RBC: Arbie Collector Plush

If you have any questions about the Arbie Collector Plush, how to take care of him, or wanted to know how he came to life – you’ve come to the right page.

We hope you find happy answers below, but if we haven’t answered your specific question yet please get in touch.

Note: This page is written and published by Happy Worker and is not associated with RBC Royal Bank.

Arbie Collector Plush FAQ:

Meet Arbie… Arbie’s a friendly banker who represents the helpful and approachable employees of the Royal Bank of Canada (RBC). Dressed in his blue suit, tie and signature bowler hat, Arbie brings his unique sense of fun to the bank and its customers.

After making his first appearance in RBC’s TV spots for the Beijing 2008 Summer Games, Arbie has since become a favorite of the bank’s staff, their families, clients, and Canadians. So much so that many people wanted their very own Arbie to have, to hold, and to hug!

Enter the Arbie Collector Plush… making the jump from iconic brand character to a “real-life” plush person, the Arbie Collector Plush is the ultimate in soft stuffed plush. Arbie is expertly tailored & detailed with a professional suit made with genuine wool flannel, his iconic bowler hat and his ever friendly smile. Arbie is 13 inches (33 cm) tall and comes packaged in a gift display box.

The Arbie Collector Plush is made and safety tested for ages 3 and up. Whether you’re 3, 33, or 103, we hope you share lots of happy good times together!

Important: Please do not give the Arbie Collector Plush to babies or toddlers younger than 3. The Arbie Collector Plush contains some small parts that can come loose and pose a choking hazard for children under 3 years.

You can purchase your very own Arbie Collector Plush to have and to hold through the main RBC merchandise website.

The Arbie Collector Plush is made from several materials - his hat and suit are made with wool and wool/polyester blends. Other parts of his body and clothing are made from polyester fabrics. He also has polyester stuffing and some plastic beans in his bottom.

Washing Tips: The Arbie Collector Plush is surface washable in cold water. Do not use bleach or his lovely blue suit won’t look the same. We recommend against placing him in a washing machine – while he’s sturdily made, he won’t enjoy the experience and may be a bit worse for wear afterwards.

Your Arbie Collector Plush enjoys being hugged and joining in playtime. He loves to travel to school with you for show and tell, in the car for company on long car rides, and even on vacation with you to see the sights. If you have a job he’ll happily join you at your desk & hang out in your work space.

Like other well-loved friends, your Arbie Collector Plush also likes appearing in your photos and on your Facebook page or blog.

The Arbie Collector Plush was designed and developed collaboratively by RBC, Accolade Promotion Group (APG), and Happy Worker. The stuffed plush toys were designed in Canada and handmade in China.

How the Arbie Collector Plush was born:

Working together, APG, RBC and Happy Worker birthed Arbie’s plush persona. Starting from his original 3D artwork we created Arbie’s blueprints and sewing patterns. After fabricating the first rough prototypes we tweaked the patterns & detailing to get the Arbie Collector Plush as close as possible to his original digital designs.

The Arbie Collector Plush included two new plush toy innovations to ensure his character integrity was top-notch.

First was Arbie’s mini-suit. As an ambassador for a great company Arbie needed top-notch tailoring. To ensure he was truly dressed for success we used the same fabrics that suit tailors use. Consulting with a first-rate tailor (thanks Garrison Bespoke!) we custom created suit quality wool flannel by dying wool yarn to match RBC’s signature blue and weaving it into finished material. Crafting plush from genuine suit material is unique and to our knowledge, Arbie’s design is one of the first plush to do this.

The second major challenge was accurately creating Arbie’s iconic bowler hat. As the shape can’t be created via cut and sewn fabric, we again emulated the real deal. In the same way that real-life bowler hats are made, using the digital designs and a human sized bowler example we created a mini-sized hat mold. After a few tweaks to the mold and the hat stiffening process, we arrived at a bowler hat that we hope Arbie is proud to wear!

After design was complete we began making the final Arbie plush! During toy making Arbie went through numerous quality control checks, and was tested to meet all safety standards required for children ages 3+

Thanks to the super support and great teams at APG and RBC, Arbie happily shipped on time. APG also managed Arbie’s fulfillment, deftly handling tight timelines to ensure on-time delivery and happy RBC staff.

As you read this Arbie is sharing his friendly smile and being hugged in homes, offices and bank branches across Canada.

Quality, well-made products are sustainable because they last and are enjoyed for years to come. For fabric-based stuffed toys like the Arbie Collector Plush, to ensure high quality of workmanship and satisfy regulations we use all new materials. The packaging for the Arbie Collector Plush is made from readily recyclable corrugate and cardstock.

The Arbie Collector Plush are made in a facility certified under ISO 14001:2004 for its Environmental Management Systems. Some pre-consumer material leftover from production is collected and sent to other facilities for reuse and recycle into other types of products.

Ethical manufacturing and social responsibility are core to Happy Worker’s toy making. We plan proactively and set clear expectations, our factories treat workers well, and when rush timelines are required we pay overtime.

Clear expectations and good intentions are important, but audits are necessary. The Arbie Collector Plush are produced in a facility that is regularly audited under Social Accountability International (SAI) SA 8000:2008 and International Council of Toy Industries’ (ICTI) CARE Process to ensure safe working conditions and excellent human rights compliance.

Happy Worker actively supports our facilities in developing and implementing systems, corrective action plans and the continuous improvements necessary to achieve ideal corporate social responsibility (CSR) compliance. However we have zero tolerance for serious ethical or worker welfare violations which are irremediable and result in an immediate and permanent cessation of work.

If any toy does not meet quality expectations, Happy Worker will work with your RBC Corporate Merchandise Advisor to offer a rebate or replacement. Please contact your RBC Corporate Merchandise Advisor or Happy Worker directly at the numbers or addresses below.

Toy questions about the Arbie Collector Plush: Technical or toy-specific questions relating to the Arbie Collector Plush, please contact Happy Worker at info@happyworker.com or 1-888-494-8697. We are cheerfully standing by to answer any questions and assist with toy happiness.

Questions about Orders and RBC merchandise: Questions about ordering the Arbie Collector Plush or other RBC merchandise, please contact your helpful RBC Corporate Merchandise Advisor at 1-800-743-5224.

Questions for RBC: Questions specific to RBC and financial products or services, please contact a friendly RBC representative in the appropriate department