Teen inspired by little sister to create non-toxic plush toy line

SPRING, Texas -- He may only be 14 years old, but one teenager from Spring is already the CEO of his own toy line.

Colton Cyr says his younger sister inspired him to create his collection of inclusive, non-toxic plush characters.

"I came up with the idea when my sister was showing me her toys, and I was wondering what made them so soft," said Colton. "I looked it up and I found out that a bunch of stuffed animals are made with toxic chemicals, so I told my dad about it."

"When he realized that what makes a lot of toys soft, underneath their surface there was something that could be toxic and dangerous for kids to be exposed to," said Dr. Steven Cyr, Colton's dad. "So he came to me with that realization, alarmed and shocked and also worried about his sister's exposure to those toys."

Colton decided to come up with a design for his own sustainable, non-toxic plush toy collection, known as Dough Babies. He worked alongside his father, a surgeon, to ensure that the Dough Babies were free from harmful chemicals and safe for children. The plush dolls are also inclusive, and available in every skin tone.

"When I designed the Dough Babies, I wanted to include every color so every kid could feel like they have a Dough Baby that looks like them," said Colton.

Colton first launched his Dough Babies line in May at Howdy Homemade Ice Cream, a Katy business that provides meaningful employment for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The plush dolls even inspired a new flavor at Howdy Homemade Ice Cream, Dough Babies Double Dough. A percentage of every Dough Baby sale goes back to children's charities, including those that support kids with special needs.

"I'm really proud of him because I know that this not something typically a teenager is even interested in, because it's a really selfless idea," said Dr. Steven Cyr.

To learn more about Dough Babies or purchase one, visit cutectoys.com.