Ethical Soft Toys Made To Your Design. Custom Made, Bespoke and Own Brand Toys from an Ethical Manufacturer
If you are a business looking to produce your own toy either to sell or for branding we are here to help.
With a combined experience of almost 50 years in the toy industry you can be certain that you will be working with a company who are willing and able to guide you through all the technical and legal aspects required to produce soft toys.
In addition to our experience and knowledge of the toy market we also have the ability to work with a very wide range of production facilities from fair trade workers co-operatives through to professional volume manufacturers.
Unlike most other manufacturers we are also experienced in working with a wide variety of materials including knitted, crochet, wool, cotton, felt and traditional plush. Our partners stretch from Nepal to Bangladesh, Peru and China.
We are ethical producers and if you are looking for hand made and/or organic products we are very happy to help.
Details of our Own Brand and Bespoke Soft Toys
If you are looking to have your own bespoke toy manufactured you will probably want to know cost, quantities and ethical policies. We have detailed below the answers to most of these questions but please email us - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. - if you have any specific questions.
IMPORTANT. Before you read on please be aware that we have certain conditions for own brand toys.
Our minimum order quantities are 3000 pieces for crochet toys. This is because they are fair trade and hand made in rural areas. This means training costs are expensive so we need to ensure our fair trade partner covers their costs. In addition crochet toys are only really suitable for when you do not need specific character integrity. Crochet is always handmade which means each individual toy will be slightly different. Its very charming in our ranges but not what you want when you need each toy to be identical.
For knitted and traditional soft toys our MOQ is approx 2000 pieces. Both plush and knitted are good for own brand as we can guarantee character integrity. We cannot make any less than this because
a) our manufacturers need sufficient volume to make it worth while to train their workers to make the toy,
b) our testing and admin costs make volumes less than this completely uneconomical for the factory, for us and for you!
Please note that it takes 3 months to produce and deliver a toy from receipt of an approved sample. Our main aim is to make a safe, attractive and accurate toy and this is not something we want to do in too much of a hurry!
We also charge £250 to make a sample. This is both to cover the costs of originating the sample and the carriage charge for sending it over from China. This money will be refunded when you place an order.
As we receive a lot of enquiries we may not proceed unless you already have outlets or a channel in which to sell your toy.
We do not make a profit on the first production run of any own brand toy. This is not only because we need to absorb the cost of testing etc, but also because it takes a significant amount of time and effort to get the first sample to a point where it can be manufactured. By the very nature of an own brand toy the brand owner will have a clear vision of what it will look like and it takes a concerted effort to translate this is in to a toy. Therefore we look to work with people who will continue to place orders for their toy, and not just take a one off delivery.
Finally, we do not work with Marketing or PR agencies, sorry!
FAQ
- I only have a sketch of the toy I need, is that enough?
Yes, we are happy to work from everything from basic designs right through to detailed product briefs.
- How can I be sure that my toy is made ethically?
How and where our toys are made is hugely important to us which is why the majority of our toys are handmade and/or fair trade.
In addition to our fair trade suppliers we work with a small selected bunch of hand crochet co-operatives and machine knitted producers in China and we are happy that workers are fairly paid and treated.
We regularly visit all our factories and have excellent long term relationships with them.
- Aren't toy safety regulations very strict and complicated?
The toy safety rules which cover the UK and Europe are very detailed and obviously quite complicated. However we have been working in toys for a long time and are very experienced in toy safety regs. All our toys are designed and manufactured to be suitable from birth and machine washable, and all our toys are tested to EN71 and CE
- Can you make my toy in the UK?
We have production facilities across the world but none in the UK. We have also never met anyone who produces toys in the UK so unfortunately could not advise you where to start.
- How do I start?
The first thing we need to do is produce a sample. This enables us to give you a cost and also show what your toys will look like in reality. Only once you have an approved sample will production begin. The sample will cost £250 to make which is refunded if you place an order. We charge for samples not only to cover the cost of sending it from China to the UK (usually about £70) but also because we work with smaller factories. It is not economically viable for them to make lots of samples for potential customers who then don't order.
- How long will it take to produce my toy?
Once we have an agreed sample our normal lead time is 3 months. One month to order in materials and book production, one month to make the product and one month for it to be shipped to the UK. All of these stages can be longer or shorter depending on the complexity of the product and how busy the factory is, but lead time from sample to delivery is usually 90-100 days.
- I need a toy urgently. Can you speed the process up?
We have very good relationships with our production partners and they have been fantastic about producing toys quickly when asked. We can also reduce the time it takes a toy by air freighting stock, but we do not like to put undue pressure on a factory to rush a job through. If a factory is put under pressure to produce a toy too quickly, or too cheaply they may enlist outside, unregulated workers which is why we agree a price and timescales with customer and factory and work to an agreed plan.
- I need a cheap toy. Can you reduce the price?
We are a company that tries very hard only to source only from ethical producers. We work with factories in China but only those where we can be certain that workers are paidly well and treated fairly. If price is the main consideration for your toy then there will be people who can make it cheaper than us.
- What quantity will I need to order?
Our minimum order quantities vary depending on how the toys are made
If you want a hand crochet toy then the minimum order quantity starts from 800 pieces.
If you are looking for a machine knit or traditional plush toy then the minimum order goes up to 2000 pieces but the price of each toy is comparatively lower
- I only need 10-20 toys to start with, can you make a small quantity for me?
Every toy sold in the UK and Europe has got to be tested to UKCA and CE. There are 3 main parts to test in EN71 regulations all of which need to be tested separately. The cost of this is significant which is fine when you are manufacturing 500 toys but if applied to just 20 toys would make them very expensive.
- Can you make my toys organic?
Yes we would be happy to.
- This all sounds great, how do I start?
Just email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
