You may have seen a designer toy figure, they’re typically two to sixteen inches high, made of colorful plastic or vinyl with a design sensibility that could labeled Japanese if you were familiar with cartoons and/or comics from Japan. Not made for kids, these figures are collectible, relatively expensive and inspired by distinctly urban archetypes, thus their aka name of “urban vinyl”. But as you may know vinyl can be a particularly toxic material, especially the making of vinyl.

Enter Noferin, the artistic duo of Candy and Nick who’ve created the whimsical world of Carrara Island and its inhabitants “meshing the fine art, design and literary worlds together in a complete and unique package.” Inhabitants that could easily succeed as designer vinyl toys, but that are actually now made of wood. Noferin recently introduced it’s Natural Wood Series of Pecanpals in a limited edition of “only 300 friends” made from 100% wood with articulated joints – all individually hand crafted. Not just any wood, 100% sustainably harvested wood. They are actually made of rubber tree wood that would otherwise go to waste. Apparently rubber trees are planted for their rubber and after about 20 years their rubber yields start to diminish. Noferin uses this beautiful wood, thus saving it from the fire pit. No two Pecanpals look the same, they all have unique markings due to the wood grain.