Cooper Plush Care
Cooper's black clothing needs a little extra attention. For everyday handling, cleaning, and drying, please follow our general plush care guide. This page covers the additional care specific to Cooper.
In rare cases, dye from Cooper's black clothes may transfer onto his plush body. This is more likely in high humidity. Keep Cooper and his clothes in a cool, dry place.
Please read this article for more details on reducing the risk.
Why are his clothes packed separately?
We used to routinely pack our plushes' clothes separately so customers could enjoy dressing them up themselves. As our clothing designs have become more complex, we've tended to dress our plushes before shipping to help customers avoid accidentally damaging delicate clothing or accessories while putting them on.
Cooper is a little different. In rare cases, the black dye in his clothes may transfer onto his plush body, especially in high humidity. Since we can't control the conditions he encounters during shipping, we pack his clothes separately to reduce that risk along the way.
We're glad this gives us a chance to bring back the dressing-up experience with Cooper! We hope you enjoy getting him dressed and ready to join your plush family.
Dressing and storing Cooper
- Keep both the plush and clothing dry. After any cleaning, let each piece dry completely before dressing Cooper again.
- Avoid damp display and storage areas. High humidity increases the risk of dye transfer, even when you are not cleaning your plush.
- For long-term storage or shipping, we recommend packing the black clothes separately again. Keeping them from touching Cooper's body follows the same precaution we use for shipping.
I live in a very humid place
If you live in a very humid climate, pay particular attention to the storage advice in our general plush care guide.
Based on our experience and durability tests, a dressed-up Cooper Plush stored in an environment where relative humidity routinely exceeds 80% is likely to show visible dye transfer from his black clothing after 12-18 months.
You may also consider the options below to reduce the risk of dye transfer.
Keep a barrier between the clothes and plush body
Small pieces of parchment paper can help keep Cooper's black clothes from touching his body at two key contact points:
- Inside the pants' waistband: tuck a piece of parchment paper between the waistband and Cooper's waist.
- Behind the tank top's Velcro closure: place a piece of parchment paper between the closure and Cooper's back.
These are the places where the clothes press more firmly against the plush body, making them especially prone to visible dye transfer. Keep the paper flat and check occasionally that it still covers the contact areas.
You may also apply low-tack paper masking tape to the inside of the clothes at these same contact points. Gentle adhesive should peel away without damaging the clothes when used as directed. Test a small, hidden area first and follow the tape manufacturer's recommended removal time.
Wash the clothes...
Yes, this is doable with some proficiency and patience. We usually do not recommend washing plush outfits, but a brief wash may help reduce loose surface dye on Cooper's black clothes.
Washing can remove some of the loose dye on the fabric's outermost surface, where it is less firmly held than dye fixed to the fibers. Regular laundering can gradually remove this excess dye from human clothing, which is one reason it may become less prone to this kind of transfer over time. A plush's outfit may otherwise spend years on display without being washed.
Only attempt this method if you have experience caring for delicate garments.
- Remove the clothes and wash them separately. Keep them away from other fabrics during washing and drying to avoid transferring color.
- Use clean, cold water with no detergent. Do not add any other cleaning products.
- Gently swish the clothes around by hand for about 30 seconds. Avoid vigorous scrubbing or pulling at the fabric and seams.
- Gently squeeze out excess water. Do not twist or wring the clothes.
- Line dry completely. Keep the clothes away from direct sunlight and direct heat, and let them dry fully before putting them back on Cooper.
Once the clothes are dry, you may gently iron them at the lowest temperature setting if needed. Test a small, hidden area first and avoid holding the iron in one place. If you are experienced with delicate garments, gentle steaming may give better results. Let the clothes cool and dry completely again before dressing Cooper.
Why don't we wash the clothes before shipping?
The fabric used for Cooper's black clothes has a thin layer of silicone oil on its surface from the production process. This finish actually helps with the fabric's colorfastness, so we prefer to preserve it rather than pre-wash the material before making it into clothes.
Washing can remove loose surface dye, but also removes this layer of protection. Therefore, if you begin washing Cooper's clothes, you must continue washing them regularly.
If you notice dye transfer
Remove Cooper's black clothes, then follow the spot-cleaning instructions in our general plush care guide. Use a mild detergent or a plush toy cleaner from a reputable brand, test a small hidden area first, and gently dab the affected area with a soft, damp cloth.
Dye transfer is much harder to remove than ordinary dirt, and spot cleaning may not remove it completely. Be patient and avoid vigorous scrubbing, bleach, or harsh stain removers, which can damage the fabric while you are trying to clean it.
Treatments that completely remove transferred dye may also remove some of the affected fabric's original color. If the dye transfer was obvious before cleaning, that area may still stand out afterward as a lighter or unevenly colored patch.