Bibi bear - Donna Wilson

This is Bibi Bear by Donna Wilson.

Bibi is made from 100% lambswool with polyester stuffing and is suitable for ages 3+. Approx 23cm high.

Donna Wilson knit all of their creatures in the UK using the softest lambswool. Handmade and embroidered, each creature has a name and their own personality.

Dry clean only. Treat any soils or spills as soon as possible by soaking up any excess liquid and dabbing the soiled area with cold water.

Donna Wilson has been designing, manufacturing and distributing her curious creatures, luxurious lambswool cushions, knitwear and ever-expanding collection of home accessories since 2003. Keeping UK manufacturing and crafts alive has long been an important part of Donna’s work and she is proud to say that each Donna Wilson product is, wherever possible, made in the UK by people who take great pride and care in their work.

Donna says of her creatures:
"We still make the creatures now as we did when I was making each one myself – knitting the panels on a domestic knitting machine out of soft lambswool, which is felted, cut and sewn into shapes and then hand-embroidered and stuffed. That’s a process I never want to change. I think that’s what makes them unique. Any little imperfections make them what they are, and the handmade process imbues each one with a little bit of love. It’s just as important as the finished product.

What has changed, is that today I don’t make them all myself. We have a full-time seamstress in the studio, Lora, who is a one-woman creature factory, and we also employ out workers in the UK, who make the creatures in their own homes. There are three or four in total, but the longest-standing is Elaine. She lives on Orkney, a small island to the north of Scotland. At last count, she’s made close to 3,000 Cyril Squirrel Foxes, along with many other creatures, which she sends to me at my London studio. I love it when the creatures arrive and jump out of their boxes!

I don’t think I’ll ever stop designing and making my creatures – they’re a huge part of my story, and I love that they are so often the thing that people are first drawn to when they see my collections."