#269: Thinking Differently About Toy Production with Lisa Doiron of Basic Fun
Before we dive into one of the most creative plush lines I’ve ever seen, we need to talk about something serious— TARIFFS.
In this episode of Making It in The Toy Industry, I’m kicking things off with an urgent update about the current U.S.–China tariff situation and how it could affect your toy business. I’m sharing what I would do right now if I were launching a toy brand from scratch and why diversifying your manufacturing isn’t optional anymore, it’s essential.
Then, I take you inside my exclusive Toy Fair interview with Lisa Doiron, VP of Global Brand Marketing at Basic Fun. Lisa introduced me to ThreadZ—a limited-edition plush line that taps into Gen Alpha’s love of individuality and that “get-it-before-it’s-gone” energy. ThreadZ is made with excess fabrics, which means each drop is limited-run and totally unique. Designed to feel fashion-forward and one-of-a-kind, this plush line taps perfectly into Gen Alpha’s craving for self-expression. It’s also a brilliant example of how big brands like Basic Fun can rethink traditional production models in smart, sustainable, and trend-savvy ways.
You’ll hear why it’s time to rethink your manufacturing game, how to make your toy line tariff-proof and flexible, what Gen Alpha really wants, and how you can steal a genius small-batch strategy from a big brand and make it your own.
If you’re ready to future-proof your toy biz and get inspired by one of the freshest plush concepts on the market, this episode is for you!
Hit play now and get inspired by a big-brand strategy you can actually use!
Listen For These Important Moments
[00:01:16] - Tariffs are shifting fast—and they could hit your bottom line hard. I’m breaking down what’s changing and how to protect your business with smart sourcing moves.
[00:04:52] - Think scrap fabric can’t make magic? Think again. I’m showing you how leftovers can fuel a unique product line—and even lower your costs.
[00:07:16] - Step inside Toy Fair with me as Lisa Doiron reveals ThreadZ, Basic Fun’s limited-edition plush line built for Gen Alpha’s need for self-expression and FOMO.
[00:10:39] - This isn’t your average plush. ThreadZ offers exclusive drops, unique personalities, and three price points—showing small-batch vibes can scale.
[00:13:07] - Lisa shares her toy journey—from Disney hits at Hasbro to launching bold new ideas at Basic Fun—and why making kids smile keeps her going.
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This episode is brought to you by www.thetoycoach.com
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[00:00:00] Azhelle Wade: You are listening to Making It in The Toy Industry, episode number 269.
[00:00:24] Azhelle Wade: Hey there, toy people, Azhelle Wade here. Welcome back to another episode of Making It In The Toy Industry. This is a weekly podcast brought to you by thetoycoach.com. Before we dive into today's episode, we have to talk about the hottest topic, tariffs, which are affecting the toy industry. Recently, the US and China have come to an agreement.
[00:00:45] Azhelle Wade: Tariffs on Chinese products are going to be 30% for the next 90 days, and tariffs on US products will be 10% for the next 90 days. So we've got 90 days to import products that maybe have been in holding. Or if you're about to finish up production, finish that production quickly and get it here asap. Due to the ever changing nature of tariffs, I don't touch on it as often on this podcast, but if you do wanna hear updates, check out my Instagram or my LinkedIn.
[00:01:16] Azhelle Wade: I'm the toy coach on both of those sites. Whenever I have a new tariff update or video recap, or opinion on what's going on, I share it there because it's quick, easy, and more timely than waiting for a new podcast episode drop. So please check that out. The most recent post I did on Instagram talks about what we're learning from this larger tariff situation and conversation.
[00:01:43] Azhelle Wade: And the biggest takeaway right now that I want us to focus on is diversification. If I were launching a new business today, whether it would be a toy business or I were to bring back my costume company. What I would do differently is I would think about how I can diversify my product line. I might actually start with producing something that I can create either locally or in another country other than China.
[00:02:08] Azhelle Wade: Maybe I'd go to Peru if I were doing a knit doll. Maybe I would go to Indonesia if I was doing another doll or Vietnam. If I'm looking for some wooden toys, maybe India. And I would try to start with a product that is easy enough to create in those other markets and can get me the margin that I would need to make my company successful and grow.
