Frequently Asked Questions

If you're carrying out a school project, or just for your own general interest, we hope that this page will be able to give you an answer to the more generic questions. If at the end this still does not help you please just get in touch.

If your question is a good one we may even put it on this page!

When is Paddington's birthday and how old is he?
When Paddington first went to live with the Browns he wasn't sure how old he was, so they decided to start again at one. They also agreed that bears "just like the queen" have two birthdays every year and they decided that Paddington should celebrate his on Christmas Day and June 25th. However, although Paddington always celebrates his birthdays, in the books he never actually gets any older so there really isn't an answer to the second part of this question!
In 2008 Paddington celebrated his 50th anniversary, marking the publication of the very first book on October 13th 1958.

I'm looking for a particular old or discontinued Paddington product. Where can I buy this?
The best place to start looking is on eBay because old Paddington items come up for sale all the time. In particular you should be able to find the bears, china and figurines and books. You could also try posting a message on our Bulletin Board in case a Paddington collector wants to sell the item you are searching for.

How much is my Paddington Bear worth?
If you click HERE it will take you to a page which tells you about the value of the bears and other Paddington items.

My Paddington needs some new clothes. Can I buy these anywhere?
You can buy replacement clothes for standard sized Paddington Bears from Rainbow Designs in the UK. To be taken to their on-line shop, please click HERE

How can I clean my old Paddington Bear?
The bear itself can be washed, although we wouldn't recommend putting him in a washing machine. Instead, sponge the fur gently with some lukewarm water. If you wish, you can also use some mild soap flakes and then rinse off afterwards. Once dry, brush the fur. However, under no circumstances should you wash the clothes as they will shrink if allowed to become wet. Instead we suggest taking these to a reputable dry cleaner for advice. Alternatively, you can by new clothes for your bear (please see answer to previous question).

I need a need a new label for my bear. Where can I buy one?
Unfortunately it isn't possible to buy replacement labels for the bears.

What are the correct colours for Paddington's clothes?
In the very first book, Paddington was found on the station wearing nothing but a "rather dirty coloured" hat. Mrs. Brown then bought him a blue duffle coat. The boots came later when Gabrielle Designs made the first bears in 1972. They put them into a pair to help them stand up and from that moment on, Paddington started to wear Wellington boots!
In the first television series, Paddington wore a black hat and blue coat and, occasionally, red Wellington boots but the more recent television series, the current picture books and most products show Paddington in a red hat and blue coat. When he wears them the boots are, more often than not, red.
In the USA the very first bears, made by Eden Toys were sold wearing a yellow hat and pale blue coat whereas in the UK, the early Gabrielle bears wore a whole range of different colour combinations. In more recent years, the favoured (and most popular) colour choices for the soft toys have been red hat, blue coat and red boots or blue hat, red coat and black boots.
So, there are really no truly "correct" colours for Paddington's clothes. The nearest to these would be a red or black hat, blue coat and red boots.

I am holding a fundraising event. Please can Paddington sponsor me or send me something for my charity?
Paddington receives literally hundreds of request like this every year and, much as he would like to help everyone it simply wouldn't be possible to say yes to them all. Instead he has chosen to give all his support to one particular cause, Action Medical Research in the UK, for which he has been the mascot for over thirty years.

Can I hire a Paddington costume for an event?
In the UK the licence for Paddington costume appearances is held by Rainbow Productions. You can contact them through their website at www.rainbowproductions.co.uk. For all other countries please contact us.