TobeUs 100%

TobeUs initiated a project that started off as friends and expanded to 100 Masters of Italian design, all taking the basic components of a TobeUs car to create their own design. 100% TobeUs is being exhibited at the Toronto Design Festival this January.

"100% TobeUs, an exhibition about the value of the mindful use of objects and the diea the toys are important, so important that is better when they contain ideals and hopes for a better future, in which consumption will become thought and choice. One hundred international designers, between the most important in the world, accepted to play with TobeUs, creating a unique collection of one hundred wooden cars, designed with fantasy, simpleness and the wish to give a message of sustainability and joyfulness to adults and children." Matteo Ragni

TobeUs I

TobeUs is the design venture of Matteo Ragni a father who grew tired of seeing his children abandon or break new toys within a few hours of having them. His vision became clear a vision of "toy cars made of wood; strong and sweet-scented, beautiful and clever because they are planned by skillful and passionate designers."

Manifesto:
To be able to give a toy to a child that will age well, and last for years.

To put something in a child’s hands that is made completely from scented wood.

To give adults and children time to use an object, to mark it, become fond of it, repair it, lose it and find it again.

To speak to children about conscious consumerism: “Look, this will age. You can throw it away without worrying about pollution, it can be reused. It is made in Italy by adults who are paid a fair wage. If you are cold, you can burn it.

”For the pleasure of trying to find awareness in design: the block of wood is always the same, but two lines turn it into a distinctly different car.