World market trends favour more eco-friendly, safe and innovative toys.
Blue Ribbon wooden toys are designed to promote children’s development and be sustainable.
Joining trade exhibitions is a good way to increase sales and follow market trends.
A recent report by the DITP’s office in the US shows that demand for eco-friendly and recyclable toys is on the rise.
Exports of Thai toys will grow by 10% in 2023, the equivalent of US$300 million, according to forecasts by the Thai Toys and Children Products Trade Association. It foresees that eco-friendly and safe toys are new trends among parents and schools, as the world moves toward sustainability and innovation.
In 2022, the export of Thai toys grew by 10.6% to US$282.02 million. The top export markets are the US, Japan, Mexico, the UK, China, Australia, Germany, France and Turkey.
American parents are increasingly demanding that technology and innovative toys help develop their children’s skills.
Overall, parents will spend 30% of their total expenditure on purchases for their children, of which 10% is on toys. STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) toys that promote learning, and the development of children are increasingly popular.
Consequently, many Thai entrepreneurs are adjusting product designs to be environmentally friendly, while also moving towards the use of technology, innovation and design to promote creativity as well as a child’s development.
Thailand has played a crucial role in supplying sustainable, eco-friendly and educational toys in the global arena, efficiently responding to market need. Among Thai toy brands in the current market, Blue Ribbon Wooden Toys stands out as one of the most successful, with a legacy spanning over three decades.
“We try to build the world we want to live in through our products, so we develop wooden pieces that foster the people and planet,” says Panisa Khunprasert, Creative Director of Blue Ribbon Toys. “We believe that good quality play starts from the love and care of the toy creator.”
Blue Ribbon Toys was founded by Surasak Khunprasert, Panisa’s father, a computer graphics graduate with a passion for children’s toys. He aspired to create toys that enhance children’s learning and growth through play. Following her father’s footsteps, having graduated in design in New York, Khunprasert returned to Thailand to help develop her family business.
“Blue Ribbon’s concept is not just a child’s toy. It’s everyone’s wooden toy. A pleasure to play with, and pleasant to the eye,” says Khunprasert.
With the rising global trend in sustainability, Khunprasert says that being eco-friendly has become the norm for Blue Ribbon Toys in conducting is business. It helps save the environment through reducing its energy use, while also reducing the use of plastic in packaging.
Blue Ribbon Toys are exported globally with only about 5% sold domestically. This year, the company is planning to reach other groups of customers, such as the elderly and visibly impaired groups.
The company recently attended the International Toy Fair in Germany, while also joining the DITP’s STYLE, Asia’s leading lifestyle products trade fair.
“We always join international trade fairs and exhibitions as they represent an efficient marketing strategy, helping promote sales as well as indicate the market trend,” she says.
For more information, visit: www.facebook.com/blueribbon/
Words by Petchanet Pratruangkrai
Photo courtesy of Blue Ribbon Toys
