We are hopping with happiness to announce that Binky has won Gold for Best Online Retailer at the Absolutely Mama Awards 2026!
This is an incredibly proud moment for Binky. The award recognises everything we have worked to create: an independent online toy and gift shop where thoughtful curation, genuine expertise, joyful play and personal service come together.
Most importantly, it recognises the community that has supported us. To every customer who has chosen a gift from Binky, recommended us to a friend, shared a kind word or returned to shop with us again THANK YOU! This Gold Award belongs to you too.
Why I Founded Binky
I founded Binky because I believed parents and gift-givers deserved a better way to shop for children.
Shopping for a special present should feel joyful, not overwhelming. Inspired by the thoughtful curation and customer experiences offered by stores such as Liberty and Selfridges, I wanted to build a destination that parents and gift-givers would genuinely enjoy visiting.
Binky was created to help people spend less time searching and more time sharing special moments with the people they love.
Whilst I am a mum, Binky is not curated solely through a parenting lens. I bring more than 25 years of professional experience designing, developing and manufacturing consumer products, toys and gifts for global brands.
Throughout my career, I have worked closely with manufacturers, product developers and retailers. That experience has given me a deep understanding of quality, safety, ethical manufacturing and, most importantly, how children learn, develop and connect through play.
That expertise shapes every product we stock.
Chosen for More Than Popularity
Every toy and gift at Binky is carefully selected not simply because it is popular, but because it offers genuine play value, exceptional quality and lasting appeal.
We champion products that can be treasured, passed on and enjoyed for years rather than becoming disposable purchases. In many ways, Binky encourages customers to buy better, not simply buy more.
This commitment to quality and considered curation sits at the heart of our Gold Award-winning online shopping experience.
Explore our carefully curated collection of toys and gifts.
A More Personal Way to Find the Perfect Gift
Our desire to make gifting easier and more meaningful led to the creation of Binky’s unique Shop by Personality experience.
Gift-givers might not always know a child’s latest hobby, but they often know the child themselves. They know whether that child is a Curiously Creative, a Natural Performer, a Tech Explorer, a Future Rocket Scientist or a wonderfully energetic Wild Child.
By helping customers shop by personality as well as age, we offer a more intuitive and personal way to choose a gift. It saves time, builds confidence and helps people discover something that feels truly right for the recipient.
It is one of the things that makes shopping with Binky feel different.
Championing Play at Every Age
Much of the toy industry focuses on babies and preschool children, but at Binky, we believe play remains important throughout childhood and beyond.
That is why we deliberately curate toys, games, creative activities and gifts for school-age children, teenagers and even grown-ups.
Creativity, imagination, discovery and connection do not stop at a certain age.
Play brings joy. It brings families together. It creates memories and encourages meaningful connection.
A Female-Founded Independent Business
Binky is proudly female-founded and has been built with the support of talented women, entrepreneurs and mothers who have helped shape the business from the beginning.
Together, we have created a brand that understands the realities of modern family life while providing the knowledge, quality and service that customers deserve.
Receiving the Absolutely Mama Gold Award for Best Online Retailer 2026 is a wonderful recognition of the expertise, care and determination that our team brings to Binky every day.
Conscious Gifting With Lasting Value
Conscious gifting remains central to the Binky philosophy.
We work with brands that share our commitment to quality, ethical manufacturing and responsible production. We consider how products are made, what materials are used and whether they have the durability and lasting appeal to be enjoyed again and again.
We are also proud to support children’s charities and community initiatives through donations and partnerships.
Our aim is simple: to offer beautiful toys for joyful childhoods chosen thoughtfully, made responsibly and designed to last.
You can learn more about Binky’s story and values.
A Personal Reminder That Time Is Precious
The past year also brought an unexpected personal challenge when I was diagnosed with kidney cancer and underwent major surgery.
That experience reinforced something that has always sat at the heart of Binky: time is precious.
It strengthened our commitment to helping busy families spend less time searching for the right gift and more time creating memories together.
Every decision we make is guided by the belief that childhood should be filled with joy, creativity and play—and that the moments we share with the people we love truly matter.
An Award-Winning Journey
We are incredibly proud that Binky has now received several industry honours, including:
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Gold, Best Online Retailer: Absolutely Mama Awards 2026
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Best Online Children’s Toy Retailer UK 2024
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Bronze, Best Retailer: City Kids Green Awards 2024
Each award strengthens our determination to continue offering exceptional products, thoughtful service and a better way to shop for children’s gifts.
The Absolutely Mama Awards celebrate brands making a positive contribution to modern family life. To be recognised among them means more to us than we can say.
A Heartfelt Thank You
Thank you to the Absolutely Mama team and judges for this incredible honour.
Thank you to the talented women, independent brands, entrepreneurs and partners who have supported Binky from the beginning.
Above all, thank you to our customers. Every order, recommendation, review and message has helped us reach this special milestone. As an independent business, your support makes a genuine difference.
At its heart, Binky exists to make gifting easier, more thoughtful and more joyful. Winning Gold for Best Online Retailer tells us that this mission resonates—and inspires us to keep building on it.
Here’s to more joyful play, meaningful gifts and precious memories together.
After all, a Binky is a hop, skip and a jump of sheer joy.
With heartfelt thanks,
Alexis
Founder of Binky
