i-Gami is a toy in which small plastic pieces can be bent and snapped together to form small to large three-dimensional figures. It began production in 2006 by Plastic Play Inc. before being acquired by PlaSmart Inc.
i-Gami is a toy product created by Boaz Axelrad, a Canadian.[1] The toy takes inspiration from Japanese origami. Unlike origami, however, i-Gami is made from small pieces of plastic that can be bent and snapped together to form various figures, either in two- or three-dimensional form. Additionally, pieces can be disassembled and/or reused. Figures can be built either by following an instruction booklet which comes with each set, or by creating custom designs imagined by the creator.
i-Gami began production in 2006 by Plastic Play Inc., a company located in Oshawa before being acquired by Ottawa-based PlaSmart (best known for its success with the PlasmaCar) in 2009.[2] PlaSmart had previously been the exclusive US distributor of the product since 2007. The company now owns all intellectual property rights to and manufacturing assets for the product line.[2]
Currently, i-Gami is sold in box sets, ranging from beginner (54 pieces) to advanced (600 pieces).
i-Gami has been generally well received by consumers.[3] Consumers appreciate the fact that i-Gami promotes spatial learning, and also introduces the concept of counter pressure to young children.[3] It has received multiple awards (see Awards section) since its entrance into the market.
PlaSmart Inc.