Hippychick has welcomed BS Toys from the Netherlands to its portfolio this spring.
Established in 2006, BS Toys is an educational and sustainable brand which believes that active play is key to a child’s development. The company develops indoor and outdoor toys designed to promote active play and stimulate a child’s creativity and imagination.
Julia Minchin, Hippychick’s founder and joint managing director said: “Hippychick’s toy portfolio now accounts for 60% of our sales volume – representing a significant proportion of our business. To further build on this area, we have been looking for another European designed toy brand that fits with our brand.
“This stylish, quality collection from BS Toys, whose motto is Play, Move, Learn will not only work flawlessly alongside our best-selling toy lines – Vilac, Classic World and Crocodile Creek, but also closely mirrors Hippychick’s own objectives – to provide beautifully manufactured, educational toys that encourage healthy development in young children.”
BS Toys closely aligns with Hippychick’s sustainability objectives, with its commitment to reducing environmental impact by using FSC certified wood in all its manufacturing, as well as other sustainable materials including recycled cardboard, cork, metal and wheat straw. The instruction manuals are digital and BS Toys uses recycled paper for the catalogues and packaging (95%) and prints with soy ink.
Hippychick plans to take on an initial offering of outdoor lines in the new eco packaging, with more indoor toys to follow as the brand builds in the UK towards Christmas. The focus will be on the preschool market where Hippychick’s core audience lies – ages three to five.
Julia continued: “We were particularly drawn to the nostalgic element of BS Toys’ range. Parents and grandparents alike will be able to relate to these toys, as so many are designed to mirror the core designs of classic favourites that kept us entertained in our own childhoods.
“The best-selling ‘Wobbly Lily Path’ – a beautifully constructed toy which provides three wooden lily pads that a child has to step across to reach the frog prince and encourages children to develop their gross motor skills, hone their co-ordination as well as master the art of balance – is a personal favourite of mine and sure to be a best seller here in the UK too.”
Leida Willing, international sales manager at BS Toys, added: “As we continue to expand our global footprint, we are delighted to partner with Hippychick as our exclusive distributor in the UK. This collaboration perfectly aligns our values, and dedication to quality, durability, and excellence.
“We see significant potential to expand our brand’s presence into the UK and Hippychick is the perfect partner to help us do that. We want to bring long-lasting fun to kids of all ages and inspire kids and families around the globe to playfully explore the world, a world of active, ‘unplugged’ and imaginative play.
“Together, our combined expertise, enthusiasm and networks will propel us forward to create new and unique partnership across a varied range of retailers in the UK.”
The curated range of BS Toys will be available to order from Hippychick from the end of April 2024.
