WILMINGTON, N.C. — In Kathy and Bob Bindert's stuffed-animal business, Fuzzy Wuzzy the bear was once a fur coat.

        The Binderts started Bear Mountain in 1993 to recycle people's fur coats, jackets and stoles into furry friends — mostly bears and bunnies.

        “We wanted a way to make animals out of used fur coats instead of just throwing them away,” Mrs. Bindert said.

Bear Mountain bears, such as this one created by Bob and Kathy Bindert, are recycled from used mink, lamb, squirrel and rabbit jackets, coats and stoles. (Associated Press photo) | ZOOM |

        The Binderts left their New York computer software and hardware accounting-consultant business to make the bears because “there's no tech support in teddy bears.”

        The Binderts owned a shop for six years and decided last year to sell their bears at 20 to 25 art shows across the country annually. They show exclusively at the Sullivan Gallery in Wilmington for now.

        “We have customers who collect our bears all up and down the East and West coasts, and that's pretty good for only being open seven years,” she said. The bears at the Sullivan Gallery run $39-$225 and are made from various furs including, mink, rabbit, fox, squirrel, coyote, badger, lynx, lamb, nutria (swamp fox) and raccoon. Chinchilla is the priciest and hardest fur to find, running about $375 for a small bear.

        “Patches,” the newest Bear Mountain bear, is a limited edition patchwork mink (only 50 were made) in which every bear limb is a different color. A full-length fur coat will produce three jumbo bears that are 17 inches tall, four medium bears or five small bears. Smaller bears and bunnies are made from small garments and trim.

        But Bear Mountain's specialty is The heirloom bears. The Binderts custom-make bears and bunnies in their home from well-stored furs, which families want converted to bears to remember a family member.

        “That way everybody has a little piece of Grandma even though she's gone,” Mrs. Bindert said. “And, sometimes, if older women are going to give their coats in a will, they know their daughter probably won't wear them so they get them made into bears to give in the will instead.”

        Most custom bears take 60 to 90 days to complete. One of the first heirloom bears Mrs. Bindert made was from two mink coats that an eldest son in a local family inherited when his mother died.

        “Since he and his wife didn't have children and his sister was expecting, he had one bear made for his family and gave the rest to his sister for her children,” she said. “Those situations are truly touching to us.”

        The Binderts will also write customized messages on the suede footpads. And in a warm climate such as Wilmington, fur recycling is necessary.

        “Fur isn't in style now, and people who move to Wilmington from New York don't need their fur coats,” she said.

        The Binderts are selective about the furs they pick for their bears — only cold-stored furs in good condition will do. She scopes estate sales and furriers' vaults, but much of her raw material comes from people who inherited furs. And don't worry — the bears are safe for child's play. All the bears and bunnies have child-safe eyes, noses and fully moveable joints.

        “I've seen many women at art shows pick up the bunnies and say, "My granddaughter would love this,' and by the time they get home with them, the grandmothers wind up adopting their gift and coming back for one for their grandchild,” Mrs. Bindert said.

        Even people who don't agree with wearing furs understand recycling them.

        “People who are opposed to wearing fur come to the booth at shows and say this is the best thing they've seen done with a fur coat,” she said. “People walk into our booth and smile. Bears and bunnies have a universal charm.”
       

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