Solvej Baby & Toddler Swing - Classic Taupe

Swing low, sweet chariot.

This Solvej Baby & Toddler Swing - Classic Taupe is an exclusive and attractive baby and toddler swing for the home environment, indoors and out, skilfully crafted with top-quality materials. The timeless natural design and colour range means this swing will complement any home and garden environment.

• Suitable for ages 6 months to 6 years (or approximately 40 kg (88 lbs))
• Safety belt 
• Non-toxic paints
• Safe for use indoors and outdoors
• Conforms to safety standards of Australasia and North America
• 9-year guarantee

This swing converts from a baby sing to a toddler swing using the domed leg divider when your toddler is around 3-years-old. This makes the swing suitable from approximately 6 months to 6 years (or, from when baby can sit unaided until about 40 kg or 88 lbs). It's very easy to make the change between the baby and toddler versions is you have both a baby and toddler at home. The unusually long period you and your child can use this swing makes it excellent value for money.

With its safety belt and closed hooks and eye screws, it is an extremely safe swing for your baby. The beads are coloured with non-toxic paint. It conforms to the safety standards of Australasia and North America.

This swing has been designed for both indoor and outdoor use with carbine hooks and screw eyes for easy transition between the two. Made from durable natural timber, rot proof canvas, 10 mm yachting braid and stainless steel fittings, the swing is well equipped to handle the outdoor elements.

All these features, plus a 9-year guarantee, make this swing a great investment for you and your child.

Designed with convenience in mind, the swing packs down flat for easy storage and transport. Carbine hooks and screw eyes also make the swing easy to move between indoors and outdoors, both at home or on-the-go

There are two beautiful colour ranges with eight colours in total to choose from. Colours include: Coral Black, Classic Taupe, Forest Green, Pohutukawa Red, Midnight Blue, Pacific Blue, Soft Linen and Merino White.

The Rope

The Solvej Baby & Toddler Swing uses a soft, high performance polyester marine (KEA) and yachting (Solvej) braid because it is strong, will not rot, has excellent UV resistance and looks good.

Canvas

The standard Solvej swings are made from 100% acrylic canvas because it is rot-proof and the best outdoor furniture canvas on the market. It has a 5-year manufacturer's warranty from fading. The Solvej Organic Baby & Toddler Swing is made from 100% organic hemp canvas. We do not recommend leaving the Organic Swing outside.

The choice of timber has to fulfil the criteria of being naturally weather durable to avoid chemical treatment with the pollution that can come with that. It also has to come from a planted or sustainable source so we are not part of the depletion of indigenous forests anywhere in the world.

The Solvej Baby & Toddler Swings use Matai (Prumnopitys taxifolia), a native and endemic tree to NZ. The Matai used is salvaged timber from around Tokaroa, where they logged the native trees and planted pine trees in the early seventies. At the time, they left a lot of logs that were thought to be of no value. Now, as the pines are being harvested, these native logs are being salvaged. 

Paint

The non-toxic, acrylic, water-bound paint, as well as the lacquer used, complies with DIN EN 71 part 3 standard for toxicity and DIN 53160 for sweat and saliva resistance.

Fabric

The fabric does not promote mildew growth; however, mildew may grow on dirt and other foreign substances that are not removed from the fabric. Therefore, regular cleaning is important to keep your fabric looking good. This is more likely to occur in humid climates and/or when the swing is hung outside under cover and is not naturally cleaned by the rain and sun.

When used in permanent outdoor situations the canvas should be brushed and hosed regularly to remove dust, bird droppings, etc. and other solid particles.

Water borne stains such as coffee, tea, red wines, etc. should be treated first by rinsing in cold water. If this is not sufficient, the canvas may be washed with  a mild solution of soap (not detergent) in lukewarm water (max. 38 C or 100 F) and rinsed thoroughly.

Stubborn soiling may require treatment with a non-chlorine bleach.

Wood

All timber goes naturally grey when exposed to the weather. If you wish to slow down the process of the timber going grey, oil often with any non-toxic outdoor oil. Oil and wood are both organic matter. If dirt or other organic substances such as food, pollen or saliva are left on the wood it may go mouldy and the mould could enter the wood. This is more likely to occur in humid climates and/or when the swing is hung outside under cover and is not naturally cleaned by the rain and sun. Wipe down the bars regularly and especially when it has had dirty or sticky hands on it or been sucked on.

There are products on the market that will restore wood that has gone grey to its original colour if you want to.

