The boss of a family-run luxury toy business said he has secured contracts with some of the biggest names in retail.
Ben Sharman, who set up Plaay toys, said his wooden animals are now being sold by Selfridges, Harrods, Fortnum and Mason.
The business was already selling its children’s gifts online and through high-end London retailer Dragons of Walton Street, which specialises in interior design for children’s bedrooms and playrooms.
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And in the coming months he hopes to be able to branch out into overseas markets.
Ben, from the village of Narborough in Leicestershire, said he had wanted to come up with a toy range which would appeal to shoppers looking for gifts for special events such as christenings, births and birthdays.
His brother and parents helped him design the toys, and together they came up with seven animals, each, he said, with a modern twist and made from Forest Stewardship Council approved oak.
The toys include a bear, a giraffe – which the marketing says is “often seen grazing in Africa enjoying nice green leaves and hot sunshine” – an elephant, a unicorn and a snowman.
They retail from around £46 to £85 and although currently made overseas, Ben hopes to bring manufacturing to the 海角视频 at some point.
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The product launch was helped by a kickstarter campaign which allowed the business to invest in tooling, web design, packaging and stock.
Since then it has grown through social media and website traffic, as well as support from high street chains.
Ben said: “We are being very selective on who we partner with partly down to the unique nature of the toys but also to have the right partner that values and respect the brand and for the toys to be situated in the right environment to grow and become very successful.
“It is with great pleasure to confirm that we have now secured contracts with Selfridges, Harrods, Fortnum and Mason, Dragons of Walton Street and Trotters and will be in stores and online late February early March, all achieved through Covid.
“2020 has bought both incredible opportunity and challenge to Plaay. The global Covid-19 pandemic and Brexit has meant long stock delays and we have relied on the patience of our loyal customers at this difficult time. “However, we are equally pleased and relieved to announce that, despite the challenges, our unique toys will be landing in stores and online from March.
“We’d like to take this opportunity to send a huge thank you to the buyers at Harrods, Selfridges and Fortnum & Mason for their unwavering support and understanding throughout this challenging time.
“They are genuinely lovely people who have been amazing to work with and who believe in the Plaay products and values. They wanted our toys in their stores and we couldn’t be more grateful or excited.
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“We have now achieved what we set out to achieve my agreeing contracts with some of the largest retailers in the world which will not only provide brand exposure but the right environment to grow and become very successful.
“We are hoping that these two key elements will springboard the brand to become one of the largest and most recognised brand in the luxury toy market.
“And we are not stopping here. We are also in the early stages of agreeing terms with a number of overseas clients and seeking alternative partners in the 海角视频 to support the brands growth expectations for 2021 and beyond.“
Ben said things had come a long way since he first came up with the concept.
He said: “The idea began following the birth of my third child Parker after realising there was a gap in the market for high-end luxury wooden toys for consumers looking for alternative gifting.
“This determined us to create a range that is simple, crafted and elegant which focused in inspiration from the children, family and films.
“The finished product feels modern for children and nostalgic for adults and would be a welcome piece in any home or as part of everyday play.”