Build-A-Bear Workshop Recalls Heartwarming Hugs Bears Due to Risk of Serious Injury or Death from Choking Hazard to Children
Recall date: 2026-04-30 · CPSC Recall No. 26457 · Source: U.S. CPSC
⚠ Safety recall: The zipper slider on the side pouch can detach, posing a risk of serious injury or death from choking hazard to children.
What is being recalled
This recall involves the Heartwarming Hugs weighted plush bear with model number 034464. It has 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 3 years+ 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.
Units: About 36,000 (In addition 520 were sold in Canada)
What you should do
Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled Heartwarming Hugs Bear and return it to a local Build-A-Bear Workshop store to receive a refund in the form of original payment or a gift card for the original purchase price redeemable toward any available Make-Your-Own furry friend and any other available merchandise. If a consumer is unable to return their Heartwarming Hugs 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 and to receive a refund check in the form of original payment or in the form of a digital gift card to use on the firm's website.
Contact: Build-A-Bear at 844-541-0144 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. CT Monday through Saturday and 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. CT on Sunday or by email at ProductHotline@buildabear.com, or online at https://www.buildabear.com/recalls or https://www.buildabear.com and click on "Recall" at the bottom of the page for more information.
Where it was sold
Build-A-Bear Workshop stores and online at www.buildabear.com from January 2026 through March 2026 for about $48.
Reported incidents
There has been one consumer report in the United Kingdom of the zipper slider detaching while in use, and no reports in the United States. No injuries have been reported.
Full official details, model numbers, and photos are on the CPSC recall notice.
Recall vs. class action settlement — what's the difference?
A recall is a safety action: the company repairs, replaces, or refunds the product (see the steps above) to remove the danger. It's free, and you deal directly with the company or the CPSC — not with us.
A class action settlement is a separate legal process that pays consumers money for harm a product caused. Recalls and product defects sometimes lead to class actions later — but a settlement only exists once a lawsuit is filed and resolved.
Want to know if there's money to claim? Browse our directory of open class action settlements, or use Class Action Buddy free — it tracks new settlements and alerts you the moment one opens for a product you own, then auto-fills the claim form for you to review and submit.
Recall information on this page is sourced from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and is provided for general information. Class Action Buddy is not a law firm and is not affiliated with the CPSC or the recalling company. Always confirm current recall details and remedies on the official CPSC notice linked above.