Makiko Shinoda

Department: Man and Well being
Website: www.makikoshinoda.com/products/material-teddy/

Material Teddy

To foster healthy cognitive development, our senses must be stimulated from an early age. But a modern childhood, spent increasingly behind the computer screen, may lead to sensory alienation, Makiko Shinoda believes. Material Teddy to the rescue. Each body part is made from a different, natural material to evoke contrasting sensations. One ear is heavy, the other is light. The head is made of porous leather so eager fingers can leave their mark over time, while the body is carved from camphor wood — smooth to the touch, with a pungent, medicinal smell. None of the materials are coated, so children can experience the components in their purest form.