1. First, touch the toy with your hands; high-quality pure PP cotton feels soft and uniform-much like the filling of a down jacket-with no lumps or hard objects. If you press your hands together from opposite sides of the bear, they should meet easily without encountering any obstructions, feeling only the consistent softness of the cotton. Inferior filling, on the other hand, feels lumpy and uneven to the touch. If you open the zipper at the back, pure PP cotton remains high-quality all the way through, even if you pull it all out. In contrast, "black-hearted cotton" (substandard, recycled waste) often features a layer of good cotton only right at the opening; digging around in various directions quickly reveals the truth-the interior is packed with garment factory scraps, including fabric strips, loose threads, packing twine, and even stray nails from shipping crates. Since these materials are discarded by factories and often trampled on the floor, it is not surprising to find such debris mixed in. Dealers regularly collect this waste for about two yuan per catty (500g).
2. Another simple method is to ask the seller directly if the toy is filled entirely with PP cotton. Tell them you intend to remove and inspect the filling upon receipt and will return the item if it is not 100% PP cotton. Sellers peddling inferior products will often decline the sale, citing a lack of stock or other excuses, thereby allowing you to avoid purchasing these substandard toys in the first place.
