Schlenkerteddy

This teddy deserves its name quite rightly, since it can be grabbed by any limb to be able to swing it around cheerfully, pull it behind itself obliviously, hold it protectively in its arms or snuggle up to it before falling asleep. In this way, he behaves both like a lively playmate and a sturdy cuddly toy: the uniform mesh of his body, crocheted from strong cotton, offers an all-round pleasant feel; the filling is stuffed in such a way that the Schlenkerteddy has a high degree of mobility despite all its firmness. His restrained facial features, which allow the imagination to play freely, are stitched on with equally firm cotton thread. Closer, even more exuberant expressions of affection are therefore possible without worry.

His manufacturing also denotes progress for the manufacturer Én Gry & Sif. Meanwhile, the Danish company has expanded its range of felted virgin wool products to crochet from Indian cotton. Crochet basically requires more yarn than knitting, so the stitch work is usually sturdier and stronger than a knitted fabric. This looped teddy is carefully hand crocheted by Nepalese women. Thanks to the pure handwork is each piece is a small unique.

During her backpacking tour through Nepal, the Dane Gry Staunstrup got to know the astonishing openness and warmth of the country’s inhabitants, and their craftsmanship bedazzled her. She was able to observe in detail how adeptly and skilfully Nepalese women felted wool into a wide variety of objects. Staunstrup felt it was time to make something good out of the untapped potential, and an idea was born: to combine Nepalese handicrafts with Danish design. And the idea was immediately followed by action.

The company Gry & Sif started producing a variety of products made of wool felt in Nepal in 2000. The designs created by Gry Staunstrup are as remarkable as they are understated and, characteristic of Danish design, at the same time fresh and merry. Nepalese women turn them into products employing traditional handicrafts. Fair Trade certified by now, Gry & Sif stands for fair wages and working conditions, environmentally conscious production and transparency. The company exclusively sources pure new wool from New Zealand sheep for the felting; each of the resulting products is handmade and unique.

Scientists agree that the upright gait marks a decisive step in human evolution. But why we swing our arms when we walk has long puzzled researchers. To them, the extra arm swinging seemed like a relic of human prehistory and, above all, a waste of energy. Studies of the movement sequence now support the opposite view: the rhythmic swinging of the arms in the opposite direction to the progress of the legs actually saves (muscle) energy. The effect occurs because the swinging of the arms cushions the up-and-down movement of walking and spares the leg muscles some of the tensile stress. As a bonus, we keep our balance better and reduce the risk of stumbling when swinging the arms. That’s why, in a way, swinging a toy aids a child in walking. The cuddly playmate encourages the children to swing their arms along while helping them to keep their balance. That frees energy for all the important things in life.

If necessary, a gentle hand wash is right for these soft toys.