About Us
About Us
Why Handmade?
Inspiration
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About Us
Welcome to Craftsbury Kids! We've partnered with some of the best independent crafters around the world, several making unique products especially for us. Our mission is to offer parents and gift-givers an alternative to mass-produced goods, items that offer a caliber of quality that many people aren't aware still exists for the younger set. We endeavor to help talented artists and crafters earn a living doing what they love, while enriching the lives of children by offering beautiful products that will help to encourage a life-long appreciation for the arts.
You won't find mass-produced flashy electronic toys, or 'cookie-cutter,' plastic fad driven items at craftsburykids.com. Our hope is to inspire children's imaginations, and encourage them to be themselves. We believe that children exposed to items created by artists lead more enriching lives! We don't subscribe to the 'assembly-line thinking' that dominates the juvenile industry today. Rather than drown kids in cheap big box booty, we say give them a handful of truly inspiring items they will treasure, learn from, and maybe one day pass on to their own children.
About the President & Founder
With fourteen years of experience in the children's industry, Cecilia Leibovitz's focus has always been on handmade and eco-friendly items; Back in 1994 she started her first business selling natural toys and cloth diapers. In 2001, Cecilia went on hiatus to complete her undergraduate degree in English at Mount Holyoke College. She couldn't stay away from the world of entrepreneurship, and started Craftsbury Kids in 2004 while still in school. During her spare time Cecilia enjoys reading, writing, design, and drives in the country with a car full of kids.
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Why Handmade Heirlooms and Not Mass-Produced Throw-aways?
The majority of our products are handcrafted by independent artisans and small cottage industries. Here's why:
-If you're like us you love the unique beauty and quality of well-crafted handmade goods, and you want your children to have an appreciation for them too.
-You get real things, created by real people who enjoy what they do, not "cookie-cutter" knock-offs. The difference between the two is undeniable; you can literally feel the energy and caring that went into the work of a fine handmade piece.
-You help support independent artists and their families.
-You help promote local economies and fair trade.
-Future generations will thank you as they benefit from your investment!
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Inspiration...
Once, long ago in a land far, far away - actually, Brooklyn on a boring Sunday in 1978 - my mother informed me that her visiting friend had brought me a gift. My five-year-old imagination anticipated a glittery ballerina doll, like the one my friend Jennifer had. Instead, I was presented with a Russian Matryoshka doll. The doll featured hand-painted hair, not a shiny plastic crown, and she didn't spin when I pushed on her head. But with her simple hand-painted features and careful craftsmanship, the doll was more than just a toy, she was a work of art that provided me with hours of creative play. Today my childhood friend is a much-loved treasure and magical reminder of a simpler time, when quality mattered.
Such timeless treasures have proven hard to come by in today's fast-paced world. As an artist with a passion for design and detail, I appreciate items of distinction. As a parent, I want to provide my children with beautiful, high-quality things that inspire. Children are individuals, each with their own unique personality, so I just couldn't feel good about buying mass-produced toys and clothing from cookie-cutter chain stores. Enter Craftsbury Kids.
Beauty. Quality. Originality. And something intangible but unmistakable - a sense of magic and wonder. Each item in the Craftsbury Kids collection is a work of art - truly distinctive and handcrafted with the highest quality materials. Craftsbury Kids brings together the designs of extraordinarily talented independent crafters and designers, and the people who truly appreciate their work - those individuals who agree that our young friends deserve the beauty of lovingly handcrafted things, and the enchantment of a childhood that includes a dose of fairy-tale romance. I hope that you and your favorite little ones will find joy through our collection.
-Cecilia Leibovitz, Founder & President Craftsbury Kids
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