KOCHI: Eco-friendly has become the buzzword among parents. With plastic being banned, many parents are turning to more safe and sustainable toys for their children. Amigurumi toys — cute, sustainable Japanese toys — are becoming a rage now.
Saraswathi Vasudevan, a mathematics teacher-cum-entrepreneur of Tejus, an outlet for crafts and handmade products in Thiruvananthapuram, has been making amigurumi stuffed toys for a couple of years.
“Seeing that crochet was gaining popularity, I started classes for interested women in 2019. However, everything came to a pause with the pandemic outbreak. During the lockdown, I was thinking of learning something new. This is when I came across a video of amigurumi making on YouTube,” says Saraswathi.
“We avoid plastic, even for making eyes and nose,” she says. To cater to a large number of clients, a six-member team — ‘My Crochet Buddies’ — has been formed by Saraswathi.
Sreeja Renjith, a Thrissur native currently residing in Thiruvananthapuram, is also an expert in making amigurumi toys. She says, “It is difficult to find good-quality toys in the market. Crocheted toys are the perfect alternative to plastic toys,” she says. Sreeja gets orders from friends and family. She makes crochet toys and keychains that are in great demand. “The price of the products depends on its size and the amount of detailing,” says Sreeja.