[00:02:29] Azhelle Wade: Once I found some stability there, I would then expand markets. I would put a bulk of my product still in development in China because they are just the best at producing the products that we want at the best price. But I would be looking at my product line assortment and intentionally deciding to keep a percentage of product coming from one place and another percentage of product coming from another place altogether, so that if there are future tariff wars, which given our current administration can very likely happen, that my entire business won't shut down because one channel has shut down. If you are a student of Toy Creators Academy, a client of mine or someone that's just worked in the industry for a long time, you know that it's so much more than just sourcing your product from a new factory in a new country.
[00:03:20] Azhelle Wade: There are logistics you have to become familiar with. Timelines you have to become familiar with. Import export practices per country that you have to become familiar with, and outside of that, there's a relationship that you build with the factories that you work with over time so that you guys can produce product more quickly, efficiently, and of higher quality.
[00:03:40] Azhelle Wade: So establishing relationships with factories in different countries gives you a leg up, not only so that you can keep your business running if one country's tariffs suddenly become astronomical and unprofitable, but also that you'll have other factories and other countries that you have relationships with that might allow you to resource your existing product with them, or they might help you and act as a middleman to help connect you to other factories. So this idea of diversification goes beyond just having different SKUs or products in different countries, so you can continue that on, but it extends to having different relationships and knowledge about working with all of these other countries.
[00:04:26] Azhelle Wade: Okay, so for today's episode, we are gonna talk about unique product line models. I don't wanna say unique business models because the product line that we're gonna talk about today is a product line within an already established toy company Basic Fun. But what is really special about this product line is they are approaching creating product for the mass market in a very specialty way.
[00:04:51] Azhelle Wade: And the way that they're approaching this can also work with this new mindset of diversification. So if you've been listening to this podcast recently, you know, we had on Courtney Peebles who talked about how she is manufacturing with her 3D printer at home and selling that product direct to consumers after doing all of the safety testing.
[00:05:12] Azhelle Wade: And that opened up a conversation of how can we innovate the way that we create products in the toy industry to not be beholden to massive, impulsive tariff changes that this new administration might be bringing about. So that does require us to obviously look for manufacturing outside of China.
[00:05:34] Azhelle Wade: But when looking for manufacturing outside of China and looking for it in the US, in India, in Indonesia, we also have to think about being creative on the type of product that we produce. So the product that we're gonna dive into today is as far as I know, made in China, but the process and concept behind producing this product actually uses excess material, excess fabrics and results in a product that has a limited release drop because that fabric will run out. That concept can be applied to, let's say if you're working with a factory in the US and you can't order, bundles and bundles of a certain fabric like you might from China. Maybe you just wanna use the scrap fabric to keep the cost a bit lower.
[00:06:24] Azhelle Wade: This way of thinking is the new way of thinking we have to have about our toy products. Will it require additional testing? Yes. When you change your materials in the toy industry, you do have to retest your product. But if we work that into our pricing models, it may be able to work.
[00:06:40] Azhelle Wade: So I hope that this episode and this interview inspires you to think differently about the way that you develop your toy product lines, especially considering this innovative product line was created by a major toy company, and if they can execute something like this on a mass scale, you can definitely do something like this on a smaller scale.
[00:07:01] Azhelle Wade: So today I'm taking you inside an interview that I actually held at New York Toy Fair, where I got a sneak peek at one of the most exciting new products that's gonna hit shelves in 2025. I had the chance to chat with Lisa Doiron, the VP of Global Brand Marketing at Basic Fun.
[00:07:16] Azhelle Wade: We spoke right on the show floor inside of their Toy Trade Show booth, and she showed me something that I know you're gonna wanna hear about and you're gonna love. It's their newest launch coming fall 2025 called ThreadZ. It's T-H-R-E-A-D-Z. Threadz is a limited edition plush collectible line.
[00:07:34] Azhelle Wade: It taps directly into what Gen Alpha is craving. That generation's all about personalization, self-expression, and it leans into a bit of that FOMO that many of our generations have. If you missed the product, then you just missed it, you won't be able to get it. These plush characters each have their own personalities, unique looks with their one of a kind fabrics and prints, and they're released in small never to be repeated drops. It gives collectible, it gives fashion forward, and it's given that limited edition energy that is going to get people scrambling. What I love most about this line is it's a daring shift in how we produce product. Basic Fun is a company you might know for bringing back classic brands like Care Bears and Light Bright, but with Threadz, they're not looking back. They are looking full steam ahead. They are creating their own fresh, modern brand, using everything they know about branding, trend hunting, kids today, and they're building something unique and fresh.
