Designing colorful sustainable toys for babies: A sustainable design approach

Abstract

Play is an important aspect of childhood. It is important to introduce sustainability concepts early in life by letting children play with sustainable toys since they will become tomorrow's adults. Unfortunately, options for sustainable toys are currently limited, often made from materials like bamboo and wood which lack the colorful sensory stimulation important for children's cognitive development. This study aims to create sustainable toys that are colorful and made with natural dyes to provide the right sensory stimulation for babies aged 0-6 months. The study employs a combination of experimental and design methodologies. Experimentations were performed to determine the most suitable plants that offer a broad spectrum of hues, the best organic fabrics, and optimal dyeing techniques. Meanwhile, design process is implemented in creating two soft toys that provide a range of sensory stimulations, including visual, auditory, and tactile experiences. Based on the research process, the study proposes a sustainable toy design methodology that involves three key stages: experimentation, design, and testing. The methodology is a structured and systematic approach to create sustainable toys with experimentation phase involves researching and identifying the best materials and procedures for preparing the sustainable materials, while the design phase focuses on implementing these materials into creating soft toys that provide the necessary sensory stimulations. Finally, the testing phase involves evaluating the effectiveness of the toys through user testing and feedback. By integrating the principles of natural dyeing into the toy design process, the methodology provides practical guidance for future designers who aspire to create environmentally sustainable toys that are not only attractive but also environmentally friendly.