Plushies have taken the merch game by storm, quickly becoming a must-have item for content creators across all platforms.

Whether you're a YouTuber, Twitch streamer, gamer, or social media influencer, custom plushies are one of the hottest trends right now.

These soft, cuddly collectibles aren’t just for kids; they’re highly sought after by fans who want a tangible connection to their favorite creators. 

In fact, plushies rank among the top-selling items on platforms like Fourthwall, where creators are cashing in on their unique appeal. 

But how do you get started? And how do you design a plushie that stands out and turns your concept into a fan-favorite product that sells out?

In this article, we'll break down the steps to make your own custom plush doll using Fourtwall and highlight some creators who have successfully launched their own line of plushies.

Let’s dive in!

HOW TO MAKE AND SELL A PLUSHIE: 5 STEPS

1. Design Your Plush

Let’s kick things off with the fun part—designing your plushie!

This is where you’ll bring your vision to life by crafting a design that reflects your unique brand or a beloved character from your content. If you're unsure where to begin, consider these popular plushie styles:

• Custom Stuffed Plush Animals
• Custom Stuffed Plush Toys
• Custom Stuffed Plush Characters

Here’s the process to bring your design to life:

1. Research and Get Inspired: Take inspiration from other plushies or stuffed toys you’ve seen. Look at your content and identify which characters or symbols would resonate most with your audience.
2. Sketch Your Ideas: Start sketching out rough designs. Try multiple iterations until you find one that captures the essence of your concept.
3. Refine with Digital Tools: Use design software (like Adobe Illustrator) to refine your sketches. Make sure to include all important views (front, back, side) and dimensions for clarity. This helps manufacturers understand your design and makes it easier for them to bring it to life.
4. Final Design Specifications: Provide the necessary details such as Pantone colors, materials, and the plushie’s size. Clear, precise designs are key to ensuring the final product matches your expectations.

Remember, having a clear and precise design will make the production process smoother and result in a final product that meets your expectations.

So take the time to carefully consider your design and make sure to have all the necessary information included in the file.

2. Choose a Manufacturing Partner

Choosing the right manufacturer is essential for turning your plushie idea into a high-quality product your fans will love.

With platforms like Fourthwall, you have access to a variety of trusted manufacturers, but how do you know who’s the right fit? Here’s what to look for:

• Experience That Speaks for Itself: You want a manufacturer who knows their stuff. Look for partners who’ve worked with other creators and know how to bring plushies to life. If they’ve got a solid track record, that’s a good sign they can handle your design.
• Quality That Matches Your Vision: It’s important that your manufacturer uses top-notch materials and production methods. Ask about their stitching techniques, fabric options, and how they maintain quality control. You want a plushie that’s as soft as it is durable.
• Customization That Fits Your Brand: Your plushie should be unique to you. Choose a partner that’s willing to work with you to bring your design to life. Whether it’s fabric choices, embroidery, or custom features, make sure they’re open to tailoring your plushie exactly how you envision it.
• Clear Communication: No one likes being left in the dark, especially when it comes to production. Find a manufacturer who keeps you in the loop, from design approval to the final product. You’ll want regular updates so you know exactly where things stand throughout the process.

The right partner will help you turn your plushie idea into a reality, so take the time to find someone who’s as invested in the process as you are.

3. Create Sample Prototypes of Your Plushie

Alright, you’ve got your design locked down and found a manufacturing partner who’s ready to make your plushie dreams come true. Now, it’s time to bring that concept into the real world. Here’s what comes next:

• Order Your Sample: Now, the magic happens. You’ll send your design specs over, and your manufacturer will craft a sample plushie for you. This usually costs around $100 per plush, so it’s a bit of an investment, but totally worth it to see your vision come to life.
• Pick Your Fabrics: Most plushies are made from soft materials like crystal velvet (think ultra-cuddly), but if you want to get extra creative, you can choose fabrics like soft spandex or PV Velvet (which feels like faux fur). The choice is yours to make it as unique as your brand.
• Wait for the Sample: Since most plushies are made overseas (usually in China), it’ll take about 10-15 days for your sample to be made and shipped. During this time, your plushie gets stuffed, sewn, and detailed—basically, all the magic that turns your design into something tangible.
• Give Feedback: Don’t rush this part! Once you receive your first sample, it might not be perfect (no biggie, it’s a first draft). Take your time and review everything—sewing, fabric softness, embroidery details. Most manufacturers allow you to make a couple of rounds of tweaks to get everything just right, so be detailed with your feedback.
• Final Approval: Once you’ve given your digital sample the green light, your manufacturer will send you the physical sample for your final approval. If it’s good to go, you’re all set to promote your plushie drop to your fans and start getting those pre-orders!

