The Steiff company motto, as styled by Margarete Steiff, is "Only the best is good enough for children". The company uses natural fibers such as mohair in their products. Steiff products are subject to meticulous testing and inspection. They are required to be highly flame resistant, and, among other things, smaller pieces such as eyes must be able to resist considerable tension, wear, and tear. A large amount of the work is done by hand. It takes eight to 12 months of training for a seamstress to develop the skills to make Steiff bears that meet the company's strict quality standards.
The iconic "button in ear" tag was devised in 1904 by Margarete's nephew Franz to keep counterfeits from being passed off as authentic Steiff toys. It is made of metal. The button is still used to distinguish authentic Steiff toys from fakes. The tag originally had the symbol of an elephant, and it was later replaced by the name "Steiff".
