Life Cycle of a Stuffed Animal
by Justin Mangipano and Jared Green
Raise and extract
The first step of making stuffed animals is acquiring cotton. Cotton needs a long growing season of 120 - 180 days. The cotton must then be harvested. Usually heaving farming equipment is used for this stage. It is also necessary to harvest wool from sheep, as this wool go into making felt that will be used as the fur of the stuffed animal.
Process
The cotton and wool are brought to a factory where they are refined, or they are brought to an interactive store, such as Build-A-Bear. If they are brought to an interactive store, then the wool is made into felt before it is sent to the store.
Manufactoring
At interactive stores, guidelines are put in place to allow children to create their own stuffed companions. If the animals are sent to the stores after already being put together, they are made via assembly line. The wool is made into felt by rolling and pressing it. This is accompanied by the application of moisture or heat, which causes the constituent fibers to mat together to create a smooth surface.
Consumer Products
Once stuffed animals are purchased, they are put to work entertaining significant others, children, and even pets. because this product is targeted towards the youth of society, it undergoes a significant amount of abuse. Its lifespan varies greatly depending on the quality of the animal.
Disposal
People dispose of this product in many different ways. They are donated, thrown away, and sometimes repaired. This is done by sending the stuffed animal to a business that fixes them, such as Stuffed Animal Hospital.