy tightly emits the pre-recorded sound.

In fact, there are also two sizes of wish-hearts in the store. "You can make a wish, kiss the heart and put it in your teddy. We also have a list of common names that you can choose from or come up with your own. We'll stitch it on for you, issue a birth certificate for your toy and hand in a passport if you choose to buy one," she says.

"Theme of the store is all about 'pretend play'. It gives children room to be creative as they put together their personalised teddy. It encourages them to make decisions and choices along the way. They start feeling responsible for their bear bundles without even realising it."

Due to the nature of these cuddly buddies, they are not recommended for toddlers. "Teddies are a bit averse to taking a bath so if they get grubby we recommend sponge cleaning," says Zeina. "All the outfits are machine washable on a gentle cycle - and don't forget the fabric softener as bears have delicate fur!" she adds.