[00:08:39] Azhelle Wade: So today I want you to listen closely to this episode. Listen to the thought process behind the line. I want you to listen into the questions I ask and the positions I pose about how unique of an undertaking this is in the industry and why people haven't done it before.
[00:08:59] Azhelle Wade: Okay. I hope you enjoyed today's interview with Lisa from Basic Fun.
[00:09:03] Azhelle Wade: Hey there toy people. I am here with Lisa D.
[00:09:06] Lisa Doiron: What's up?
[00:09:07] Azhelle Wade: of Basic Fun. Okay. Lisa, you are the Vice President of Global Brand Marketing here.
[00:09:13] Lisa Doiron: Yes, I am.
[00:09:14] Azhelle Wade: And you just showed me a really cool new product. Threadz. Yes. I got the exclusive take. I got into one of the secret booths at Toy Fair. I found ThreadZ.
[00:09:23] Azhelle Wade: So tell me all about Threadz.
[00:09:24] Lisa Doiron: Yeah. Threadz is going to be our newest plush collectible brand coming out in fall of 25. All you older age Gen alpha girls, shout out to you as you're doing your Threadz hunting out there, all about making sure we have unique styles with customized prints and fabrics.
[00:09:40] Lisa Doiron: They're all gonna be done in limited runs. So if you see this little guy out there in the market and you don't get him day one, you may not find him again. It is all about the hunt, right? You guys are hunting for fashions, you're hunting for looks. You're gonna be hunting for these characters. We have them in three scales.
[00:09:56] Lisa Doiron: So a 10 inch, an eight inch, and a clip on dangler for your backpacks, your purses and the like, which is really amazing. All unique styles, all unique fabrics. They got amazing looks and personalities to them. So if you see one, get it. 'Cause if you don't, it's gonna be gone.
[00:10:10] Azhelle Wade: I gotta give a shout out to my cousin Lily, 'cause I know she will love this brand.
[00:10:14] Azhelle Wade: Hi Lily. We will get you one. Okay? Andrea, you're her mom is gonna hate me, but we are gonna have to get into the Threadz world. But listen...
[00:10:23] Lisa Doiron: We'll hook you.
[00:10:24] Azhelle Wade: Okay, so I have to say as someone who's done product development before, this is a huge undertaking to create something with this handmade feel in it. Like this is a commitment by a toy brand of Basic Fun that cares about creating an experience for their consumers.
[00:10:39] Azhelle Wade: So I applaud you for that big time because something like this just doesn't happen often in the toy industry. So this is kind of like a drop concept where you're doing a limited run of every single item that's gonna be dropped. Can you tell us the different price points? Of the different items here, the retail prices?
[00:10:54] Lisa Doiron: Yeah, absolutely. So the bigger box versions are $14.99. If I can put this one down, I will grab the cheeky little monkey, this one's at $10, and again, unique styles in this scale versus the other one. And then we will have our lower price points, OPP, clip plush collectible, which is amazing. And who doesn't want this unique bunny?
[00:11:17] Azhelle Wade: I want?
[00:11:17] Lisa Doiron: Yes. This may be the only time she sees it.
[00:11:20] Azhelle Wade: Oh, oh my God.
[00:11:21] Lisa Doiron: It'll be gone girl.
[00:11:22] Azhelle Wade: Well, I feel hurt. Look at how, look at the matching.
[00:11:27] Lisa Doiron: Mm. Meant to be,
[00:11:28] Azhelle Wade: We go together. It was meant to be
[00:11:29] Lisa Doiron: The vibe.
[00:11:30] Azhelle Wade: So you said they all have unique personalities. How so?
[00:11:33] Lisa Doiron: If you look at 'em, it's all based off of the detail in the face. And the expressions that we're giving them. So some have a little bit of an eye execution with the eyebrows. Some of them have it in the facial features, whether it's the eyes or the mouth itself. Yes, they do have their little Threadz button on the back, which is really amazing.
[00:11:51] Azhelle Wade: A little button butt.
[00:11:52] Lisa Doiron: There you go. A button butt, which is really awesome. So they look super cute. Super plush. Yeah, super amazing. All of the feels and the materials, which is really great. And then being able to have it on the go is even better.
