TOFU:( Toiz' OF the Un-Usual )- Originally started by three good friends as a side project to make toys based off their ideas a little before the vinyl toy craze began picking up. Not knowing anything about toy making, it would be fun and challenging to learn how to realize our toy making dreams. We Needed a Name, so came up with Toyz OF the Unusual, because our designs were kind of odd. We shortened to sort of an Anagram TOFU cause we felt it was short, easy to remember and catchy. With a combined a Back ground of Photography, Graphic Design, Web Design and Comics we were going to make it work or at least try. So went out to find out more about toy making. I mean, how hard can it be?? Wrong!! Turns out you needs lots of money. Of which, three starving artists, don't have. Disillusion is a bitter pill to swallow. Then we tried contacting companies to see if maybe we could share or ideas and maybe they'll help us. Needless to say we are nobodies in the toy making biz so, they weren't hearing it. Then we thought "Why not try to mold and cast our own creations?" So, Once again we set out to learn something we had little exposure to. We tried everything. We figured it out, or at least enough to know what worked for us. Our casts are crude and imperfect but are done with care by hand.

Finally We Sculpted, Molded, And Casted our First Toy Called Minions a Very simple design, it was a little over 2" inches with a mask, with sort of a silhouette cat like head and arrow head tail curled in an backwards "S" style upwards towards the body (currently being recast ). We were Happy; we couldn't believe gave birth to a new creation. We wanted to show it off. So we hit the boards in the Vinyl Toy community because they seem to embrace new ideas and feed off each other. They liked it!! I mean not overwhelmingly, but enough to say "eh maybe we're on the right track..." We even got some good constructive criticism.

With that in mind we created the Lil' Demonz. A short Fat little guy, just over 2" inches with horns Complete with his own box, soul contract, and a mini comic. We even made an X-Ray Version cast in clear plastic to reveal it's skeleton which was actually popular. We sent out a handful of regular blank demonz to different artists, Big names, up and comers, and no names, like us, to see how they would interpret our design. We only got a hand full back, those of which you can see in the customs gallery. They are really great artists.

Sadly, life happens and we all couldn't find time to devote to our little endeavor. Between work, family, kids, divorce, and a one us had a big move to the big apple. It was hard to get back into the groove of creation. So it's just me for now. I Keep toiling away trying to come up with new designs, packaging maintaining the website and trying pump out best quality stuff to the best of my ability. While holding a spot for my buddies anytime they want to contribute :)

well there you have it, that's the jist of it. We're not any richer monetarily. But, when we get together we love what we do.

-sog