Image: Quirky designs from Zuru for its Fuggler line created a new ‘so-ugly-they’re-cute vision of Care Bears, complete with ‘real teeth’.
By Gary Symons
TLL Editor in Chief
Cloudco Entertainment says its capitalizing on the momentum from a successful 2025 with a new wave of licensing and toy innovation for its Care Bears brand.
Cloudco is reporting collaborations with leading toy companies, including Wow! Stuff, PMI Collectibles, Zuru, and Ravensburger. These new partners join a roster of existing Care Bears master toycos such as Basic Fun! (US, Canada, UK), Simba (EU and Middle East), Headstart (Australia), Ruz (Mexico), and more.
“Care Bears continues to connect by bringing authentic emotions and caring to life through play, paired with characters that are fun, colorful, commercial and cute.” said Bruce Cheltenham, Global Licensing Director for Toys at Cloudco Entertainment. “Nearly 45 years on, the brand still has incredible potential and a hugely positive impact on its fans, and we’re seeing that come through clearly in the quality of ideas and the calibre of partners who want to work with us.”
Cheltenham says toy items from these newest collaboration partners demonstrate how the Care Bears continue to grow and evolve into more formats and executions, while still staying true to the heart of the brand.
Some of the new partnerships see a blending of DNA from other character IP, new materials and formats, electronic puppetry, innovative collectibles, and creative activities, but in a way that celebrates the core attributes of the Care Bears in its own unique way.
Tapping into the growing trend for personality-driven design is the new plush collaboration with cult-favorite brand Fuggler. The Fuggler Care Bears range reimagines the Cheers Bear, Grumpy Bear, Share Bear, and Togetherness Bear through Fugglers’ mischievous lens, featuring quirky details such as button accents and the infamous “real” teeth.
Interactive character-led play is brought to life through a new worldwide collaboration with Wow! Stuff and the Care Bears Palm Puppetronics range.
Featuring Share Bear, Funshine Bear, and Grumpy Bear, each character expresses its own personality through unique phrases. Pressing buttons in a particular order activates the Care Bear Stare. When two or more come together, they interact and speak to each other and can perform the group version of the Care Bear Stare. The Puppetronics bears also feature light-up belly badges and multiple language accessibility.
Collectibility remains a key driver for the brand, with PMI Collectibles in EMEA and the Americas expanding Care Bears within its Pocket Stars line.
All products are Pocket Stars-branded and come in blind boxes or bags, including rare items to drive collectibility and excitement. The range includes Mini Care Capsules with stickers, posters, and mini figures, Rainbow Capsules with magic bases, plush backpacks, Bookys, blind bag collectibles, stampers, key chains, and Squishies.
Creative play is expanding through a new global range from Ravensburger, spanning 2D puzzles, 3D character puzzles, and CreArt painting by numbers sets. The collection allows fans to bring their favourite Care Bear to life with 3D character puzzles, or recreate classic Care Bear images with the CreArt painting by numbers set, offering screen-free activities designed for both children and adults.
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