Toying with a wood idea

While we may be far from pushing for the ‘apply to all’ route, we can sure make a start with how we entertain our children.
Toying with a wood idea

CHENNAI: Back in the day, when there was no concept of readymade entertainment, we made do with a bambaram and rope; a cycle tube and a piece of stick….” Most of you are sure to have heard some version of this from a parent — or grandparent, depending on how old you were— at some point in your life. As grating as it sounded then, perhaps, with the way the world is going right now, you are starting to see some sense in the ideals of a simple life? A means to return to the roots of sustainability, a symbiosis with the people and creatures around you, does seem like the answer to all evils. While we may be far from pushing for the ‘apply to all’ route, we can sure make a start with how we entertain our children. And these ventures thought just that when they decided to create the space for eco-friendly toys and developmental games, find Kannalmozhi Kabilan and Roshne Balasubramanian.

D’Hut By Reshuma and Neethirajan
The concept behind D’Hut is to bring the diverse cultures of different countries under the same roof — in the form of collectables, home decor, curiosities, toys and much more. At their winding, four-storey building in Thiruvanmiyur, every floor is a new treasure trove of wonders from around the world. From tribal mask wall hangers to the coconut shell kalimba, metal figurines to furniture, there’s something for everyone. And certainly, plenty for children. “We have wooden toys, bambarams (the ones with rope too), wooden cars and aeroplanes, lots of rattles (made of bamboo or coconut shell and filled with dried seeds for the sound), flutes and whistles in bamboo, ceramic toys that chirp when you pour in water, a range of puzzles and much more,” she lists. And there are plenty of takers too. “Youngsters these days are so aware! They come in especially looking for interesting musical instruments like the Himalayan bowl that makes a vibrating sound when you rub the rim with a stick or the didgeridoo that mimics an elephant and is used by tribals to ward off other animals in the forest. And young parents are very conscious of the choices they make for their children. So, they are going back to safer and traditional ways,” she says.

Ish2 By M Jagadesh
While Ish2 has wooden toys for all, their area of focus is products for kids aged 0 to 6 years, says Jagadesh. Their bestsellers include the beloved rocking horse, thalaiyaatti bommai, bambarams and puzzles. While there has been plenty of interest among customers, especially since the pandemic, the store has had trouble sourcing their toys as much over the past year. Yet, enquiries have not slowed down, says Jagadesh. With more people wanting to return to the roots, this alternative has become more and more appealing, he points out. “People are very eager; some customers wait for a month to get the product. Everyone has realised that going back to nature is how we can survive well. It does cost more; while you can get a plastic top for `10, a wooden one is going to be `50. But, where the plastic bambaram is likely to break, the wooden one would last a lifetime and serve as a carrier of memories 20 years down the line. And it does no damage to the environment. So, people are choosing this despite the cost,” he points out.

Shumee By Meeta Sharma Gupta
If you’re looking for toys that double as educational material, Shumee is the place to be. While their products are far from ‘traditional’, they are all made with in-house artisans who rely on these techniques. The designs are put together with the child’s development in mind. What’s on offer are toys you would be hard put finding elsewhere — Build a chair, musical truck, puzzle boxes, balancing toys and more. This, other than the rattlers and building blocks and crocheted toys. “We have age-appropriate developmental toys and we look at 0 to 6 years. We only use eco-friendly material. While wood is our main choice, we also do products with cardboard and organic cotton. We prioritise safety in the design and materials used. And all these products are tried and tested,” she details. That products check the boxes of sustainability and development is what draws people to Shumee, she notes.

Ariro By Nisha and Vasanth Tamilselvan
Born out of the need to provide their child with safe and sustainable toys, parents Nisha and Vasanth Tamilselvan founded Ariro, an organic toy shop in 2018. “Our child had an allergic reaction to plastic toys, among other things, and this led to us studying the benefits of wood and making wooden toys of our own,” shares Nisha, the co-founder. In the process, the couple also travelled to France and Indonesia to study the medicinal benefits of wood and toys made out of it. Now, three years later, the duo’s toy-making unit in Chetpet has been handcrafting everything from teethers, rattles, themed-mobiles, learning towers, tuk-tuks, puzzles, push and pull toys, stacking toys, jungle gyms, furniture to gross motor toys. “All the toys and furniture are Montessori prescribed and inspired; they are designed keeping in mind the sensibilities and sensitivities of children,” shares Nisha, a former Montessori teacher. Primarily coloured using vegetable dyes, the toys are crafted by local artisans. Two months ago, Ariro also launched an experience centre for its patrons. “While we are closed for walk-ins now, we have been steadily receiving online orders. The sales of gross motor toys and indoor and outdoor gyms have increased due to the lockdown,” she says. The toys are designed for children between ages 0 to 3 years. “We ship across the country. However, the number of shipping days might vary based on the lockdown situation in the respective states/cities,” she shares.

Kirthee Gifts - Wooden Toys By Muthuselvan Krishnan and Shanmugam Baskar
It’s not every day and every store that you find the toys that remind you of childhood — from the trusted nadai vandi to the crowd favourite bambaram. Well, Kirthee isn’t just another store. With wood as the material of choice, it has on offer an enviable range of toys from teethers for newborns to puzzles for pre-teens. “Our speciality is nadai vandi — we have six types, mara kuthirai and choppu saamaan,” says Muthuselvan. While many of the products come from the artisans they collaborate with, the educational toys and other curated products are sourced for the site. Based out of Tirunelveli, it was the pandemic that brought this homegrown business to the Internet and made its wares available to more parts of the country. “Normally, our sales are limited to our district. We know our customers, their children and grandchildren. Outside of this, during the festival season, we would also get orders from neighbouring districts like Thoothukudi and Kanniyakumari. But the concept of online customers is new. Since last year, we have sent our toys to people in Mumbai, Bengaluru, Kerala. They find us on the Internet and buy from us. The young generations seem very eager for these alternatives; they want the toys to be eco-friendly,” he surmises.

Tangled By Shruti Kumar
Shruti Kumar brings the best of toys and crochet together through her venture, Tangled. How, you ask? By introducing the magic of customisation to the works. “With Tangled, what I would like to provide for my clients is a platform where they can choose the size, colour and — to an extent — the pattern of the toy they want. We can recreate fictional characters or do versions of animals. It completely depends on what they like. The best part is, sometimes, I talk to kids and they tell me that they want the hair like this or the tail like that. So, it’s a wide range of possibilities,” she narrates but is quick to add that there are limitations to what she can offer. Her bestsellers seem to be rattles, baby mobiles and unicorns in all their different avatars. While there are plenty of takers for her line of products, she has been quite surprised with this level of reception, she says. “You would be surprised at the number of adults I have as clients. Recently, there was this guy who reached out to me to get a Kurama (a nine-tailed fox from the world of Anime) replica done. When I started Tangled, I was extremely sceptical about how welcoming the market would be. And I was honestly taken aback by the response. The universe that accepts it is still very niche but I was surprised by the size of that universe itself. And it’s slowly building on,” she shares.

Related Stories

No stories found.
The New Indian Express
www.newindianexpress.com