At a time when customers are increasingly suspicious of mass produced toys we thought you might like to see how our fairtrade Pebble crochet toys and Peruvian knitted toys are made

Pebble toys

Pebble toys are made in Bangladesh by a workers co-operative which provides fairly paid employment to women in rural locations. When Liz and I visited Bangladesh we were overwhelmed by the contrast between the city of Dhaka and the beauty of the surrounding country

To make the Pebble toys we first start with the cotton yarns in a variety of gorgeous colours

Before the toys can be crocheted the yarns are seperated out by the ladies

Then the toys are ready to crochet. Note the daughter in her immaculate school uniform who is waiting for her mother to finish before they can both go home for lunch

The centres are located throughout Bangladesh, and heres Liz and Samantha at one of them.

Bangladesh is a beautiful country. Pebble toys are made by a workers co-operative which aims to employ women in rural locations. This means they do not have to move in to Dhaka where the standards of living are awful

And heres an Octopus from the cotton to the finished toy

 Peruvian hand knitted organic toys

 Our newest supplier is based in Peru and has a similar aims to Pebble toys which is to provide fairly paid skilled employment to women

Each doll is hand made

Once the dolls have been made their outfits are also hand knitted

 Making the dolls is very detailed work

Craft Kits

In 2011 we took on a new range of fairtrade craft kits. Designed and made up in the UK by Matt and Anna Smith the components of the kits are sourced from fairtrade organisations

Tissue Paper

The project is run by two brothers and their cousin, themselves second-generation Tibetan refugees, seeking to improve the lives of fellow refugees trying to build a new life in Nepal. It currently employs 160 people from under-privileged backgrounds.

Every sheet of paper is handmade individually on a muslin screen, making each one unique & giving a natural, uncut edge to the paper. After drying in the sunshine the paper is dyed using a variety of vegetable & chemical dyes, including Tibetan tea, walnut shells and pomegranate.

The project runs from a workshop in Kathmandu and from a village in the north of Nepal near the Tibetan border. As well as providing much needed employment, it supports newly arrived refugees, a school for Tibetan refugee children and is reintroducing the lost tradition of paper-making to Tibet. The importer is a BAFTS member.

Recycled Beads

Mzuribeads paper beaders live in the village of Ndejje, Uganda, where they roll paper beads from strips of recycled magazines and posters

The beads are made by cutting triangular strips from recycled magazines and posters. Each strip is rolled one by one around a needle and held in place with a dab of glue. Once the beads rolled they are strung up, varnished and left to dry for 3-5 days. They are then finished and left with a glossy and water resistant finish.

Mzuribeads is a cooperative business, which pays a set price, decided as a group, and as advised by the Fairtrade Foundation.

I hope that this gives you an insight as to how our soft toys and craft kits are made

As a soft toy wholesaler Best Years are very concerned with the people who make our toys, and the safety of our toys

If you need any more information please do email sales@bestyears.co.uk