We are super excited to be teaming up with Fairtrade Pontypridd and fair trade toy company Lanka Kade Toys on an amazing competition for ‘Fairtrade Fortnight 2026’.
We are inviting local children to help come up with a new Welsh collection for Lanka Kade’s wooden toys. This competition is open to all under 18 and you can submit as many entries as you like until November 7th. We have already invited local schools to participate and have had some fab entries. Your designs will be sent to Lanka Kade who will pick the winners to receive prizes from us and may consider making their favourite designs into wooden figures, which could end up being sold in toy shops around the nation.
If you want to find out more about the competition, gain handy tips and learn about Lanka Kade and their fair trade ethos, you should come along to our free Toy Design Workshop tomorrow (Saturday 3rd October). Pop in any time between 11am and 2pm. If you can’t make the workshop but your children would love this opportunity to represent Wales with toy designs, you can still call in to the shop at The Market Quarter Pontypridd for inspiration any day until the competition closes.
We are looking for designs for a wooden toy in the style of Lanka Kade’s figures, that would fit into a Welsh collection. We want a range of different figures representing different aspects of Welsh land and culture. Lanka Kade will pick their favourites to receive a prize from Sugar and Spice. More importantly, if they are impressed by the ideas from our entries, they will produce the toys and send a toy to each of the chosen designers.
Competition rules:
1. Entrants must be under 18 and live locally.
2. We encourage multiple entries, preferably one design in each of the following categories: animals, myths, historical or traditional Welsh, Welsh people today, landmarks.
3. Each design should be on a single side of A4. This should include the back view, if this forms a part of your entry, and any other supporting images.
4. If you want to write a paragraph (max 100 words) explaining your design, this can be written on the reverse of your paper. The designer’s name and age must also be written on the back.
5. The design should use a maximum of 3 colours plus black and white. Shading and textures cannot be incorporated into the product.
6. These toys have a smooth cutting border around the painted figure. Please consider this in your design and avoid pointy, sticky out bits which would be hard to make smooth or might break off.
7. The toys should stand up on a flat surface. Please consider this if drawing the cutting edge in your design.
8. Please make sure the designer’s full name and age is on the entry or we will not be able to submit it.
9. The last day for entry is the 7th November before close of business.
10. Winners will be announced once Lanka Kade have selected their favourites. Please note that this might take some time. We cannot return designs or send feedback to entrants. It is not guaranteed that any of the designs will be turned into toys.