Now, you’re one step closer to turning your plushie concept into a fan-favorite reality!

4. Sell Your Plush In A Pre-Order “Drop”

Now that you’ve got your sample plushie ready to go, it’s time to sell! Here's how to do it in a way that minimizes risk and maximizes profits:

Step 1: Pre-Order Your Plush

Since the minimum order quantity (MOQ) for plushies is usually between 300-500 units, it can feel like a big hurdle. But don’t worry, plushies are a unique product and tend to be big sellers, often outperforming regular merch. 

Instead of pre-producing your plush inventory, consider launching a pre-order “drop” to hit your MOQ. This way, you’re only producing based on actual orders, so you won’t have to worry about upfront costs or unsold stock. 

Once the drop ends, the production and fulfillment process kicks in, and each buyer will get their plushie shipped out.

Step 2: Set Your Profit Margins

On platforms like Fourthwall, you get to set your own margins. 

A plush typically costs around $12-18 to produce, depending on the design, but creators usually sell them for about $30, which means you can score a 40-50% profit margin. 

Keep in mind, your plushie sales will likely happen over a 1-2 week period, so make sure to market it heavily during that time to hit your MOQ.

Step 3: Market Like a Pro

To make sure you hit that MOQ, promoting your plushie is key! Here are some ways to get the word out:

• Create a YouTube video to showcase your plushie and its features.
• Promote it live on your Twitch streams to reach your gaming audience.
• Use Instagram and Facebook Stories to give behind-the-scenes glimpses of the creation process and get your fans involved.
• Take advantage of Twitch Gifting and other e-commerce best practices to push your plushie sales.

Step 4: Collaborate with Others

You don’t have to do all the promotions on your own.

Reach out to other content creators or influencers with a similar audience and see if they’re interested in showcasing your plushie. 

By teaming up with others, you’ll extend your reach and boost your chances of hitting the MOQ.

Launching a pre-order drop is all about creating buzz and making your fans feel like they’re getting something special. 

With the right marketing and partnerships, you’ll be well on your way to a successful plushie drop!

5. Manufacturing

Once your plushie drop is complete and sales have finished, the production process begins.

This usually takes 20-50 days. If you sell 500 plushies in your first drop, Fourthwall will automatically send these to your manufacturing partner.

Here’s the exact process your plush will go through before it gets to your customers: 

1. Pattern Creation and Cutting: The process begins with creating a detailed pattern or template of the plushie design. Then, an appropriate fabric for your plush, like fleece or felt fabric, is chosen and cut according to the planned sewing pattern.
2. Sewing and Assembly: The cut fabric pieces are sewn together by skilled sewers following the pattern instructions. They'll begin to sew each of the pieces along their edges, typically using a ladder stitch. Details, embroidery, and accessories are then added. Then, stuffing is distributed evenly to achieve the desired plushness and shape.
3. Quality Control: Any final adjustments or touch-ups are made, and each plushie is inspected closely to look for any imperfections and to ensure that they match your approved sample. The inspectors must make sure that the ladder stitching is secure and that all sewn details or embroidered aspects are accurate. 
4. Shipping: The plushies will be sent from the factory to a fulfillment center, and then they’ll be distributed to your supporters. 

Generally, your supporters will have to wait up to 45-70 days to receive their plush from purchase to delivery. Given that these are specialty goods, fans tend to be happy to wait to get something unique. 

