Build-A-Bear Workshop (BABW) is a store that most people – adults and children alike – are aware of. Whether you have built a bear for yourself or for a loved one, chances are you have probably seen, heard of, or purchased a product from this store. I happen to love Build-a-Bears and have since I was a child and attended my first BABW birthday party in when I was eight years old. Since then, I have assembled a small collection of bears, whether made myself or by someone else – these bears are what I have chosen to focus on for this assignment. I have always loved stuffed animals since I was a young girl, but there is something magical about creating your own!

            According to the Build-A-Bear website, there are seven steps involved in the process of building your own bear. The first is to pick a “special furry friend – from a silly superhero to a sporty mascot and a cheerleading bunny to a snuggly teddy bear” (“The Workshop Experience”). After that, one has the option of picking a sound effect to insert into the bear – based on experience, the sound is usually in one of the paws. The third step involves stuffing the bear: “customize your creation with sounds, scents, stuffing, and, of course, our iconic special heart that holds your love and wishes” (“The Workshop Experience”). This step is often the most enjoyable for children (and I am a bit of a sucker for it, too)! When stuffing the bear, you can choose whether you would like it to be on the firmer or softer side, which usually depends on how the bear will be used. The Bear Builder (the employee who helps you build your bear) will also instruct you to do a few things with the small heart you choose for your bear, such as rubbing it in between your palms so that your bear is always warm, giving it a hug or kiss so your bear knows it is loved, doing a little dance so your bear knows how to have fun, and a making a wish on the heart so that your dreams may come true. The fourth step involves simply hugging the bear to make sure it is “stuffed just right” and is neither too soft nor too firm (“The Workshop Experience”). The next three steps involve dressing the bear, naming the bear (which involves creating a birth certificate), and then taking it home. 

            After thinking about this involved process, I wondered how the bear “skins,” clothing, accessories, etc. get to their destinations, so I will be focusing on the distribution aspect of this company. According to their 2019 Annual Report, Build-A-Bear Workshop:

[Owns] a 350,000 square-foot distribution center near Columbus, Ohio which serves the majority of… stores in the United States and Canada. [They] also contract with a third-party warehouse in southern California to service [their] West Coast stores. (“Annual Report”)

Outside of North America, BABW “contract[s] with a third-party distribution center in Selby, England… In Asia, [they] contract with a third-party distribution center in Shanghai, China” (“Annual Report”).  A few things come to mind when I read about the locations for their distribution centers and the locations these centers service. First off, while I am sure the distribution centers that serve these locations are enormous, one must wonder about the working conditions there. To only have one distribution center per continent, the workers likely work long hours. Depending on where the centers are located, they could be working under grueling conditions, as labor laws in other countries can be more relaxed – and working conditions more dangerous. The next thing that comes to mind is pollution – what, if anything, is done to ensure that these centers are not contributing to the pollution within their respective countries? Considering that “shipments from… distribution centers are scheduled throughout the week… and [they] typically distribute merchandise and supplies… once every other week or once a week,” it does not seem that emissions is something BABW considers a priority (“Annual Report”). On the other hand, Build-A-Bear Workshop has policies and regulations in place to ensure that forced labor, child labor, or human trafficking does not occur at any step within their supply chain:

Our policy mandates termination of contracts and dismissal of any supplier found to use human trafficking, slavery or child labor in the production of products or components of products for Build-A-Bear Workshop. (“Supply Chain”)

This information is readily available on their website, something I found to be promising, as transparency about such issues is extremely important. 

            I would like to see Build-A-Bear Workshop address their emissions and how they can cut back as we face a global climate crisis. Moreover, I hope that they do more than terminate contracts with companies found in noncompliance of labor laws and report such facilities to their respective authorities.

Works Cited

“Annual Report.” Annual Report SEC Form 10-K Filing for Fiscal Year 2019, Build-A-Bear Workshop, Inc, https://ir.buildabear.com/static-files/a8db7a4d-e120-4909-9ddb-1f502d1984cd. 

“Supply Chain.” Build-A-Bear Workshop, Build-A-Bear Workshop, Inc, https://www.buildabear.com/brand-help-supply-chain.html. 

“The Workshop Experience.” Build-A-Bear Workshop, Build-A-Bear Workshop, Inc, https://www.buildabear.com/brand-about-story-experience.html.