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About cate & levi, from www.cateandlevi.com 

The Beginning
As my wife and I awaited the birth of our first child, I noticed that there was a lack of one of a kind, responsibly made, and beautifully designed products for children. I decided to create a unique collection of products that would be intricately crafted and environmentally responsible.

Responsibility
The Cate & Levi Collection is H A N D MA D E at my studio in Toronto, Canada. Together with my talented production team, I oversee every aspect of this collection. All the materials are sourced as close to home as possible. This process cuts down on shipping and reduces our carbon footprint. The choice of reclaimed wool reduces demand for new materials that require both water and oil for production. My goal is for these items to leave the softest possible pawprint on our planet.

One Of A Kind
No two Cate & Levi products will ever be the same. Each one is made from reclaimed wool whose colors and textures are individually selected. Not only is this process environmentally responsible, but it ensures that each animal is truly a one of a kind creation never to be duplicated. Each item is as unique as the child who adopts it.

Giving Back
It is important for me to set a good example for my child, to work in a highly creative and responsible fashion, and to produce long lasting items that can be today's plaything and tomorrow's keepsake. I am building a company my family can be proud of. Ten percent of my profits will be donated to funds that help children in need.

JOSH TITLE, OWNER AND DAD

IN THE NEWS:

Naomi Carniol

From Saturday's Globe and Mail Published on Friday, Feb. 26, 2010 7:26PM EST Last updated on Tuesday, Mar. 02, 2010 3:34AM EST

Josh Title knows a thing or two about the shmatte business. His paternal grandfather owned Title Dress, a women's-wear company once located on Spadina Avenue. His other grandfather also worked in the garment district, buying fabrics for men's-wear company Shiffer-Hillman.

Mr. Title works with fabrics too. His Toronto-based, one-year-old company Cate & Levi transforms old sweaters into whimsical, handmade, one-of-a-kind children's toys and artwork.

Unlike many toy manufacturers, Mr. Title doesn't offshore production. Just as in his grandfathers' era, when Spadina Avenue was known as much for manufacturing as kosher delis, Mr. Title makes his products in Toronto.

Manufacturing locally “is sort of a lost art,” he says. But there are benefits to it. “Within the kids' market, there is value attached to being made in Canada. People associate that with quality,” the entrepreneur says.

“We sell to customers who care about one of three tenets: made in Canada, eco-conscious and/or one-of-a-kind.”

In the company's studio, which is on the second floor of a red brick building near Dovercourt and Dupont, three graduates of the Ontario College of Art and Design transform discarded sweaters into colourful hand puppets, artwork and stuffed animals of various shapes and sizes.

Argyle sweaters become cuddly teddy bears. A pink-striped sweater gets new life as floppy ears for a bunny-rabbit doll. A white cable-knit sweater turns into the body of a sheep doll. “That gets a laugh out of everyone,” Mr. Title says. “People love a sheep wearing a sweater.”

Re-purposing old sweaters is just one way Cate & Levi is eco-friendly. The toys also have a smaller carbon footprint than those made overseas and shipped here.Another advantage to manufacturing in Toronto is that it allows Mr. Title to ensure high quality control. In addition to three full-time staff, Mr. Title contracts seven local craftspeople to sew parts of the dolls. One stuffed animal can have 36 colourful pieces sewn together. “Nothing gets shipped without our final examination,” he says.

Producing the toys here is also more expensive – and Cate & Levi's prices reflect that. Online, the company's hand puppets cost $35, artwork is $45 and large stuffed animals are $85.

But the adorable, stylish products aren't only for the wealthy. “It appeals to people who might not ultimately spend more. They might just consume less but consume better,” Mr. Title says.

Cate & Levi's products are sold at 500 stores, including Anthropologie. Last year, the company shipped over 10,000 units to stores and online customers. “We're expecting growth of at least 300 per cent for 2010,” says Mr. Title, holding a stack of orders from a recent New York trade show.

Some days, Mr. Title is surprised to find himself in a studio full of old sweaters waiting to be turned into toys. He has a law degree and articled at a business law firm. Asked how he wound up working with fabrics in Toronto, he smiles and says, “Sometimes I think it's just in my blood.”