Steiff and Sanrio Release Adorable New Hello Kitty Collab Collection

Steiff and Sanrio have officially launched their first collection under a new long-term partnership, bringing Hello Kitty into the German manufacturer’s premium plush range through five everyday products and a limited-edition collector’s piece.

Hello Kitty was designed by Sanrio in 1974 and has grown from a simple character design into a global lifestyle icon associated with friendship, warmth and bringing people together.

Steiff has an even longer history, with Margarete Steiff establishing the company in Germany in 1880 before her nephew Richard created the world’s first jointed teddy bear in 1902.

The company introduced its famous “Button in Ear” trademark in 1904 to distinguish genuine Steiff products, and the small metal button remains one of the most recognizable signs of the brand’s craftsmanship today.

The new collaboration is built around the theme “100% Friendship,” combining Hello Kitty’s optimistic personality with more than 145 years of Steiff plush-making experience.

Selected pieces also borrow visual details from Steiff’s Ben Teddy bear, creating designs that feel recognizably Hello Kitty while still carrying the look of the historic German brand.

The standard Hello Kitty plush, priced at $65, stands approximately 30 cm tall and recreates her familiar white appearance with a pink and rose-colored outfit, matching bow, embroidered brown eyes and a yellow nose.

The seated plush is made from soft polyester material and includes Steiff’s stainless-steel Button in Ear, giving fans a larger and more traditionally cuddly centerpiece for the collection.

Hello Kitty in a Teddy Bear Costume, priced at $49, measures approximately 20 cm and dresses her in a removable beige fleece costume inspired by Steiff’s own teddy bear designs.

The costume includes a hood that can be pulled back to reveal Hello Kitty’s head and bow, while a classic Steiff Teddy bear motif appears across the back and an internal bean bag helps the seated plush maintain a stable pose.

The White Hello Kitty Pendant, priced at $30, turns her standard pink and rose-colored outfit into a compact approximately 10 cm accessory made from ultra-soft white plush.

A built-in carabiner allows the white pendant to be attached to keys, backpacks or bags, making it the most portable version of Hello Kitty’s classic design in the lineup.

The Beige Hello Kitty Pendant, also priced at $30, measures approximately 10 cm and swaps her usual white appearance for beige plush paired with a light blue and white fleece outfit.

Her pink bow, embroidered dark brown eyes and yellow nose preserve Hello Kitty’s recognizable features while giving the second pendant a softer color palette connected more closely to Steiff’s traditional teddy bears.

The Hello Kitty Purse, priced at $30, recreates her head as an approximately 10 cm soft white plush accessory decorated with embroidered facial details and her signature pink bow.

A white zipper runs across the purse and is finished with a pull shaped like a Steiff Teddy bear head, adding a subtle reference to the manufacturer without distracting from the Hello Kitty design.

The centerpiece of the collaboration is the Limited Edition Hello Kitty, priced at $365, an approximately 22 cm collector’s item produced in a worldwide run of just 1,974 pieces.

The production number directly references Hello Kitty’s 1974 debut, connecting the limited run to the year Sanrio first designed the character.

Made from fine white mohair, the collector’s version features a pale pink mohair dress integrated into the body, a matching bow, embroidered facial details and a pink heart held against her chest.

Her head and both arms are articulated, allowing for limited posing, while a gold-plated Button in Ear distinguishes the collector’s edition from the stainless-steel branding used across the standard plush range.

The Steiff x Hello Kitty collection launched on August 3, 2026, and is now available through Steiff’s regional online stores, with pricing varying between international markets.