A lawyers OFFICIAL opinion

They recently acquired the trademark "Thread Teds by Thread Bears".  However, in order the do so they had to dislaim the exclusive right to use "thread teds" or "thread bears".  They, however, have stated that this only applies to goods that are not thread bears and are continuing to harass and police anyone who uses the term thread bears in any plurality or form.  I believe they are not within their legal rights to do so. The backlash from the bear community alone should have been enough to at least make them rethink their position.  Many people use the term because it is a descriptive term

  http://tess2.uspto.gov/bin/showfield?f=doc&state=4807:qh7yaj.2.1

MONOPOLY

I am the moderator/owner of a large yahoo group called Thread animals.  All of it's members either create or have an interest in creating or owning Bears made of Thread. 

Currently there is someone who wants to have a monopoly on all ways these bears can be described, including
Thready Bears
Thread Bears
Thread Teds by Thread Bears.

They claim that using the term thread bear to describe a bear of thread is abusing the trademark they recently acquired of Thread Bears, but if that is true than they were abusing the trademark themselves before they acquired it in 2005.  They consistently used the term "thread bear" descriptively before obtaining the trademark and now seek retribution on some who use the term, even accidentally.