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On The Table Read Magazine, “the best creativity magazine in the UK“, Nick from 3DToyShop shares the inspiration behind his business selling teddy bears with 3d printed medical devices.
I interviewed Nick from 3DToyShop about what inspired him to start his business selling teddy bears with 3d printed medical devices for disabled children, and the work that goes into it.
I’m Nick, 40 year old single dad, loves punk rock, snowboarding and taking the campervan to new places.
3dtoyshop.
I wanted a unique (googlewhack) name for a shop selling 3d printed toys, and www.3dtoy.shop was available. And so the toyshop that makes all the toys that don’t exist was born. The teddy hospital thing came later, when gave up selling toys and focused on helping as many disabled children as possible.
I make teddy bears with custom made medical devices & scars so kids going through the hardest time can have a friend like them.
September 2020
There was a 3 year old boy from Scotland, about to go for brain surgery. His mum contacted me and asked if I could make a teddy with a brain implant so he could have a teddy just like him to help him understand what was happening.
Self taught.
It started with 6 plastic boxes. 3 lived at my house, 3 lived at Emma’s house. During the week, I would fill the 3 boxes with toys and 3d printed medical devices like little pacemakers and tracheostomies, then drop them off at Emma’s house. At the end of the week I would take my 3 boxes of teddies needing surgery, drop them off at Emma’s, and collect the 3 bears that had completed surgery.
Now, a team of 6 teddy surgeons visits my house twice a week, making teddies for about 30 children per day. Once a week I visit the post office in the campervan, unload this into trolleys and wheel them in. This week there were 2 trolleys of teddies.
I work from home.
I don’t really listen to music when working. It gets in the way of making tiktok videos.
Side hustle.
Yes.
Mostly online. I sold teddies in person at the this is me festival, but that’s 1 day in 3 years.
I post to TikTok, Instagram and Facebook.
Very proud
I want a little shop in every childen’s hospital where all the kids can get a teddy with the same medical devices that they have.
Playing the piano with poppy on my 40th birthday, but I don’t I’ll be able to do it again.
There was a film crew at the childrens hospice, but they missed the most special bit ☹
@3dtoyshop or just search for nicks disabled teddies
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