General Toy import/export, wood, maintenance and warranty information:
Apart from a range of British Cottage Industry Toys we also stock toys imported from Europe, Russia and the Far East (China, Thailand, Sri Lanka etc). We are trying to promote hand made and hand finished toys as much as we can, despite the fact that these products demand higher prices than mass produced wooden toys. The feedback received from customers certainly justifies our exposure of handmade toys and games. It certainly points out that there are still people out there who rather have a real toy than a heap of plastic. Labour costs and the competition from eg China and Thailand, where historically a lot of child labour is involved in manufacturing, has put many Toymakers out of business, but there are still a few left who dedicate themselves to their profession.
Toy factories use wood from controlled and sustainable forestries and most toys are made of Beech and Rubber wood from 'Gum trees' which have come to the end of their Rubber producing years. In the past these were just chopped down and burned; now there's some sort of afterlife in the shape of, for instance, a Toy. Beech, Oak, Sycamore (Maple) and Ash are also frequently used; Pine and Spruce is traditionally used for boxes (as in Mikado sets) and Shut The Box Games. Shisham is Indian Rosewood from controled forestries, used in the manufacturing of mostly furniture and solitaire boards.
Plywood and mdf are used by some manufacturers; using plywood and mdf has many advantages and both types of wood can be finished to a high standard. The mdf used in toymaking has to meet strict standards.
Maintenance of 'larger' toys & games like Bagatelle, Rocking Horses, Shove Ha'Penny etc. consists of applying a coat of wax, now and then when needed. You can use solid or liquid wax, coloured or natural, but we do not recommend the use of aerosol products, which contain silicon and dubious gasses. Just be careful when there are little ones around and always read the instructions before waxing.
Toys can also be treated with linseed oil or Danish oil, provided the wood is not painted; special plant based dyes are used for staining some of these toys. This is a safe and child-friendly method of protecting and preserving the wooden parts, an oil treated toy is also less affected when left out in the wet and cold.
Wood can expand and shrink, which sometimes causes friction between certain parts. If you notice that a toy has squeaky wheels for instance, a few drops of oil will solve the problem immediately.
You may be aware that centrally heated rooms can have a destructive effect on wooden furniture. The same accounts for wooden toys; they may split or warp in a dry and warm environment.
Our goods are inspected before dispatch and should arrive in fine working order. However, in the unlikely case a product proves to be at fault or arrives damaged, we will replace it as soon as possible. Remember to order in time for Christmas to avoid any disappointment!
As with most children's toys, it is not possible to give a warranty for any length of time. Especially wooden toys can be easily damaged by being stepped upon, thrown around or dropped; children need to learn that a wooden toy is not a plastic thing, which might survive mis-treatment. We therefore cannot accept any liability in case a toy gets broken or damaged. You may return a broken toy to us for inspection, but if it is clear that the damage has been caused by improper handling, we will try to repair the toy or send a replacement; in either case all costs involved are at your expense.
Our suppliers & manufacturers of toys & games are very active in maintaining quality control and searching for new and attractive products. This fact, combined with a track record of good service and a range of products made of recycled wood or of sustainable sourced wood, plays a major role in deciding which toys to pick for our website.
* Most information provided by our major Toy suppliers. To name a few: Big Jigs, Gazebo, Gund, House of Marbles, Legler, Plan Toys, Russimco, Bogorodsk Russian Handmade Toys, Tobar.
|
|
