Why Do Parents Love Wishbone Design Toys?

Here at BuyMeOnce, we love Wishbone Design Studio because their ethos is aligned with the BuyMeOnce way of slowing down consumption by choosing durable, quality products that last a long time. But why do parents in more than 135 countries love Wishbone products?

Wishbone Design Studio is a small, family-owned New Zealand-based company founded by parents Richard and Jennifer, who were living in New York during its inception. Richard wished for his children to have the same outdoor experiences he had when he was growing up – a rarity in the concrete streets of the Big Apple – and so he set out to build a bike for their son Noah. During their rides in Central Park, other parents often came up to ask where the bike was from, so Richard set about creating ten more bikes. When they returned back to their native New Zealand, Wishbone was officially born and is now shipped globally.  

Heirloom Quality

Parents love Wishbone products because they’re designed to grow with the child and help them conquer developmental milestones, from crawling, to pushing themselves up, to walking and finally riding independently. Designing ride-on toys and bikes that grow with the child means that these products will last far longer than their traditional counterparts; even longer if you pass them down to younger siblings, or even the next generation.

They’re also beautifully and classically designed. The clean, minimal frames can be fully customized, encouraging creativity. Fun stickers, bells, nameplates, colourful handlebars and seat covers can all be easily swapped over as the bike gets handed down to future riders.

Safe for kids to use

Parents can rest assured there’s nothing nasty lurking in Wishbone toys. All their products are completely free from lead, phthalates, BPA, PVC or formaldehyde. Their tires and handgrips are PAH free, and the glues and finishes used are all non-toxic and water-based.

The wooden bikes, wagon and flips are made from solid laminated wood, layered birch and eucalyptus plywood, a welcome move away from flimsy particle board.

Easy to use

Transforming a Wishbone product is so easy that absolutely anyone can do it using the appropriate kit and a few simple tools. A pull-push wagon can be turned into a go-cart, a trike can be turned into a bike, and even a rocker can be turned into a ride-on with one simple toggle of a switch. Even the frame and seat height are easily fully adjustable, making this an ideal toy for growing kids.

Kind to the environment

We all know that the toy industry is one of the most harmful to the environment with 90% of all toys on the market made out of plastic, most breaking easily and ending up in landfill within a few years. Environmentally conscious parents love that Wishbone Design moves away from this model. Their circular thinking starts at the very beginning of the design process, from reducing their use of raw materials, through to encouraging repair and refurbishment, right down to shipping their products out to customers using strictly plastic-free and recycled packaging.

Their new range of recycled bikes are prime examples, with the 2-in-1 and 3-in-1 recycled bike frames made out of post-consumer carpets. Nylon and polypropylene are derived from house carpets and recycled to create sturdy glass fiber frames.

In line with their carbon zero goals, all their products are easily repairable and refurbished, with replacement parts readily available. Wishbone pride themselves in the rarity of customer returns, and in case of warranty issues, their customer service is impeccable; they can easily diagnose and send new parts as needed, and it’s hardly ever necessary to replace the whole unit.

It’s easy to see why Wishbone Design Studio is the recipient of numerous design and sustainability awards from around the world. This homegrown brand is not only leading the way with their beautifully designed, timeless and heirloom-quality products, but is also tackling a supremely wasteful toy industry along the way. For environmentally conscious parents and growing kids, Wishbone is a brand to watch out for.