Wooden toys like in the old days

It's hard to believe that wooden toys are still being made in an era when more and more companies are focusing on new video games with all sorts of new themes. And yet, there are idealists who believe wooden toys can still be relevant. For today's grandparents, these kinds of toys were the joy of childhood. They're environmentally friendly, simple and help kids get more exercise. You can discover them on Facebook Wooden toys. The people behind the idea are Rareș Roman and his wife Ribana, from Râșnov, Brasov county. Together, they are giving life to mostly reclaimed pieces of wood, transforming them into eco-friendly toys for babies and toddlers. Rareș tells us more about how the idea was born, how it came to work and other aspects of the business.

Eco-friendly wooden toys for children discovering the world

How did you get the idea to make traditional wooden toys for children?

The birth of our daughter was the trigger. I have always had a passion for wood and working with wood, but I was even more motivated to pass on to my daughter the pleasure of experiencing natural textures in her play. We will want to teach her how beautiful and satisfying it is to be able to create something with your own hands, something that is practical, educational, beautiful and enduring. And wood is, from my perspective, the best material - organic, durable, recyclable.

When did you start?

Just this year, since August. We're still in the beginning, but very passionate.

You said that a lot of the wood is reclaimed. Where do you salvage it from?

In most cases the wood comes from construction debris (e.g. wood left over after building an attic), wood salvaged from old damaged furniture or even wind-blown branches. Of course, I also use wood bought from specialized wood yards or factories.

What species of wood do you use to make toys?

For the vast majority of toys they need hardwood, so they use a lot of oak, but also beech, fir, mahogany, hickory, walnut and even mahogany.

How are toys finished? What kind of materials do you use?

Sanding wood is done by hand, with classic sandpaper and a lot of patience. I adapted an old sewing machine, turned it into a sanding machine and now I can say that we also sand 'by foot'. At the end, we choose whether to finish the piece with linseed oil or beeswax or leave it unfinished, natural. We don't use paint or other oils.

We hope to have a viable family business in time.

Where do you work? Do you have a workshop, a small factory?

I already had a small workshop at home even before I started working with organic toys. In the meantime, we have expanded it and set it up in a way that makes it suitable for the current activity.

Do you work in the workshop alone or is it a family business?

Only I do the woodwork and make the toys, but I consult with my wife on designs and sizes. With hard work and the right customers, we hope to turn it into a viable family business in time.

Being children's toys you definitely need approval. Do you have all the necessary permits and approvals? Are they hard to get?

We are in the final stages in terms of the necessary authorizations to market products. There are many rules and the documentation is very dense. But we have succeeded and in a very short time we will be in line with all the requirements.

Good luck, Rareș and Ribana!