OUR HISTORY
Avonlea Traditions Inc. is a Canadian owned and operated company founded in 1988 and based in Newmarket, Ontario.
Avonlea’s first products were based on Canada’s storybook character, Anne of Green Gables. The company quickly secured a position as the world’s largest distributor of “Anne” products and began to develop several new theme-based collections, including a large range of award-winning porcelain and play dolls, stationery, antique replica doll furniture, and other fine collectibles and giftware.
In 2003, after more than a decade of research, Avonlea Traditions introduced the Maplelea Girls, a line of high quality, Canadian-themed 45 cm (18”) vinyl play dolls that are an inspiration to, and a reflection of, Canadian girls from coast to coast to coast. The Maplelea line has experienced rapid growth and has become the company's sole focus, with an ever-increasing range of products specially designed for girls aged 6 to 12+.
Though it was a bit of a risk developing a line of dolls for the comparatively small Canadian market, the overwhelming support from Canadian families helped us expand our line to include a vast range of dolls and accessories with new products being added all the time.
We take great pride in being a Canadian-based company. The development, design, sculpting, writing, illustration, translation, marketing, distribution and customer service of Maplelea products are all done in Canada. We’ve made special arrangements with several Canadian suppliers to manufacture specific pieces for our collection. For example, craftspeople in Nunavut make Saila’s Pang hat and Amazing Amauti for us according to their traditional designs. A Toronto factory makes our girl-size hoodies, and a family business in Ontario makes our Doll-size toboggans and Muskoka chairs by doing everything from growing the trees, right through to crafting the finished product. However, there are no vinyl doll factories in Canada, thus the assembly of our Canadian-designed products is mainly done at highly qualified, socially responsible factories in China.
Maplelea’s office is located in Newmarket, ON and it is from here that products are shipped across Canada, and around the world. From time to time, Maplelea will sell products through its own pop-up shops or events. However, Maplelea continues to offer Canadians and others the best prices possible for its exceptionally high quality line by selling direct to consumers from its website, rather than through other retailers. The only way to buy authentic Maplelea products is directly from us through our online store or mail order catalogue.
