If you’re a wooden toys enthusiast, then you’re probably familiar with Candylab.
This small company born in Brooklyn became famous back in 2013 when it launched its first collection of modern vintage wooden toy cars known as “Awesome Wood Cars”.
What makes Candylab’s toy cars so unique and desirable, is that they are all about minimalism. Their bodies are abstract (but still recognizable) representations of the classic American muscles cars from the 60s and 70s, and the number of elements in each car is kept to a strict minimum: solid beechwood for the body, plastic rims, rubber tires, a few metal pins, some paint… and that’s all!
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In terms of dimensions, they ain’t small either: the average car is 7.2″L x 2.8″W x 1.95″H (18.3cm L x 7.3cm W x 5cm H) for a weight of 9.5oz (270g). That makes for a pretty decent & massive toy. The image gallery below pretty much speaks for itself (here’s a little game: can you tell which one is which? The GT-10, Carbon 77, Doc Ryder, Plum 50, Police Cruiser, Rare Bird and The Stinger)
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Candylab modern vintage wooden toy cars Awesome Wood Cars 2013
And if you were getting excited with the 2013 collection, then strap yourself in your chair, because it’s getting even better: Candylab is coming out today with its 2015 models.
And these bad boys are so gorgeous that you won’t feel ashamed to use your kids as an excuse, to get one (or all!) of them. I would anyway. But since I’m not shameful of saying out loud that I love those toy cars, I will get one for myself!
“Children’s toys can be awesome and enjoyed by all age groups.” Vlad Dragusin, Candylab
For this brand new iteration, it seems that Candylab took their love of classic cars, woodworking and mid-century nostalgia even further and made a big fat sandwich of engineering and design.
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The resulting mash-up is a clean, simple and durable wooden design object backed by a strong aesthetic of vintage cars and throwback toys. And the Kickstarter campaign Candylab launched to materialize their designs, went on to prove again that other people beside them, also liked solid wood toy cars inspired by mid-century design and American muscle cars painted in bright colors with smooth rolling rubber tires.
And with $56,951 pledged so far of their original $30,000 goal (and 40 days to go…), nobody is going to prove them wrong.
