About Us

The Beginning of YELAKEY

YELAKEY was born from a simple and sincere wish—to create soft, safe, and love-filled plush toys that gently accompany children in everyday life, offering comfort and warmth rooted in faith. From 2007 to 2012, our founder, Sophia, lived and worked in Shanghai, spending Sundays with neighbors who opened their home to friends and family. Paul, a teacher from the United States, and his wife April, a Chinese international school teacher, welcomed everyone in, along with their young daughter, Angel. Together, they read the Bible, sang songs, and shared time, while the children—surrounded by stories, pictures, and plush toys—naturally learned about love, sharing, and care. Those quiet and beautiful moments taught us something lasting: faith can be gentle, and it can naturally become part of family life.

A Mother’s Choice

Years later, as a mother of two, Sophia gradually realized that faith-based books and toys suitable for children had become difficult to find. She began to reflect on a simple question: could a soft, safe plush toy help a child feel loved, comforted, and never alone?
From this heartfelt question, YELAKEY came into being—not as a business plan, but as a mother’s sincere desire to create something her children could hold, rely on, and return to again and again.

Care, Originality, and Promise

In December 2022, YELAKEY completed its first original design, Jesus and the Donkey, inspired by the biblical story of Jesus entering Jerusalem on a donkey—a symbol of peace, humility, and gentleness. Through warm and approachable designs, we hope to share a simple truth with children: true strength comes from love, compassion, and peace.
Today, YELAKEY remains committed to original creation and thoughtful design, honoring biblical symbolism while caring deeply about children’s need for security and companionship. We believe a plush toy is more than a toy—it is a vessel of emotion, and companionship is the most lasting and gentle expression of love.