BUDSIES LLC
MIAMI, FLORIDA

Budsies founder and CEO Alex Furmansky grew up just outside Philadelphia, PA. It wasn’t until he turned 16 that his parents brought his little sister Michelle home from the hospital. With a 16-year age gap, Alex had the privilege of seeing her art and creativity evolve throughout her childhood as she moved from pre-school to camp to specialty art classes. But sadly, Michelle’s drawings went from being displayed on the kitchen fridge to being buried in a box in the basement. From wacky shapes to advanced illustrations, Alex witnessed as Michelle’s creativity was quickly being forgotten. The idea for Budsies first came about when Alex saw Michelle hugging her stuffed animals and tucking them in at night. He asked himself: “What if I could turn a drawing into a stuffed animal friend that would last forever?” All children could have their own personal buddies (hence the name Budsies!) to hug and hold. Alex was mesmerized by the idea of literally bring her drawings to life and making the world more huggable! Dongler (& Budsies) was Born He returned to South Florida where he was living and had Michelle’s drawing designed and turned into a huggable stuffed animal. From the comfort of Alex’s small bedroom, the grassroots operation known as Budsies was born! In Budsies’ first two years, Alex realized the tremendous growth opportunities for the brand while always committing himself to stay true to his initial vision: making a huggable world! Some of Budsies greatest achievements to date include: creating more than 14,000 Budsies; launching Budsies Selfies and Petsies product lines; expanding the Budsies “behind the scenes" team; moving to a new, larger headquarters; project launches with The Gap, Cut the Rope, and Drawing Desk; philanthropic partnerships with Joe DiMaggio’s Children’s Hospital, Mayo Clinic, and The Office Depot Foundation; and appearances on ABC’s Shark Tank, CNBC, BuzzFeed, New York Times, and more. The future of Budsies and its product offerings, including the original Budsies, Budsies Selfies and Petsies, is bright! Alex and his team have plans to empower the imaginations of millions of children. The company’s goal is to create a marketplace where families can purchase stuffed animals designed by children and artists around the world - thus empowering anyone to create their very own line of toys. Alex started Budsies in honor of his younger sister, which serves as a constant reminder to him and his team of the importance of product quality and safety. As Alex often says: “The same care I would give to a toy I’d give my little sister goes into every Budsie stuffed animal we make.” Budsies are all made of hypoallergenic materials and adhere to rigorous standards of stitching quality and materials. Because each and every Budsie is unique the team inspects each one individually for loose parts. Since some toys may have small/thin pieces, Budsies recommends they only be given to children 3+ years of age. Budsies is registered with the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and contracts Bureau Veritas, a certified 3rd party CPSC-approved laboratory to conduct materials and composition testing of its products. Alex was raised in a close-knit family where giving back and supporting others in need was always a priority. As a result, philanthropy has always been core to the Budsies mission. So how exactly is Budsies doing its part? The company donates supplies and Budsies to schools, make free Budsies for kids in need, and help raise funding for various kids’ charitable foundations. For example, Budsies made personalized stuffed animals for a foster home in Michigan so the children could have a constant buddy in their lives. Similarly, they made Budsies for children born with HIV/AIDS who took part in a safe haven camp in Northern Virginia. When a young cancer patient couldn’t draw her own Budsie, her brother stepped in to help and drew a superhero rainbow bear for her. The company's flagship annual philanthropic event is called Budsies Pals. Each summer, the Budsies team partners with the community to donate free plushies to children fighting through illnesses at a local hospital. Budsies has partnered with Joe DiMaggio's Children's Hospital, the Mayo Clinic, and Children's Healthcare of Atlanta. You can learn more about getting involved and watch the heartwarming video We've worked with The Honest Co., SMART Company, restaurants, book authors, YouTube publishers, and hundreds of brands worldwide We handle everything: from design to production to delivery Budsies How can we help you today?