For centuries, mothers have sewn and crafted cloth dolls for their children due to their durability and inexpensive nature. Dating as far back as 300 B.C., cloth dolls have served not only as children's toys, but for religious purposes as well. Usually sewn from linen or cotton, these beloved dolls were often filled with a variety of items such as straw, sawdust, feathers, rags, wood-wool and cotton batting. Their facial features were embroidered, hand-painted with ink or stained with natural dyes. In some cases, primitive cloth dolls were very simple in nature - sometimes faceless or featuring just eyes. It was not until the 1850s that cloth dolls were commercially produced.

Over the years, cloth dolls have grown with our modern advances, embracing more detailed faces and intricate clothing. Enthusiasts collect various types of cloth dolls such as primitive, Golliwogs and those of the Columbian Era. Cloth dolls with sophisticated needle-sculpted faces offer more personality, while the Waldorf doll, introduced by Kathe Kruse, has a simple expression and engages a child's imagination. Browse our unique selection of cloth dolls by Madame Alexander, Nancy Latham and other talent artists!