[00:12:03] Azhelle Wade: Where'd this idea come from? Can you share?
[00:12:05] Lisa Doiron: From us, it's an internal idea, which is really great.
[00:12:08] Lisa Doiron: Our team does a phenomenal job with trend hunting. And we're so tapped in with the Gen Alpha consumer. We've really dove in head first when we have the little pet shop and said, how do we understand these girls? How are they evolving? How do they want products to be?
[00:12:21] Lisa Doiron: And what really resonates with them?
[00:12:22] Azhelle Wade: And what'd you say to me when I walked in? You're like, the gen alpha girl really likes, and I was like, oh, you're great.
[00:12:26] Lisa Doiron: Individuality and uniqueness. Right? They wanna feel that they could find something in the marketplace that exemplifies them and is a one of one, right?
[00:12:34] Lisa Doiron: Just like a snowflake. We're all very personal. So these characters help to do that, which is really amazing. So bringing all of that to life in a toyetic form. It's just such a powerful combination.
[00:12:43] Azhelle Wade: Yes. And that it's just you're kind of breaking the toy industry a little bit. We love it when we can do like mass runs.
[00:12:49] Azhelle Wade: Right. We're like trying to save, save. You're like, you're doing something different. Yes. I love that. Very so exciting. Mm-hmm. I'm so excited. So I'd love to know a little bit about you 'cause I'm sure the viewers looking, they're like, oh my gosh. Who is this beautiful powerhouse VP making cool product? How could I be like her?
[00:13:03] Azhelle Wade: Tell me a little bit about your toy career. How'd you get to where you are today?
[00:13:07] Lisa Doiron: Okay, so originally I came from Hasbro prior to that, which has been amazing. A lot of my job has been on the brand marketing side with marketing itself, which has been absolutely phenomenal. I've run the Disney brands. So if you think about all the fun that you can have with Star Wars, with Marvel, with Disney Princess.
[00:13:24] Lisa Doiron: I launched the Frozen II theatrical product line, which is absolutely amazing from a US marketing side. So my kids have only known me to be in toys. And the way that they describe me is I'm literally Tom Hanks for Big Aw. Right. Like, it's kind of that expression and having them come into the office every day and run around.
[00:13:40] Lisa Doiron: It's amazing to see it through their eyes and that's what really kind of keeps my fire going. Yeah. You know, people say, why do you do toys? And my ultimate objective is to make a kid smile.
[00:13:48] Lisa Doiron: Yeah. And that's really what it is. How do you get that unique genuine feedback and engagement with them, which is super awesome.
[00:13:55] Lisa Doiron: So that's what fuels me to keep going and to make product and see people, you know, express and be super excited about it. And wanna know more about it. And then of course wanna buy it.
[00:14:04] Azhelle Wade: Yes. Lisa, thank you so much. Threadz is coming out fall 2025 this year. Look out for it. It'll be in some stores.
[00:14:12] Azhelle Wade: Mm-hmm. Can't say which. Yeah. We'll put it in the show notes when it comes out, when we get the information. Thank you so much, Lisa.
[00:14:18] Lisa Doiron: You got it. Take care. Bye bye.
[00:14:20] Azhelle Wade: . Well, there you have at Toy People. My interview with Lisa Doiron, the VP of Global Brand Marketing at Basic Fun. I hope you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you to think differently about the production process for your toy product line. Maybe a unique spin on your production process can become part of the personality vibe and the interesting nature of your toy itself.
[00:14:45] Azhelle Wade: If you love this podcast, did you know that you can support the show? Making It In The Toy Industry takes a lot of work and energy and other people to make happen. If you love this show and you want it to keep on trucking, then head over to thetoycoach.com/support. Show some love, support the show that helps creators like you grow and launch their businesses, build relationships, and inspires new ideas. And if you haven't left us a rating and review yet, wherever you are, please stop.
[00:15:17] Azhelle Wade: Give us a five star rating. Leave us a review and tell me what you think about today's episode and if it helped you think differently about your toy brand. As always, thank you so much for spending this time with me today. I know your time is valuable and that there are a ton of podcasts out there, so it truly means the world to me that you tune into this one.
[00:15:37] Azhelle Wade: Until next week, I'll see you later Toy people.
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