Encouraged by The Design Trust (as part of my business development) I have visited a trade fair.  As a dollmaker the obvious choice was to choose The Toy Fair 2024 in London at Olympia. This fair is in its 70th year so it must be doing something right, and is for trade only.

I travelled by train from Staplehurst on a wet and soggy day in January. On the way I worked on my business goals using my Design Trust Diary, well until I felt a bit travel sick anyway! 

On arrival I was given a pass with my name and business printed on and a playmobil sponsored lanyard to use. It felt like I had travelled back in time to before I had children – I worked as a designer and often visited trade shows for various industries (never anything as fun as toys though). It was a good feeling! I wasn’t allowed to take any photographs so I’ve done my best to add some visual interest.

My first impression on arrival was the smell – it really smelt of plastic! As someone who has such a huge focus on sustainable materials and limits plastic in my business and home it was a shock. There was a big variety of toys on display for buyers to view and order, the majority having some sort of plastic element. 

I’m no hypocrite and we do have plastic toys at home – playmobil being a favourite – and I do understand its value with its cheap manufacturing, wipe clean nature and acceptance by customers. However, I live in a lovely sustainability bubble with like-minded thinkers in my friendships and my business contacts and I did expect there to be more progress in the industry away from such relience.

There was lots of plush toys available from a selection of brands. I’m a sucker for a soft cuddly toy, as is my youngest daughter, but the fact remains that the majority are made from plastic, and filled with plastic. Keel Toys have made some movements forward in a range of cuddlies using fabrics made from plastic bottles – with a clear, honest display showing the process. However with all the cuddly toys the microplastics are still an issue to me, I imagine my customers think the same. 

As regards dolls there didn’t seem to be any changes apart from recognising the importance of them in developing empathy. When I was a little girl, the dolls marketed had baby noises, or could cry, or wet themselves. There seems to be a recognition in the industry that these are not actually wanted and simple plastic play dolls were the main offering. 

My show highlights were:

BigJigs

A fellow Kent based business, they have a lovely selection of wooden sustainable toys. I had my badge scanned and I went around their large display stand. They are a slight competitor to me in that they do sell ‘handcrafted’ dolls that have cotton look outer fabric but they must be still made in a factory and are filled with polyester. They have three different skintones available and cute little outfits too. It was nice chatting to the sales rep and hear how proud they are of the business. 

Insectlore

These were great kits to teach children about the lifecycle of the butterfly – with tiny caterpillars to nurture and observe until they emerge as butterflies. I did feel sorry for the living butterflies at the show though!

Paper Engine

I have already come across toys manufactured by this company at an independent toy store in Brighton. They make the most amazing kits from card and paper. Paper toys, I think, are a great option for providing sustainable toys for children especially for party bags and stocking fillers. 

Korko by Hape

This range was the best thing I saw all day. I have been seeing a resurgence in cork as a building material in the sustainability movement and I love the concept of it being used for toys.  The toys are carbon neutral at point of manufacture, use a sustainable raw material, and have the most amazing texture.  I think I’ll have to get some building blocks for photoshoots!

The few conversations I did have were very illuminating – on explaining that I was an artisan dollmaker there was little understanding with the presumption still being that I didn’t actually make them.

On explaining it was just me and I sell directly to my customers with no retailers in-between the general response was, in a kind encouraging way, that I will grow and be there with a stall one day.

I strongly feel that growth into manufacturing is not the direction I want to take my business, and there is real value in a handmade, beautiful crafted, individual dolls made especially for the child.

The only way I would want to be there as a stall holder is with my fellow members of the British Toymakers Guild championing the heritage craft of toymaking and raising awareness, but I expect the price of a stall would make this impossible.

Visiting really drilled home the importance telling my story. Artisan, one of a kind, dolls are still available and people don’t know. I really care about the environment, about not greenwashing you, and being better every day. As a designer I also care about creating dolls that children actually want to play with, rather than selling to the parents… a tricky story to market!

How can I tell this story, that’s the challenge I need to take up this year.