Frequently Asked Questions
NATURAL RUBBER TOYS
What are your products used as?
Our natural rubber toys are used as teethers, bath toys, sensory play and even as decoration objects!
What are the recommended ages of use of your product?
Any age! Our products are certified for 0+. They are normally used between 0-8 year old kids from teething age to bath time!
How are Oli&Carol rubber toys good for teething?
Our teethers are handmade one by one full of details and colors. Their textures and material are perfect for the teething period. Natural rubber is excellent for soothing gums. Babies will feel relieved with the softness of the material and their pleasant touch.
How are Oli&Carol rubber toys good for bath time?
Our products are perfect to float around in the bathtub, pool or beach. They are all made in one piece with no holes preventing the creation of mold.
How are Oli&Carol rubber toys good for learning?
With our toys kids will discover basic colors, textures and basic shapes around them. Every toy has volume, textures and colors for the kids to feel and learn. Our toys will help them develop their gross and motor skills.
How can the Oli&Carol fruits&veggies help introduce kids into a healthy lifestyle?
Behind every design there is a meaningful and educative message to babies and kids. With the In the case of the Fruits&Veggies collection, we want to introduce kids into a healthy lifestye from a young age. The textures and realistic design of each Fruit&Veggie will make kids link them to the real fruit or veggie the more they are in contact with them. They will be the first step to make kids follow healthy habits in a fun & entertaining way!
Why are Oli&Carol toys more than toys?
Oli&Carol wants to offer more than toys. With each collection they want to transmit a powerful message to their community. With the Fruits&Veggies teethers and bath toys, they introduce kids into following a healthy lifestyle. With the H2Origami collection, they donate benefits to Oceana Organization, who cleans the oceans around the world. Every little action counts and Olimpia and Carolina's mission is to introduce families into such important messages and make a difference.
What are Oli&Carol’s products made of?
They are made with 100% natural rubber extracted from Hevea trees from Malaysia and painted with natural pigments. All raw materials are completely safe and certified to ensure kids security.
Where does the rubber come from?
Natural rubber comes from from the Hevea Brasiliensis tree, commonly known as the gum tree, from Malaysia.
How are your products made? And where are your they made?
Our toys are handmade in Asia through a totally artisanal process. We use 100% natural rubber extracted from Hevea trees in Malaysia and they are handmade and hand-painted one by one with natural paints extracted from plants.
What paints are used in the products?
The paints we use for both the rubber base color and the to hand paint the product are pigments made from a mixture of water, plants and rubber. All the materials used are chemical-free, environmentally friendly and totally safe for babies.
Are the natural paints used safe for babies?
The paint we use both for the base colour of the rubber and the coating paint are water based pigments mixed with plant based pigments and rubber. For base color, pigments are injected to the mould so the product has color itself; for the coating paint is water based, so it easily holds on to latex.
After a long use, some paint may come out. It is not something to worry about as it is non-toxic and safe for babies.
How does the paint stay on the product? Is it dangerous if it peels off?
The paint we use both for the base colour of the rubber and the coating paint are water based pigments mixed with plant based pigments and rubber. For base color, pigments are injected to the mould so the product has color itself; for the coating paint is water based, so it easily holds on to latex.
After a long use, some paint may come out. It is not something to worry about as it is non-toxic and safe for babies.
Is the product biodegradable?
Natural rubber is biodegradable on a process that can take up to a decade, but the process can accelerate when exposed to sunlight, heat, humidity and fresh air.
Can your teethers be sterilized?
Our products are natural so we do not recommend to sterilize them since it may damage and affect their shape as well as their color. We recommend to clean our toys with soap and water, then dry with a damp cloth. Air drying between use is recommended.
Check here our care instructions.
Can I put the teether in the fridge or freezer?
We use 100% natural rubber extracted from Hevea trees in Malaysia and they are hand-painted with natural paints extracted from plants. As they are so specially handmade, we recommend storing them in dry places, that's why humidity of the freezer or fridge would not be appropriate for them. We also recommend not exposing the toys to any direct light.
Have the products passed specific tests?
For Oli&Carol, safety is a priority. All our products have passed rigorous tests and safety checks for babies to comply all the regulation standards.
Do your products contain BPA, BPS or other bisphenols?
All our toys are completely safe for kids, non-toxic. EN71, ASTM and Reach Certified. PVC, BPA, Phthalates, Nitrosamines And Bisphenols free. There are no holes in any of our designs preventing the presence and growth of bacteria inside.
My product has some small imperfections, is it normal?
Our toys are made of 100% natural rubber. They are handmade and hand painted one by one by skillful artisans, so no two items are exactly the same. Small imperfections are what make each piece unique.
Some paint imperfections or some uneven surfaces are totally normal and safe. It’s not a synthetic plastic toy. Each product is uniquely different!
My product has deflated a little bit, is it normal?
Rubber is a natural material which may be affected by differences in temperature and air pressure.
If you notice that your product is a little bit deflated, please kindly wait a couple of hours, as it should go back to its natural shape.
If the product has a hole, please let us know.
The product has some black spots appearing to be mold
As specified in our care instructions, we do not recommend to keep our products on water or humid places for long periods of time. Since it's a natural product, mold may appear if the product if it is not being well used.
Toys should be cleaned with soap and water and dried thoroughly after each use.
We do not recommend cleaning toys with bleach or any other product other than soap, nor do we recommend sterilizing them, as they are made of 100% natural rubber and their shape or color could be affected.
Please check here our care instructions to make sure your toy last for a long time in good shape :)
The color of the toy appears to be fading away. What can I do?
Since our products are ecofriendly and are made with 100% natural rubber, it sometimes happens that it can become white over time. This means that the product is starting to degrade or that is has been in direct contact with sunlight.
