Tiksu stuffed toy can now be ordered from the university’s gift shop

The University of Tartu’s mascot, Tiksu, has already won over the hearts of the entire university community with its academic yet playful appearance and its presence at all major university events. Now, you can buy your own Tiksu stuffed toy from the university’s gift shop. The toys will arrive by mid-July.

According to Juhan Kari, project manager of the University of Tartu gift shop, the creation of the Tiksu stuffed toy has been underway since 2021, when the first offers were requested. “We tried working with five or six manufacturers in Europe and beyond. We had to give quite a lot of feedback, but realised that when turning a 2‑D drawing into a 3‑D toy, a few things can go awry. At times, Tiksu’s shape wasn’t right; at others, the cap was too small, not to mention smaller details that we asked to be adjusted over and over again,” Kari explained.

In the end, around ten prototypes were produced, the final one proving suitable and meeting both the University of Tartu’s style guide and the expectations of the gift shop. The finished prototype travelled across the Atlantic with the Rowtalia rowing team and will soon get a place of honour in the University of Tartu Museum.

According to Juhan Kari, Tiksu primarily symbolises curiosity and a thirst for knowledge – qualities shared by all members of the university. “And we shouldn’t forget a sense of adventure. There is a little bit of Tiksu in all of us. Now, everyone has the chance to take their own Tiksu toy on adventures,” said Kari.

The Tiksu stuffed toy can be ordered from the gift shop. The orders will be fulfilled in mid‑July, when a new batch arrives.

Watch the video introducing the Tiksu stuffed toy on YouTube.