The carbine clips make it very easy to move your swing, so if you want to keep it looking its best, simply store inside after each use.

Check the ropes, hooks and eyes regularly for wear and tear.

The sun gradually breaks down the fibre in all ropes.

A safety surface under the swing is recommended.

Don't start to swing your baby until her/his neck is strong enough (approximately 6 months). Always support your baby well with cushions, etc. until your baby grows into the swing. Please remember a young baby should always be swung gently. Always use the safety belt.

Swing Rule Number 1:

Keep a safe distance from someone swinging so they can't hit you. Make sure every child that is in your home knows this rule. As you know how it is with children, you have to remind the children of the rule over and over again.

Young children generally don't have a conception of measurement in metres, so it is best to show them the distances or better still mark it.

The swings are designed and made by Thomas Mortimer (Sweden) and Jenny Etherington (New Zealand). Jenny and Thomas met in Western Australia in 1986. They made their living for a few years by making and selling jewellery inspired by Same craft from northern Scandinavia. They traveled between Sweden and New Zealand for many years until settling in rural New Zealand in Jenny's home village Matiere, a few months before their daughter Solvej was born. 

Thomas, previously a cabinet maker and teacher, wanted to share the wonderful memories he had of swings in this own childhood with his young daughter,  and designed the first Solvej Swing for their daughter in 1993. He had a dream of owning his own workshop, and Jenny the dream of providing employment in her rural home village. Coupled with the overwhelming positive response to the swing they established a design company. Both are particularly passionate about design, and environmental and social responsibility, values imbued in every aspect of the business. Twenty-five years later production remains in Matiere with the wood and sewing workshops in local heritage buildings they are in the process of restoring. Their daughter Solvej, studying architecture, is now also continuing the family legacy in the business.  

Business philosophies and principals.

As individuals we want the products we use and are surrounded with to be of high quality, to buy them for a fair price, to care for the environment, and to contribute to society in more ways than just working and paying taxes. These principals are also the principals Solvej Swings is operating by.

A: High Quality

Number one in high quality is good craftsmanship. This leads to a good quality product for the customer, and also gives work satisfaction. We believe in continually developing the skills of all people involved in our business. That is not enough though. A good craftsman also needs good materials. We believe in using the highest quality materials, tempered with control over price, insuring the product will be long lasting. Good design is also an important part of high quality. Products need to function well and be attractive to the eye.

B: Fair price

We believe in a fair price for all involved from consumer to deliverer-seller-"makers" (staff and factory)-providers of raw materials-"Creators" (founder of business, investors and designer) down to the community who provides the infrastructure. Looking at what's happening today it seems like one or more of those involved are treated unfairly. Solvej Swings endeavour to have just and fair pricing on all parts in the chain that we are in control of.

C: Care for the environment

As individuals and a family we try to live in a decent balance with nature since we are an integral part of and are dependent on the whole of creation. A business is no different and has to operate and live according to the same rules and principals. In our business we are trying to find a balance between old knowledge and wisdom and new discoveries and technical advancement. The materials we use, wood, cloth and rope, have been used for thousands of years and therefore feels very familiar and natural to us. In our choice of materials we are faced with the challenge that we want them to be durable outside as well as inside and be easy care for the busy modern lifestyle.

The choice of timber has to fulfil the criteria of being naturally weather durable to avoid chemical treatment with the pollution that can come with that. It also has to come from a planted or sustainable source.

The choice of fabric was difficult because of the fact it had to be suitable for outdoors as well as indoors. After careful consideration we decided to use on our standard Solvej swings a 100% acrylic canvas (with a 10-year manufacturers guarantee from fading) because it is rotproof. It is also very easy care.  

The rope we use on our Solvej swings is a NZ made soft high performance polyester yachting braid. We decided on a synthetic rope because it does not rot. Polyester has excellent UV resistance and is strong. 

We use a non-toxic natural Tung oil on the wood.

D: Contribution to society

We like to contribute to society in more ways than just working and paying taxes. To be a healthy and happy individual we believe that one must have not only the goal to look after oneself and ones family but also have unselfish goals which are outside of and bigger than oneself. We think the same principal applies for a business to be healthy and truly prosperous. We believe that the countryside is a great place for the soul. The employment opportunities in the country are becoming less since the modern farming industry needs fewer people. We think one of the best ways to halt and  reverse the urbanization trend, and give people a real choice to live in the country, is for other industries to establish themselves in the rural area. To create employment in the rural area is one of the aims and goals that guide and drives Solvej Swings.