The first commercial concern to create stuffed toys was the German Steiff company in 1880. Steiff used new technology developed for upholstery to make their stuffed toys.

The toys began as elephants, and were originally a design Steiff found in a magazine and sold as pincushions to her friends.

In 1903 Richard Steiff designed a soft bear and in the years following went on to design many other animal-themed toys for children, such as dogs, cats and pigs.

The show revolves around Peppa, a female pig, and her family and friends. Each of her friends is a different species of mammal.

Peppa’s friends are the same age as she is, and Peppa’s younger brother George’s friends are the same age as him.

The characters wear clothes, live in houses, and drive cars, but still display some characteristics of the animals on which they are based. Peppa and her family snort like pigs during conversations.