Amalgama Toys creates ecological awareness with recycled wood toys, non-toxic paints and olive oil

Observing his little nephew playing with toys made from disposable materials, battery-operated and that tend to promote violence and sexism, added to the need to prepare his thesis project, inspired Nicolás Bahamonde to create Amalgama Toys, a venture that seeks create environmental awareness in children and adults through the design of playful wooden material.

Amalgama Toys toys are made from recycled wood, specifically the one that comes from the pallets that are used to move loads in the automotive industry, for example.. This type of material was chosen due to the difficulty of its recycling. The undertaking has been going on for four years, the first two were trial and error until they found the specific technique that allows them to take advantage of the wood, the materials, define the models and the magnet system that has a line of toys that have interchangeable parts.

“Our solid wood models are made of pine that comes from pallets. In the middle of the boards and in the corners there are some squares of wood that are the ones that support the weight and are full of nails and with that we work. This is not usually recycled and no one is interested in working with itBahamonde says. There are also figures made of raft so they can float.

In addition, water-based paints are used and olive oil is used to avoid using lacquers for the finishes. The models are inspired by the fauna and flora of the country, especially those that are threatened with extinction. The toys are delivered in cloth bags made with discards from the textile industry and come with support material where the figure and its meaning are described, which is printed on seed paper.

Amalgama Toys works with six artisans from three workshops located in Quito, Puyo and Baños. They are currently in talks with another workshop in Ibarra. “We have installed the machinery and we bear the maintenance costs”, adds Bahamonde. “This machinery not only serves them for our products, but also to improve the quality of their products”.

More than 145,000 plastic bottles have been recycled to make pet toys in Ecuador

The toys are not only aimed at infants, as they are based on the concept of universal design and free play. Adults and the elderly or people with special abilities can also use them. Also, when working with animals there are no divisions that indicate that certain models are for women and others for men.

So far, 3,000 raft toys and 1,500 magnetized ones have been produced. Prices range from $13 to $33.”We know that we are not very competitive in terms of prices and not because we are expensive but because we compete with extremely cheap products, mainly made of plastic. If we look at the cost of the product in the long term, we would realize that the fact of plastic is going to contaminate the water in the future.”, says Bahamonde.

Its main sales channels are social networks and its website. This year it is planned to open a showroom. It also has a studio located in the La Carolina park sector, in Quito. In addition, they have a small mobile store that will visit various sectors of the capital, although the agenda of the selected points is still being refined. It is planned that this store will also visit the largest cities in the country, such as Guayaquil, Manta, Cuenca and Ambato, at the end of the year.

“The issue of circularity is more common. If we think about the quality of life, I don’t think there are people who don’t think about the impact of not taking care of the environment and not only of our lives, but of future generations, grandchildren, nephews, “says Bahamonde. (I)