HOW TO MAKE AND SELL A PLUSHIE WITH FOURTHWALL

You’re in good hands if you choose Fourthwall to make and sell your plush toy. We make it easy, and take care of the complicated parts for you:

1. Sign Up for Fourthwall: Create your account on Fourthwall.
2. Create a New Product: Go to the "Products" tab and select “Create a new product.”
3. Choose Plush Toy Options: Select the plush toy options that fit your design.
4. Request Product: Submit your plushie design request and fill out the necessary details.
5. Work with Our Team: Fourthwall’s team will help you bring your design to life, from manufacturing to shipping.

Designing Custom Plushie Keychains with Fourthwall

Want to add even more charm to your merchandise lineup? Custom plushie keychains are the perfect addition to your store. Here's how to design and order a plushie keychain on Fourthwall:

1. Submit Your Design: You can submit your own drawing or hire a professional designer to create your plushie keychain. Your design must include dimensions, color specifications, and views (front, side, back). Use the AI document format to ensure clarity.
2. Order a Sample: The sample cost is $150 for one piece, and it typically takes 7-10 business days for the sample to be created. Expect up to two rounds of revisions.
3. Production Time: After final approval, your plushie keychain will be produced in 30-50 business days. The minimum order quantity is 300 units.
4. Shipping: After production, your plushie keychain will be shipped and ready for your fans to purchase.

Featured Plushies from Fourthwall Creators

Get inspired by some of the awesome, unique plushies created by Fourthwall creators. These one-of-a-kind designs show just how creative you can get with your own custom plushies:

Doodle Plush

Straight from streamer PointCrow's shop, Collector's Anxiety, this plush features his iconic mascot Doodle, a lovable character who’s back from vacation and ready for adventure! Perfect for collectors, this plush is ideal for fans who want to take Doodle with them everywhere.

Lord Plushie (Tan Man Edition)

Created by AquaFPS, this plush features the Loot Lord in his Tan Man Edition, complete with a removable tactical backpack vest and tan pants. A fun twist on the original Loot Lord, it’s a must-have for fans of AquaFPS and gaming culture.

Choco and Pancake Plushie Keychain Bundle

Inspired by the beloved animated characters from Instagram and TikTok, this keychain bundle brings Choco and Pancake to life! The plushies feature magnets on their faces that make them "kiss" when they get close. It's perfect for long-distance couples or just fans of these adorable characters. 

Vyvee Plushie

From streamer EeveeNara, meet Vyvee, a small but mighty plushie designed to keep you company no matter your mood. Standing at just 15cm tall, Vyvee is your perfect companion, whether you're feeling happy, sad, or anything in between. 

Ready to Bring Your Plushie Vision to Life?

Creating and selling your own custom plushies is not only fun, but it’s also a fantastic way to make extra income.

By following the steps in this guide, you can design a plushie that’s unique, marketable, and loved by your fans. 

Whether you're collaborating with a manufacturer or promoting your plushie drop, Fourthwall has all the tools you need to succeed.

With a little dedication and patience, you’ll turn your plushie-making passion into a thriving business.

Let Fourthwall help you find the perfect manufacturing partner to bring your plushie to life!

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does it cost to make your own plush?

The cost to make your own custom plush can vary depending on the size, complexity, and materials used.

On average, creating a plush toy may cost between $12 -$18 per unit, including the fabric, stitching, and stuffing.

If you’re working with a manufacturer, the price can go up depending on the design details, like embroidery or the type of fabric (such as faux fur or cotton) used for your plush doll.

Do you need a sewing machine to make plushies?

While having a sewing machine can speed up the process of making custom stuffed animals, you don’t necessarily need one.

Many creators opt to hand-sew their plushies, especially for smaller projects or simple plush dolls.

However, using a sewing machine will help you create more durable and huggable plush toys, especially if you're making large or detailed plushie patterns.

What is the difference between a plush and a stuffed animal?

The main difference between a plush and a stuffed animal is that “plush” generally refers to a soft, fabric-based toy, while a “stuffed animal” is a type of plush toy that specifically resembles an animal.

A plush toy can be anything from a cute plushie character to a plush doll, while a stuffed animal is a plush toy designed to look like real or fictional animals, often with features like eyes, stitches, and embroidery to make them more lifelike.