Every Sophie giraffe is hand-painted in France with vegetable-based paint. As such, each giraffe is unique with no two being the same. Do note that it is common for the vegetable-based paint on the giraffe to come off with use. This is normal and safe even if your child consumes the paint.

 So what makes Sophie the Giraffe such a success? This is baby's first toy, and stimulates each of his senses from the age of 3 months.

Sight:

At the age of 3 months, a baby's eyesight is still limited and can only make out high contrasts. The dark and contrasting, attention-catching spots all over Sophie the Giraffe's body provides visual stimulation and she soon becomes a familiar and reassuring object for baby.

Hearing:

Sophie the Giraffe squeaks when pressed and keeps baby amused and stimulates his hearing. In later months, this helps baby understand the link between cause and effect.

Taste:

Sophie the Giraffe is made of 100% natural rubber and food paint and is completely safe to chew, just like a feeding bottle teat.

Touch:

Her soft texture and numerous chewable parts (ears, horns, legs etc) make her perfect for soothing baby's sore gums during teething.

Smell:

The scent of natural rubber from the Hevea tree makes Sophie the Giraffe very special and easy for your baby to identify amid the other toys.

Easy to grip:

Sophie the Giraffe's shape and size are perfect for baby's small hands. She is very light, and her long neck and legs are easy for baby to grasp, even in his early days.

Celebrity babies love Sophie the Giraffe!

As seen on Martha Stewart's Show under Martha's "Babies Must Have" category.

About the Maker of this Product

Sophie the Giraffe was conceived by Monsieur Rampeau, who was an expert in transforming sap from the Hevea tree using the rotational moulding of rubber as a toy-making concept. He came up with the idea of designing a toy giraffe, sensing that such an exotic wildlife figure would be the first in the market, and its size and shape would be ideal for the baby's hands to grasp and fit the baby's small mouths. Sophie the Giraffe, who looks exactly the same as the day she was 'born', went into production on May 25th, Saint Sophie's day, hence her name.

Sophie was an immediate success in France. Young mothers saw straightaway that Sophie was a must-have for their babies when the first signs of teething appeared. By simple word of mouth, the little Giraffe's fame spread. From then on, generation upon generation of children in Europe, have come to love Sophie & her happy sound.

Sophie is still traditionally produced today, by Vulli, which is based in Rumilly in the Haute-Savoie Region of France. She is made from 100% natural rubber derived from the sap of the Hevea Tree. The process of creating her involves more than 14 manual operations and is still a secret, jealously guarded by the company.

FAQ

How to clean Sophie la girafe?
Under normal use of Sophie la girafe and in accordance with packaging instructions, cleaning the toy’s surface using a cloth moistened with soapy water is all that is needed. Please note that the toy’s whistle leaves a hole on the surface. Users must therefore ensure that water does not enter inside the product during cleaning.

For this same reason, it is important to refrain from rinsing or submerging Sophie la girafe and from placing the toy in the dishwasher.

If required, it is possible to spend more time scrubbing with your cloth moistened with soapy water. In fact, the longer the time spent scrubbing the product with soap, the more effective the cleaning.

How do I clean my Sophie the Giraffe teether?
Things you’ll need to clean Sophie*:

• clean towel
• potable/drinking water
• A few drops of dishwashing soap

Follow these simple steps:

1. Dip sponge/towel in bowl of drinking water with a few drops of dishwashing soap. Squeeze out excess water.
2. Use this DAMP towel (not dripping wet) to wipe down Sophie's body
3. Dip towel in clean, potable water with NO SOAP and squeeze to remove soap and excess water. Use the DAMP towel to wipe Sophie. Change the water as necessary and repeat this step several times to completely remove soap residue from Sophie.
4. Let Sophie dry before you let your baby use.

Note for teethers with squeakers and/or holes:

• Please make sure that water DOES NOT get in through the squeaker.
• Do not use while bathing or in the pool

*Do not sterilize rubber-based toys

Can Sophie la girafe be sterilised?
In accordance with what is written on the product packaging, we do not recommend sterilising Sophie la girafe.

Known sterilisation methods require partial or full immersion of the product in a sterilising solution (boiling water or water with a sterilisation tablet) that could damage it.

Can I sterilize Sophie?
No, you cannot sterilize (UV, steam, etc.) Sophie items. Since these are made of natural rubber, exposure to heat may alter the product's integrity. If you've already sterilized Sophie, we recommend discontinuing use, for safety reasons.