ABOUT THE COMPANY
The Bigjigs Toys Mission:
To deliver quality, safe and affordable products which are responsibly sourced and complement childhood development through fun, exploration and learning.
Bigjigs Toys was founded in the UK more than 30 years ago. It offers more than one thousand unique products including its world-famous wooden railway sets and accessories. Whether you're looking for gift lines, educational products or traditional wooden toys Bigjigs has it all.
The Bigjigs story began in Peter Ireland's garden shed in Kent, England in 1985. Peter hand crafted wooden jigsaws which he and wife Liz sold at craft fairs all over the UK. Today it operates from a large warehouse in Folkestone, Kent and distributes toys to 93 countries worldwide.
Active learning through play
Liz and Peter Ireland are both teachers by profession. As a result, child development and education lie at the heart of every Bigjigs toy. This means every Bigjigs product is designed to encourage key skills and is graded according to age appropriate guidelines. Its packaging also includes labels that explain the skills children can learn and develop while playing with a Bigjigs toy.
Responsible manufacturing
Bigjigs work closely with a number of production facilities in the Far East. These are regularly visited by Liz Ireland, its Managing Director. She takes great care to ensure that the facilities are operating ethically while delivering world-class quality at an affordable price. Every toy is tested and certified to EN71 and ASTM standards; while an increasing number of toys are also tested to Australia's AS/NZS 8124 Series of Standards.
When choosing timber for its toys Bigjigs carefully assesses its quality, durability and sustainability. For example, many of its toys are made from plantation-grown rubberwood that would otherwise go to waste. This philosophy extends to its packaging. Currently more than 80% of the Bigjigs range is presented in packaging made from 90% recycled materials that's printed using soy ink. It even runs its entire head office and European distribution warehouse on solar energy.
