Toy2R (abbreviation of Toy to Raymond) is a

designer toy Art toys, also called designer toys, are toys and collectibles created by artists and designers that are either self-produced or made by small, independent toy companies, typically in very limited editions. Artists use a variety of materials, su ...

company based in

Hong Kong Hong Kong)., Legally Hong Kong, China in international treaties and organizations. is a special administrative region of China. With 7.5 million residents in a territory, Hong Kong is the fourth most densely populated region in the wor ...

that was founded by Prof. Raymond Choy M.H. in 1995.

History

Raymond Choy spent 10 years as an employee of an

American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, p ...

footwear Footwear refers to garments worn on the feet, which typically serve the purpose of protective clothing, protection against adversities of the environment such as wear from rough ground; stability on slippery ground; and temperature. *Shoes and si ...

company, developing many useful skills in business. Following his dream of combining his hobby with his career, Choy pursued a business degree and studied design. Choy opened a toy store in 1995. Four years later, Choy observed a recent trend in collectible toys, now known as

designer toys Art toys, also called designer toys, are toys and collectibles created by artists and designers that are either self-produced or made by small, independent toy companies, typically in very limited editions. Artists use a variety of materials, su ...

, specifically the urban vinyl movement of toy design. He decided to put all his funds into the development of a vinyl figure, intended more as art than as a toy. He called this figure the ''Toyer''. Toy2R is amongst the first to explore the designer toy phenomenon, combining art and developing vinyl toys for the collectors market.

Products

The ''Toyer'' design, which resembles a simplified human form with a

head A head is the part of an organism which usually includes the ears, brain, forehead, cheeks, chin, eyes, nose, and mouth, each of which aid in various sensory functions such as sight, hearing, smell, and taste. Some very simple ani ...

that resembles a

cartoon A cartoon is a type of visual art that is typically drawn, frequently Animation, animated, in an realism (arts), unrealistic or semi-realistic style. The specific meaning has evolved, but the modern usage usually refers to either: an image or s ...

skull, became his first trademark. The commercial response to this figure enabled his next endeavor, the

Qee Qee (pronounced "key") are a collection of designer toys created by Hong Kong-based company Toy2R, which was founded by Raymond Choy in 1995. Figure Qee figures vary in their design. The original Qee has a body that resembles an extremely simpl ...

(pronounced Key) figure. In 2001, Choy designed a series of figures originally intended for use as

keychain A keychain () (also keyring) is a small ring or chain of metal to which several keys, or fobs can be attached. The terms keyring and keychain are often used interchangeably to mean both the individual ring, or a combined unit of a ring and fob ...

s, dubbed the ''Qee Keychain Collection''. The Qee design resembles a round and squat human form, and features a variety of animal heads and a broad range of paint applications. The Qee figure and its over 1500 variations are the signature product of the Toy2R brand. Toy2R has collaborated with artists and designers from all over the world, including illustrators such as

Gary Baseman Gary Baseman (born September 27, 1960) is an American artist, cartoonist, and animator who investigates history, heritage, and the human condition (especially love, longing, and loss). Through iconography and visual narratives that celebrate “ ...

Tim Biskup Tim Biskup (born 1967), is an American visual artist and designer. He is known for illustration, painting, sculpture, and product design. Early life and education Tim Biskup was born on September 21, 1967, in Santa Monica, California. He reali ...

Coop Coop or Co-op most often refer to: * Chicken coop or other animal enclosure * Cooperative or co-operative ("co-op"), an association co-operating for mutual social, economic or cultural benefit ** Consumer cooperative ** Food cooperative ** Housin ...

Tara McPherson Tara McPherson (born April 7, 1976, in San Francisco, California) is an American artist based in New York. McPherson creates paintings, murals, poster art, and designer toys, within the New Contemporary Art movement. Biography Tara McPherson ...

David Horvath David Z. Horvath (May 28, 1971) is an American illustrator, comics artist, toy designer and author best known for creating the popular Uglydoll characters as well as the world they inhabit, The Uglyverse, with his wife, Sun-Min Kim. The toy lin ...

and

Frank Kozik Frank Kozik (January 9, 1962 – May 6, 2023) was an American graphic artist best known for his posters for alternative rock bands. With his prolific output and connections in the music industry, Kozik helped revitalize rock poster art in the la ...

. Toy2R has also been commissioned to create exclusive Qee figures for such companies as

Adidas Adidas AG (; stylized in all lowercase since 1949) is a German athletic apparel and footwear corporation headquartered in Herzogenaurach, Bavaria, Germany. It is the largest sportswear manufacturer in Europe, and the second largest in the ...

DKNY DKNY is a New York City–based American fashion house for men and women, founded in 1984 by Donna Karan. The company specializes in a wide range of fashion products, including clothing, footwear, accessories and fragrances. A major misconcepti ...

Mitsubishi The is a group of autonomous Japanese multinational companies in a variety of industries. Founded by Yatarō Iwasaki in 1870, the Mitsubishi Group traces its origins to the Mitsubishi zaibatsu, a unified company that existed from 1870 to 194 ...

Microsoft Microsoft Corporation is an American multinational corporation and technology company, technology conglomerate headquartered in Redmond, Washington. Founded in 1975, the company became influential in the History of personal computers#The ear ...

Nokia Nokia Corporation is a Finnish multinational corporation, multinational telecommunications industry, telecommunications, technology company, information technology, and consumer electronics corporation, originally established as a pulp mill in 1 ...

Sony is a Japanese multinational conglomerate (company), conglomerate headquartered at Sony City in Minato, Tokyo, Japan. The Sony Group encompasses various businesses, including Sony Corporation (electronics), Sony Semiconductor Solutions (i ...

, and

Starbucks Starbucks Corporation is an American multinational List of coffeehouse chains, chain of coffeehouses and Starbucks Reserve, roastery reserves headquartered in Seattle, Washington. It was founded in 1971 by Jerry Baldwin, Zev Siegl, and Gor ...

References

{{Reflist

External links

Toy2R website
Art toys Doll manufacturing companies Toy companies of Hong Kong