Welcome to QToys – where play meets purpose!

QToys is an Australian-owned company creating beautifully handcrafted wooden toys designed to spark imagination, support early learning, and nurture a lifelong love of play. Thoughtfully made from sustainable materials in our factory, our toys combine education, nature and creativity. Thank you for supporting our Australian family business and our mission to make meaningful, eco-conscious play accessible to every child.

Our Story

From a Chilly Melbourne Street to Playrooms Around the World.

It all began on a winter’s day in 2005. High Street in Prahran was buzzing with life despite the cold, and among the crowd were Cathy, an early childhood educator, and her partner Quan. As they strolled past a glowing toy shop window, Cathy paused. Where others saw shelves of toys, she saw something more: potential — for wonder, for learning, for joy.

That very moment sparked a dream.

With just enough savings and a shared vision, they founded Qtoys — not as a business, but as a heartfelt mission. Cathy wanted to change the way children learned. As an educator, she believed deeply that learning should feel like play, not pressure. Toys, she felt, could be more than just fun — they could spark discovery, creativity, and connection.

So, from a small garage studio in St Kilda and a backyard workshop, Cathy and Quan began crafting toys with purpose.

Their very first customer? The toy shop they passed that night. Inside, they met Jim Wootton, a seasoned toy shop owner with over 40 years of experience. Jim became Cathy’s mentor and sounding board, helping shape Qtoys’ early designs and guiding them on what made a toy truly good for children.

By 2009, Cathy and Quan had taken the next big step: opening their own Fair Trade-certified factory in Vietnam, where their family could help bring their vision to life. Having control over every step of production meant they could uphold their values of safety, sustainability, and craftsmanship — without compromise.

Over the years, Qtoys became known for more than just beautiful wooden toys. In 2013, they introduced natural, food-grade dyes, and began crafting products from reclaimed timber and pruned branches in collaboration with local farmers — ensuring not only safe and sensory-rich toys, but a lighter footprint on the earth.

Now, two decades later, that little dream has grown into something far greater than Cathy and Quan ever imagined. Qtoys can be found in homes and classrooms across Australia, the USA, New Zealand, Germany, Japan, Taiwan and beyond.

But our mission hasn’t changed.

We still believe that the most powerful learning happens when children are doing what they love most and that is through play. Every toy we design is a quiet invitation to explore, imagine, build and grow. We’re proud to support educators, parents and families around the world who value sustainable play and meaningful childhoods.

And through it all — from those first handmade toys in a Melbourne garage to today’s global community — we remain guided by one simple truth:

Children learn best when they’re having fun.

Thank you for being part of the Qtoys story.