Interview with PERE GIRÓ, Co-Funder of Londji
Londji’s sustainable toys are designed and ethically made in Barcelona, since 2004. Born with the desire of bringing together the world of art, games, and toys, Londji is committed to products that are made with innovation, originality and safety in mind.
Read our inspiring interview with Pere, one of the Founders, and learn more about the brand's origins and its purpose.
What motivated you to create this beautiful brand?
The birth of Londji is the result of a process, the two founders have known each other since childhood. Our families have an entrepreneurial tradition, so since we were little we have lived this culture. From a young age we shared a great passion for travel and, specifically, for the African continent. We are trained in Economics and Law and we developed our careers in these professional sectors when we left university, combining it with trips to different countries during the holidays.
The embryo of Londji began when we started importing African crafts to Europe in 1999. Later on, in 2004, we had the opportunity to participate in a temporary event in Barcelona. Taking advantage of our experience, we created a store with traditional toys from different parts of the world. Londji was formally born in 2005. From that moment we dedicated ourselves exclusively to it, with the idea of reviving traditional games and toys. In 2007 we began to design our own toys, based on the classics. This idea is still at the heart of Londji today.
Our intention is to design and manufacture quality toys in our country, based on the usual games. Our own designs have acquired all the weight and currently 99% of the catalog consists of our own creations and production.
From 2012 we started manufacturing internally. This allows us to know the processes well, pamper the materials and, in return, have the control we want over the quality of the product. Over the years, many people have joined the project. Right now, Londji is the result of the hard work of a team of 40 people, where everyone is important, since each one of them contributes their grain of sand to the project.
Who do you have in mind when you create new products?
Above all, our children. We always say that we make the toys that we like our children to play with. We like toys to convey values that we identify oursleves with: toys made with care and respect for the environment that surrounds us. The sum of all this provides toys with honesty and warmth, which we are very proud of.
Where do you find inspiration?
Inspiration is born from classic toys, to which we pass through our filter, to give them our personality, while adding some nuance that makes them different. We always look for a point of difference, so
that our vision contributes with something new to the world of toys. Classic games have a great capacity to amuse, excite and at the same time add value through the game itself.
How do you balance your personal life with managing a successful leading brand?
You make many personal sacrifices when you start a project. You give up a lot when you try to carry out an idea. There are busy schedules, trips... and the uncertainty weighs you down, since you always have the doubt of whether that sacrifice will bear any fruit. Nowadays, I don’t think there’s much of a difference between what we do and anyone else with a 40-hour-week job. Of course, there is travel involved, but over time we are very selective with the international fairs in which we exhibit. In the end, in life, the great luxury is being able to share time with the people you love, therefore, we try to share as much time as possible with our family and be present to see our children grow.
How does Londji contribute to a more sustainable and ethical future?
For us, the word sustainability has a very deep meaning, which encompasses two aspects. In the first place, an aspect related to the manufacture and the materials used. In our case, we manufacture our toys in our facilities in Banyoles with collaborators from the area, avoiding the environmental costs caused by the transport of goods from distant countries. We only use paper and wood of European origin and from responsible sources, the cardboard we use in our products is recycled and the entire product is recyclable, once its life is over. All the energy we use in our facilities is from renewable sources. The material left over from the production is classified and offered free of charge to schools and social projects in our area, avoiding waste.
A second aspect of sustainability that is basic for us, and that clearly connects with the ethics of the product, is the social aspect, which is often forgotten. Having a local production allows us to create jobs and wealth in our environment and, in turn, guarantee that the Londji team works with decent and respectful economic conditions within a non-hierarchical structure. This local production also allows us to collaborate with companies that promote the social integration of people with different abilities and from less favoured social environments, understanding that all this generates wealth, not only economic, but also social, within our environment.
The sum of both aspects is what gives meaning to the project and contributes our grain of sand for a fairer and more sustainable society.
“A second aspect of sustainability that is basic for us, and that clearly connects with the ethics of the product, is the social aspect, which is often forgotten.”
What’s next for Londji?
We think that the best toy is always the one that is yet to be made.
In the coming years our idea is to consolidate the project, expand our range to the younger children, up to two years old, and add to the children’s lifestyle collection, so that Londji becomes a global brand related to the children’s universe.
Buy Londji puzzles, toys, games and activities for your little ones this Christmas.
