From the first character drawing to five rounds of physical sampling, discover how an original member of the Animal Bakers family was carefully developed and brought to life.
Koala Baker began as an original character created for the Animal Bakers collection: a gentle Australian koala dressed for the bakery, holding a warm croissant close to its chest.
What appears simple in the finished plush required many thoughtful decisions. The character’s face, proportions, fur, ears, clothing and pastry all had to translate from a hand-drawn idea into a soft, three-dimensional companion.
Each round helped the designer study how Koala Baker’s personality could be expressed more clearly in fabric while remaining faithful to the original illustration.
The journey began with front, side and back views that established Koala Baker’s rounded silhouette, fluffy ears, chef’s hat, tied apron and signature croissant. These views gave the maker a complete visual guide for building the character in three dimensions.
A more detailed production illustration mapped out the intended materials and finishes, including fluffy fur, fabric ears, plastic eyes, an embroidered croissant, a chef’s hat and apron. This step turned the character artwork into a practical making plan.
The first physical sample revealed how the original proportions behaved in plush form. It created a valuable starting point for assessing the expression, ear placement, body shape and the size of the pastry before the character could move closer to the drawing.
The second round explored a lighter, softer appearance and developed the chef’s clothing more clearly. The revised shape helped the designer compare the character’s height, head-to-body balance and the way the apron sat around the body.
By the third sample, Koala Baker had gained a fuller, more expressive face and a much more recognisable croissant. The fluffy texture, rounded cheeks and stronger bakery details brought the plush notably closer to the warmth of the original concept.
The fourth round continued testing colour, limb construction, clothing and the overall softness of the silhouette. These practical comparisons helped resolve how every part should work together when the character was held and viewed from different angles.
After five physical rounds, Koala Baker reached its completed Croissant Edition. The final production preserved the most important parts of the original idea: a gentle koala, a proud little baker and a pastry held in a warm embrace.
The completed original character became the foundation for a new Australia-exclusive collaboration between Animal Bakers and Billabong Crafts.
For this special edition, the croissant is replaced with a soft Lamington featuring printed chocolate, coconut, sponge and raspberry details. The change gives Koala Baker a distinctly Australian story while respecting the character and development work that came before it.
A documented original character, an Australian favourite and a Melbourne memory to keep.
Discover the Lamington Edition
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