About
OVERVIEW
Founder's story
The fig in "Fig Toys" stands for Fair, Intelligent and Green.
Learn more by clicking on "more" below.
Learn more by clicking on "more" below.
Our mission
Our mission is to provide a line of toys that meet fair trade standards, promote educational development and are all natural.
Our philosophy
Our collection of hand-crafted toys is made by labor cooperatives from Channapatna in the state of Karnatka, India. There are no children working in these cooperatives. All workers are paid a fair wage and are given an opportunity to refine, enhance and develop new skills and build leadership qualities to improve their earning capacity.
The types of products we sell
Figtoys prides itself in its line of toys that are educational and developmental. While providing hours of playtime, Abacus 1 2 3, Cubby, Peppy Five, Bibbo, Beadler and Lacing Beads will also teach children basic colors and basic counting skills.
Our rattles and danglers provide wonderful visual and sound stimulation for the babies. Engine, Cup & Ball, Pom-Pom Rail and Ma-Me-Pa provide children with an opportunity to play in traditional, time-tested ways. Building Blocks and My Train building sets are wonderful toys that allow for imaginative ideas to be explored.
Our rattles and danglers provide wonderful visual and sound stimulation for the babies. Engine, Cup & Ball, Pom-Pom Rail and Ma-Me-Pa provide children with an opportunity to play in traditional, time-tested ways. Building Blocks and My Train building sets are wonderful toys that allow for imaginative ideas to be explored.
Where the producers live and work
Projects we support
How we select what we sell
What makes us unique
Our toys contain no plastics, no toxins, no paints and no lead. The beautiful shining surface finish of our toys is obtained by using shellac (lac).
Lac is a natural resin and is considered one of the few naturally available organic finishes. It is made from scraping and processing a natural resin secreted and deposited by an insect on a particular kind of tree which grows in the Indian subcontinent. You will notice that the colors of our toys are rich, vibrant, earthy and very different from the predominantly primary colors of most other wooden toys. This is because they are colored with natural dyes.
The blue color is extracted from the indigo plant. The yellow is from turmeric. The red is from Kanchi KumKum and natural alizarin. The orange is Kanchi KumKum mixed with turmeric and other natural ingredients. The dark brown is from extracts from the Ratanjyoti tree and the light brown from extracts from Katha.
The toys are mostly crafted from rubber wood or Hale wood (Wrightia Tinctoria). Hale wood is extremely close grained, moderately hard and easily turned into fine shapes by hand or machine. It has very low moisture and oil content. This helps ensure an excellent finish and translucency after polishing. The seasoned wood does not require any chemincal treatment and can be used in an "as is" condition. The wood is shaped by turning it on a lathe.
Usually, bigger branches are cut, while allowing the tree to continue growing. Nevertheless, to ensure regular, continued availability of Hale wood, Maya Organic works with the forest department and local village communities to grow Hale trees in both forest and private wastelands.
Lac is a natural resin and is considered one of the few naturally available organic finishes. It is made from scraping and processing a natural resin secreted and deposited by an insect on a particular kind of tree which grows in the Indian subcontinent. You will notice that the colors of our toys are rich, vibrant, earthy and very different from the predominantly primary colors of most other wooden toys. This is because they are colored with natural dyes.
The blue color is extracted from the indigo plant. The yellow is from turmeric. The red is from Kanchi KumKum and natural alizarin. The orange is Kanchi KumKum mixed with turmeric and other natural ingredients. The dark brown is from extracts from the Ratanjyoti tree and the light brown from extracts from Katha.
The toys are mostly crafted from rubber wood or Hale wood (Wrightia Tinctoria). Hale wood is extremely close grained, moderately hard and easily turned into fine shapes by hand or machine. It has very low moisture and oil content. This helps ensure an excellent finish and translucency after polishing. The seasoned wood does not require any chemincal treatment and can be used in an "as is" condition. The wood is shaped by turning it on a lathe.
Usually, bigger branches are cut, while allowing the tree to continue growing. Nevertheless, to ensure regular, continued availability of Hale wood, Maya Organic works with the forest department and local village communities to grow Hale trees in both forest and private wastelands.
More information about us
We'd also like to tell you
Figtoys are designed and manufactured to ensure a high level of quality and safety.
They are tested and ASTM compliant for safety. Compliance certificates are available for inspection at our website.
They are tested and ASTM compliant for safety. Compliance certificates are available for inspection at our website.