As any natural product, with the sunlight the color may fade away. Please make sure not to leave the product in direct contact with sunlight.
If the color is fading away, wash your product with soap and water. We also recommend to varnish the product with a little of coconut oil to make its original color come back.
My product has a layer of oil
To give a longer life time to our products, in the last step of our production process, we clean the natural rubber with vegetable oil. Finding extra oil remaining on the products is nothing to worry about. It makes the product last longer and it is tested and completely safe for babies! If wished so, it can be cleaned with a dry cloth.
My baby has had an allergic skin reaction
Our product should not be given to babies who are allergic to latex. In case your customer thinks her baby can be allergic to latex, we highly recommend her to visit a doctor.
Is it the same natural rubber as latex?
Latex is indeed the same material as rubber, it is extracted from hevea trees. We can say that the product is made out either of rubber or latex.
Why don't the products come covered by packaging?
At Oli&Carol we believe in using the least amount of packaging possible to avoid generating extra waste.
If we cover the products this would mean using plastic, which we do not think is necessary as it can be perfectly washed with soap and water, thus being 100% safe for the little ones to bite.
Did your products pass lead tests?
All toys complying with EN71 and ASTM standards are inherently complying with LEAD content regulation, since both tests have their LEAD section.
Please find more details for your reference:
- If you are asking US standard - CPSC and ASTM F963 (Total Lead)
- If you are asking for EU standard- EN71-3 (Soluble lead).
- If you are asking for Australia and New Zealand standards - AS/NZS 8124.
- If you are asking for Canada standards - SOR/2011-17 lead and Mercury.
Do It Yourself
How can I create my DIY toy?
In each Do It Yourself sewing kit you will find a flyer with the instructions to be followed to hand craft it. You can also watch our video tutorials for each DIY textile toy here.
What are the recommended ages for using Do It Yourself products?
Our DIY textile toys are certified for children aged 6+. The difficulty of assembling each DIY activity depends on the abilities of each person. Each do it yourself toy develops different skills: cutting, sewing, filling, shaping… boosting everyone's creativity!
It is an activity suitable for all ages and recommended for kids between 6 and 14 years old. Guaranteed fun activity to do with your family members!
What are the Do It Yourself sewing kits made of?
All the sewing kits of the Do It Yourself toy toys are made of 100% natural materials. Each canvas is handmade of 100% natural cotton and the recyclable fibre bag for the filling of the products is mixed with the textile products leftovers and natural cotton to obtain this ecological, sustainable and waste-free combination.
Where are the Do It Yourself sewing kits made?
Each kit is handmade by women artisans from North India who Carol and Olimpia know personally. They are handmade in the factory of Lorena Canals S.L., mother of Oli and Carol, which meets all quality and fair trade standards.
What is included in each DIY kit? The needle is included? and the scissors?
The DIY kit includes all of the elements to build your textile toy: canvas, strings, cotton balls, the needle, the instructions and the packaging where you can practice to sew! Scissors are not included since any home scissors are good to use!
Remember to scan the QR code of the box to see the video tutorial of how to assemble your textile toy!
How long does it take to sew a DIY textile toy?
The creation time of each Do It Yourself toy depends on the previous knowledge of sewing and the age of the kid, but it usually does not take more than 1h.
Why are DIY textile toys good for children aged +6?
There's nothing like creating something unique, especially as a kid! The Oli&Carol Do It Yourself collection allows children to express themselves through a fun activity. Creating these Do It Yourself toys by hand will develop sensory stimulation, free thinking, self-expression, fine and gross motor skills, as well as shaping their personality and encouraging their imagination and creativity.
Can I give a Do It Yourself sewing kit to a child older than +6?
Of course you can! Our DIY textile toys are ideal for children over 6+ and not so young. It's an activity that can be done by people of all ages but is recommended for children between 6 and 14 years old - guaranteed fun for the whole family!
The difficulty of assembling each craft will depend on the skills of each person. Each DIY toy develops different skills: cutting, sewing, rolling, shaping, etc. It boosts creativity!
Is it safe for a child to play alone with one of the kits?
As it is a sewing kit that contains small pieces, sharp objects and the elements have to be cut from the canvas, we recommend that this activity is done together with an adult.
Can I put my DIY toy in the washing machine?
We do not recommend washing any Do It Yourself product in the washing machine, as they could be damaged and the recycled fibres could come out. If the product gets dirty, we recommend that you clean it carefully with a wet cloth and soap.
I don't have the same result as yours, is that normal?
It is totally normal! Our products and videos are just one example of how you can make your own. We encourage children to be creative and make their own version of each fruit or vegetable Do It Yourself!
Can DIY textile toys be used for more things?
Of course, you can make a garland out of our fruit and vegetables, hang it on the doorknob or sew a message on the canvas and hang it on the wall! Be creative and share your creations with us on our social media tagging @oliandcarol.
Why is the DIY packaging more than just a packaging?
Made of cardboard, each Do It Yourself packaging follows the essence of the brand using craft colours and blacks and our characteristic illustrations. It's more than a packaging, as children can hand sew the name of the fruit or vegetable they are going to make, write their name under "Hand-made by..." and store treasures!
What messages do Oli&Carol want to transmit with the Do It Yourself collection?
Oli&Carol DIY takes a step back to the traditional toys, to the essentials of life and to spending quality time with those that really matter, such as family. Our mission with this collection is to promote the reduction of children's exposure to screens, while boosting their creativity by doing manual activities.
- Say yes to more family time
- Say yes to natural toys without plastic
- Say yes to less time using screens
- Say yes to creating your own unique textile toys
- Say yes to boosting children's creativity
If you have any further questions, please contact us