Sustainability is important to us at bada&bou. But what are sustainable toys? For us, this is primarily about issues such as high-quality materials, local production, and fair working conditions and - what is often forgotten – also durability of the products.
Combining the beautiful with the sustainable
As a mother of two children and a furniture designer, I intend to create high-quality, durable, and beautiful products for children. Designs that also adults appreciate and love to have at home.
Local, fair production in Central Europe
During my career as an industrial designer in Germany, I have been working with the best Italian manufacturers and felt obvious to produce my collection there - in Northern Italy. Fair working conditions and real craftsmanship combined with a sense of material quality and understanding of design are lived here "par excellence".
Sustainable toys are for life
With that said, let's address the subject that's at least as important: durability and product lifespan. How am I going to create products that are relevant? Products that are at the same time appealing to babies and children into their teens?
Especially when it comes to children's furniture and toys for babies and also older children, the market is limited. Only a few products inspire from a young age and are still played with and loved as the years go by. By this, I'm not talking about one, two or three years, but 10+ years.
Cuddly toys, on the other hand, accompany us into our teens (and far beyond) - it is fascinating! And now imagine the same cuddly friend that also older kids take to hang out, relax, sit in, or do homework. And that is the idea of bada&bou!
At bada&bou, we aim to create a mix of sustainable toys and high-quality children's furniture that are here to stay for the long term - and played with everyday. Our bada&bou collection of play furniture is:
Cross-age
Gender-neutral
Multifunctional
Timeless in shape and color
High quality and robust
Perfect in the children's room but also in the living room
Simply „cute“, „cool“ and„stylish“
Multifunctional movement toys for all ages
I aimed to create objects for children that find their place in the most diverse situations and spaces. Our handmade activity toys inspire toddlers from age one to discover the world and their first movements. Whether rocking on the whale or sitting and rolling in the elephant, bada&bou products are safe and soft, promote motor skills, and invite to a free and creative play. Later, kids discover new movements, such as balancing on the whale, rolling around in the elephant by themselves, or hopping with the rabbit. Quickly the animals become the big cuddly toys you always dreamed of. You can "hang out" on the rocking whale or make yourself comfortable in the rolling elephant (yes, really!) and use the jumping rabbit as a seat while painting or doing homework. Often I see, and hear from customers, how teenagers still love our play furniture and can no longer separate from the play animals and find them "so cool".
Also appeals to adults
As an adult, you certainly can use the whale in front of the sofa as an ottoman for your feet, the elephant as a general tidy box, etc. Sustainability also means long-term durability.
Over the years, rooms change, toys move in and out. Our play friends stay and adapt to these changes. Growing up in such a sustainable environment, our children see and learn values for their future and generations to come.
Friends for life
At bada&bou, we create objects for children to grow up with, make memories, and bond with. Friends for a lifetime to play with and cuddle that become so beautiful and valuable that you might even want to take them into your first home. Objects that last and will be used and loved over a long period - no matter girl or boy.
That is real sustainability, and we hope with bada&bou to take a step together towards this better future. After all
„When we want to change the world, we have to start from childhood”.