NEW EPISODE OF OUR SERIES BUDDY TALK. EPISODE 2: MYUM
27. 06. 2023
"Quality toys for loving and playing with nature. Myums are 100% hand crocheted."
In the interview below, Faustine tells us all about her veggie toys. Look out for a surprise at the end of the article.
—----------------------
Hello Faustine, could you introduce yourself in a few words?
Hello ? I'm a designer who loves crochet and nature ... I live between Paris, the city of my birth, Corsica, my island of origin and New York, the city of my heart. I don't have any children yet, but I'm already the mother of a small business and a multitude of MyuMs. It all started in 2013, when I had just finished my studies at the Beaux-Arts in Paris and was doing crochet for fun. Strawberries, radishes and carrots, to which I added eyes and mouths that stick out their tongues because it's more kawaii. Colette saw my creations on Instagram and placed an order with me. That's when things really took off. With no business training and just me at the helm, the early days were rock n' roll. And here we are ten years later! Sold in hundreds of shops, we've just entered the Moma! And we collaborate with the most beautiful brands … we've come a long way!
Could you introduce your brand ?
MyuM is a family of Veggiefriends in the shape of fruit and vegetables that we make into rattle, music box, cuddly toy, teether, etc. They are 100% organic cotton (inside and out) and are made in our workshop, which is run by women (Women's empowerment!). There are no crochet machines. It's an exclusively manual technique that requires patience and skilful hands. It takes about 2 hours to make a carrot! The recipe for a MyuM:I create the design directly on the crochet hook, send the pattern and cotton to the workshop, they make the toys and send them back to me to sell to shops or Veggy Lovers.
Why did you decide to create Myum?
Plushies or cuddly toys in the shape of a rabbit or teddy bear are usually offered. I thought that if we gave babies toys in the shape of fruits and vegetables, it would be more fun and it would make them aware of Nature and healthy eating. Childhood obesity, junk food, sugar … are a public health problem. And eating fruits and vegetables helps reduce our carbon footprint. So if we educate children from an early age to recognize a carrot, a leek, a turnip … we make the things move!
Who are your products aimed at?
MyuMs are aimed at all Veggy Lovers,we have customers who collect them, others who use them as decorations in their kitchens, some who give them to their cats or doggies... But above all they are toys for babies and young children, girls and boys!
Could you tell us about your flagship product?
I don't want to make anyone jealous between Barney the Turnip, Newton the Apple and the others. But between us, Louie the Mini Radish and Charlotte the Carrot are the most successful. Personally, I love cuddly toys. I've mixed crochet work and cotton muslin, which gives a double texture: rough for the crochet part and smooth for the muslin. There are carrots, turnips, strawberries... And there's the bee, which is a sensory toy. It has a vibrating mechanism inside. Children love it!
How did you meet Enfance Paris?
I met Agnès several years ago at the Playtime fair. We got on very well very quickly. Note that with Agnès we have a lot of laughs. I've always been a fan of her soaps, with the rubon link! Agnès has a great sense of humor, energy and generosity. She is the source of these interviews.
Thank you Faustine to have shared the backstage of Myum.
We are fans of your soft toys and rattle in the shape of fruit and vegetables, so original and mischievous.
It's a gift: from today until 27 September 2023, get 20%, off their entire website https://myum.fr with the code Enfance Paris.
Stay tuned, the next interview is already in progress...