Build-A-Bear is pulling roughly 36,000 of its Heartwarming Hugs weighted plush bears off shelves after regulators flagged a zipper slider that can pop off and become a choking hazard for young kids. The cuddly toys come with a heart-shaped pouch holding about 2.5 pounds of ceramic beads that can be heated or cooled for comfort and were sold earlier this year for about $48. The move follows a single report of a zipper detaching in the United Kingdom, and so far there have been no injuries reported in the United States.
What Was Recalled
According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, the recall, posted April 30, 2026, covers the Heartwarming Hugs weighted plush bear, model number 034464. About 36,000 units were sold in the U.S., with another 520 distributed in Canada. Regulators say the zipper slider on a side pouch can detach, which creates a choking risk, and note that the pouch holds a heart-shaped bag filled with roughly 2.5 pounds of ceramic beads.
The CPSC notice lists Build-A-Bear Workshop, Inc., of St. Louis, Missouri, as the importer and says consumers can confirm they have a recalled bear by checking the sewn-in label on the back of the bear’s leg for model number 034464.
Build-A-Bear's Response
In a press release on its site, Build-A-Bear said it is voluntarily recalling the “Heartwarming Hugs Bear 2 with zipper closure” after identifying that “the zipper slider on a limited number of units may detach.” The company said the recall applies to units released in January 2026.
Customers can get their money back either as a refund to their original form of payment or as a digital gift card that can be used on the company’s website. For anyone who cannot make it to a local workshop, Build-A-Bear says it will provide a free return shipping label.
What Parents Should Do
The CPSC advises families to stop using the recalled Heartwarming Hugs bears right away and either return them to a Build-A-Bear Workshop location for a refund or follow the instructions on the company’s recall page to request a free return shipping label. According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, consumers can contact Build-A-Bear at 844-541-0144 or by email at [email protected] if they need help with the process, and the agency notes there have been no U.S. injuries reported to date.
Federal law prohibits selling products that are subject to a CPSC recall or a voluntary recall undertaken in consultation with the agency, so those “just one more resale” plans need to be shelved along with the bear.
How This Fits a Pattern
This recall lands amid a string of recent pullbacks of chilled, heated, or otherwise weighted plush items and other toys with small detachable parts, which has put extra regulatory heat on comfort products for babies and toddlers. Hoodline recently covered a large recall of Stephan Baby’s Boo Bunnie toys that affected roughly 227,500 units.
If you picked up a Heartwarming Hugs bear as a gift or have one lounging on the couch, check the sewn-in label on the back of a leg for model number 034464 and follow the return instructions on the Build-A-Bear recall page. The recall was posted April 30, 2026, and consumers with questions can call the company’s recall hotline at 844-541-0144.
