Having built in pouches within soft toys are all the rage now, as it allows you to store hidden surprises and important objects within your treasured friend to bring around securely. But as with all invasive procedures, this procedure is not without its own list of pros and cons. So what should you take note of and what should be your considerations? Read on to find out

Types of Pouches

Types of pouches within soft toys can be categorized into two main categories

1) Loose Storage -> Typically made much smaller than the stuffed toy, or made much bigger than the object intended to store. This size is usually made by manufacturers as a surprise storage that is not intended to hold much items, or as an add on under customization.

2) Tight Storage -> These are made exactly the size of the object that is to fit, usually very close to the maximum size of the stuffed toy.

Loose storage is usually less risky and safer than tight storage. But it may not always be the option of choice.

Pros and Cons

Type	Pros	Cons
Loose Storage	Pouch experiences low stress and low pressure. Is less likely to be damaged from regular use. This type of pouch also does not distort the shape of the soft toy during regular use. Can use conceal zip (low pressure)	Limited in size - very dependent on original size of the plush. Generally can store very little and small items if the soft toy is of small to regular size. Has a tendency to collapse the plush if left empty. As more stuffing space would need to be cleared to provide the pouch with space to grow when filled. Consumes more fabric (more empty space) Has more bulk/wrinkles/folds (more fabric) Higher chance to fabric twisting and folding onto itself (fitting problems) as there is more fabric.
Tight Storage	Consumes less fabric and can be cheaper to install Pouch is usually smooth with less bulk/wrinkles/folds and is visually appealing Minimizes collapse of the plush when left empty as minimal stuffing has been removed Can store a larger object in relation to soft toy size as you do not need to factor in the excess space required for loose storage	Pouch experiences high stress Have to use standard zip (to withstand the high pressure) Usually installed together with bias tape for greater stability and strength.  Should not be frequently used Pouch has a tendency to rip/tear/distort from the stress

 

Size Ratio

Size Ratio is very important when considering which type of pouch to choose.

There are three main factors: Soft Toy Size, Pouch Size, Size of item to store

The bigger the soft toy in relation to the size of item to store, the better it is.

(Think big stuffed toy, small object to store)

The closer the size of the plushie to the object, the riskier the procedure gets.

(Think size of item to store nearly same size as the stuffie)

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Why?

The bigger the object, the more space there needs to be within the soft toy.

Clearing a little bit of space (minimal removal of stuffing) within a big plush to store a small object will not cause collapse of the soft toy from lack of stuffing, but clearing a lot of space (large removal of stuffing) increases the chance of collapse as adequate stuffing is required to stabilize the shape of the soft toy and prevent it from collapsing or be droopy.

Mamegoma here has a big pouch in relation to its body. But as it is meant to only store one item for the long run (never removed). It does not suffer collapse as a side effect

This stitch has a large pouch but also a large body. Thus, only minor drooping and collapse occurs.

    

This blue bear has a moderate sized pouch to its body size. There is risk of collapse but owner requests to put only small objects into it. Thus the pouch is built big but only a little bit of stuffing space is cleared.

The Optimal

Optimally, this should be the magic combination you are looking at

Size of plush -> At least 50% bigger than storage capacity of the pouch

Storage Capacity of the Pouch -> At least 50% bigger than item to store

This results in item to store smaller than 25% of the plush.

Note: This percentage drops the bigger the plush gets. It is not advised to store an object 25% the size of a large plush unless the storage is for the long term.

The Outlier

There is an increase in the popularity of soft toys with blankets stuffed inside them.

This poses a very unique challenge in terms of size to body ratio as

1. The blanket, when stored inside the plush, takes up most of the space in the plush
2. Thus the plush needs to be largely emptied of most stuffing to fit in the blanket
3. The size of the pouch is now tricky to manage as a pouch that is too big will clear even more stuffing (needs space) and may cause a plush collapse, and a pouch that is too small will cause too much stress

This is a typical case of Tight Storage.

When else do I want tight storage?

Our pouches are generally made from Japan or USA mercerized cotton,

Thus, they are charged by size and price increases based on the size of the pouch.

You may prefer tight storage over loose storage under the following situations

1. Big Object Storage - Blankets, Pillows, Jewelry boxes, Gift boxes, Plush within a plush
2. Budget
3. Size of soft toy is not much bigger than size of object - no space

If able. Choose loose storage.