The question we hear most
“Can you make it in Europe?” or “Why is it made in China?” Brands ask us this every week. Both are fair questions, and the honest answer depends on your project: your quantity, your timing, your budget per piece and how the plush will be used.
Here is what each option means for a custom plush toy, and what matters more than the country on the label.
Producing in Europe
- Shorter transport – Goods travel by truck, in days instead of weeks.
- Close by – Easier to visit the workshop in person.
- Limited capacity – Few workshops in Europe make plush toys at scale, so larger runs are harder to place.
- Higher price per piece – Labour and materials cost more, which shows in larger quantities.
Producing in China
- Capacity and skills – Decades of plush experience, from pattern making to embroidery, for runs of thousands of pieces.
- Materials close at hand – A wide choice of plush fabrics, trims and fillings.
- Lower price per piece – Especially for larger quantities.
- Longer transport – Several weeks by sea or rail, so planning ahead matters.
What matters more than the country
A plush toy made in Europe is not automatically right, and a plush toy made in China is not automatically wrong. What makes the difference is how the production is managed:
- Audited factories – Social and ethical audits such as Sedex, amfori BSCI and the ICTI Ethical Toy Program.
- Safety testing – EN 71 for toys and the General Product Safety Regulation (GPSR) for all products sold in the EU.
- A responsible party in the EU – Products sold in the EU need an economic operator based in the EU who is responsible for product safety.
- Packaging rules – The EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) applies from 12 August 2026.
- Consistency – The approved sample is the standard for the whole production, batch after batch.
- Import and logistics – Customs, documents and delivery to your door, without surprises.
How we work
Progimpex is a Belgian company, making custom plush toys for brands since 1998. We produce in audited factories in China and can look at European production when a project calls for it. Every project is followed up from Belgium: from your brand book and the approved sample to safety testing, import and delivery.
That way you get the capacity of Asian production with one partner in Europe who knows your character and answers your questions.
Which option fits your project?
Ask yourself these questions:
- How many pieces do you need per character?
- When does the plush need to be in your shop or at your event?
- What is your budget per piece?
- Will the plush be sold as a toy, or used as a gift or decoration?
Send us your answers and we’ll tell you honestly which option fits best.
Europe or China for your plush?
Send us your brand book and quantity, and we’ll come back with a proposal.
Send us your brand book
