Woman Turns Old Clothes Of People’s Loved Ones Into Memory Bears

Sometimes clothes of loved ones who have died can bring you back to the precious memories, so it preserves them.

Mary MacInnes, the British artist, 21, takes these clothes and makes them into bears that people can proudly show in their homes and pass on through the generations to keep memories alive.

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These memory bears are made from the favorite clothes of people who have died and can also include jewelry or ashes. They can also be made with a special pocket at the back, where you can put letters or other mementos that are special to you. She usually spends five to six hours planning, cutting, creating & sewing each bear.

As well as this, they have jointed legs and arms, so they can be put differently depending on where you put them. They’re not toys, and start at £50 (with prices depending on specifications), but can be given to children to help them with bereavement.

MacInnes, she started this business for nearly six years. Her dressmaker career at first began in the bridal industry, and she studied fashion tech at Heriot-Watt University, as well as winning an award for Young Entrepreneur of the Year at just 16. Check out the “Memory Bears” in the gallery below and open the next page to see more!

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“I made my first memory bear five years ago as a favor for a friend and was constantly asked to make more, but turned them down because I wanted to concentrate on university and a career in bridal,” she said.

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Mary makes them between two studios – one in her hometown of Kilmarnock and the other in Galashiels – and currently has a waiting list that extends way past Christmas.

“Recently I had a 37-year-old man pleading with me to make his two daughters aged 10 & 12 bears before Christmas. He insisted on paying in full and gave me £10 extra asking me to mail them to his girls. It turned out he has terminal cancer and won’t see Christmas. I cried the whole time I cut out, sewed, and stuffed those two little bears,” she revealed.

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She says: “I love seeing their faces take on character and I’m absolutely loving life. I really enjoy meeting my customers when they collect bears – 80% burst into tears”

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“I think that’s because garments arrive as sad reminders of the past then it’s almost as if new life is breathed into them. They become something that’s much more acceptable to cuddle and talk to, and the feedback is they definitely can help the grieving process.”

Mary said that she is grateful for the opportunities as “It really is a privilege to be asked to create something from people’s personal possessions.”

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