Build-A-Bear Workshop Heartwarming Hugs Bears Recall

Published by Reclia Safety Desk | July 01, 2026

Recall Information Record
Database Entry ID: 10754
Recall Number: 26457
Date Published: 2026-04-30

1. Recall Summary
Build-A-Bear Workshop, Inc., of St. Louis, Missouri, is recalling its Heartwarming Hugs weighted plush bear. The recall was initiated in cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). The product is a weighted plush bear with model number 034464. It features a side pouch containing a heart filled with 2.5 pounds of ceramic beads, which can be heated or cooled for comfort. The pouch is secured with a zipper. The product is graded for ages 3 years and older and carries a cautionary statement advising adult supervision due to the heated/cooled element. The model number is located on the label sewn into the back side of one bear leg.

2. Affected Products
– Product Name: Build-A-Bear Workshop Heartwarming Hugs Bears
– Model Number: 034464
– Number of Units: Approximately 36,000 in the United States, and an additional 520 units sold in Canada.
– Retailer: Build-A-Bear Workshop stores and online at www.buildabear.com.
– Sale Period: January 2026 through March 2026.
– Price: Approximately $48.
– Country of Origin: China.
– Identification: The model number is located on the label sewn into the back side of one bear leg.

3. Hazard Information
The zipper slider on the side pouch can detach while in use. This poses a risk of serious injury or death from a choking hazard to children. There has been one consumer report in the United Kingdom of the zipper slider detaching while in use. No reports of this incident have been received in the United States. No injuries have been reported.

4. Consumer Action Required
Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled Heartwarming Hugs Bear. The product should be returned to a local Build-A-Bear Workshop store. If a consumer is unable to return the bear to a local store, they can visit www.buildabear.com/recalls for more information or call Build-A-Bear to receive a free return shipping label to return the recalled bear.

5. Official Remedy
Consumers who return the recalled Heartwarming Hugs Bear to a local Build-A-Bear Workshop store will receive a refund in the form of original payment or a gift card for the original purchase price. This gift card is redeemable toward any available Make-Your-Own furry friend and any other available merchandise. For consumers who are unable to return the bear to a local store and use the free return shipping label, the refund will be issued in the form of original payment or in the form of a digital gift card to use on the firm’s website.

6. Contact Information
– Phone: Build-A-Bear at 844-541-0144
– Hours: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. CT Monday through Saturday, and 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. CT on Sunday.
– Email: ProductHotline@buildabear.com
– Website:
– https://www.buildabear.com/recalls
– https://www.buildabear.com (click on “Recall” at the bottom of the page for more information)
– Canadian Recall: For consumers in Canada, additional information is available at the Health Canada recall alert website: https://recalls-rappels.canada.ca/en/alert-recall/build-bear-workshop-heartwarming-hugs-bear-2-recalled-due-choking-hazard

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