Are you feeling a bit confused about all the different wooden toy animal brands? Not sure which one/s to choose? Or are you looking to add something a bit different to your existing collection?
We can help! There are a ton of lovely makers of wooden toy animals out there. We’ve picked 4 of our favourites to show you the differences!
Holztiger
German based Holztiger have been making wooden figures for decades and are a very well known, collectable and respected brand. All the figures are handmade and painted in Europe to a really high quality. They are made using solid maple and beech hardwood and they are hand-painted with non toxic water based paints. The figures are chunky and very smooth and the distinctive painting is bright and simple. Holztiger makes a massive range of figures, so there is something for every theme (although some of the older and retired figures can be very hard to find)! Suitable for 3yrs and over.
Lanka Kade
Lanka Kade wooden toys are designed in the UK and made from sustainably sourced rubber wood in Sri Lanka by skilled artists. The company has been open since 1994 and all of their toys are proudly fair trade with a fully traceable supply chain. Their director Upul, knows the name of every single person involved in the production of Lanka Kade toys; that's over 160 people in Sri Lanka who work at 10 independent artisan groups, alongside the 11 people who work in the UK office & warehouse. The big, super chunky, and colourful figures are suitable from 10 months plus, which make them a great choice for older babies right up to around 5 years of age. The paintwork can chip if it gets bashed because of the way they are each beautifully screen-printed, but Lanka Kade offer excellent value for money for a lovely fair trade toy. Prices start from £2.40.
Wooden Caterpillar
We’ve been working with the lovely Alfira and Eugene from Wooden Caterpillar since 2017. They were one of our first brands, and we were one of their first retailers! Their designs are really unique and the paintwork is so beautiful and detailed. The range is constantly being developed - this year we’ve had new Christmas & Halloween figures and fairy houses! The figures are a little smaller and slimmer than Holztiger but the painting is exquisite. Their range also includes many unusual animals that you can’t find from other brands - like narwhals, snow leopards and scorpions! Their range of trees, ferns and bushes is just beautiful too and well worth a look.
Tenderleaf
TenderLeaf are a UK brand which design all sorts of wooden toys, including animal figures. The toys are then made in a family-run factory in Indonesia. All the toys are made with reclaimed rubberwood, a by-product of the latex industry. In addition, for every reclaimed tree it uses, they plant a new one! They also plant 10 new trees in the UK for every order placed. The wooden animal designs available include Farmyard, Safari, British Woodland, Seaside/Coastal, and Dinosaurs. They have a lower price point than either Holztiger or Wooden Caterpillar - starting from just £3.00 per figure. They are less shaped than these more expensive brands (the sides are flat) and the painting is less detailed/individual. The designs are lovely though and they provide excellent value for money. There is also a wooden display shelf available so you can keep all your figures organised and tidy!
Follow the links below to explore the ranges we’ve discussed in this blog:
Holztiger https://puzzlebug.co.uk/collections/holztiger
Lanka Kade https://puzzlebug.co.uk/collections/lanka-kade
Wooden Caterpillar https://puzzlebug.co.uk/collections/tender-leaf-toys
TenderLeaf https://puzzlebug.co.uk/collections/wooden-caterpillar
