Eco-Chick · The modern girl's guide to living green & fabulous.

by Kimberly Jordan Allen · 01/24/08

When we first started to register for baby gifts we knew that we wanted to avoid being inundated with primary colored hunks of plastic that scream encouraging jargon (”great job!!” said the machine…) whilst playing a neon light show that could stimulate anyone into a state of ADD. Now that my kids are playing more and starting to cruise around, I have been looking into more wholesome toys they can interact with; nibble, drag, pummel, hug and so on. There are a few toy sites that have good, quality toys. With today’s toxin scares, purchasing well-made, non-toxic toys takes a bit of research but is worth the effort. Here are a few toys and sites that we love. Sometimes it costs a bit more to buy something sustainably produced, but to us it is better to have a few good toys than hundreds of pieces of landfill fodder. Not all toys on these websites are organic or ‘natural,’ (depending on what that means for you) so, as with all things, read the fine print. There are a few sites that have mostly organic and natural items, such as Tiny Bird (see below.)
This dragon from Lana Organic is colorful and well-made.
Under the Nile makes quality toys and clothing that seems to last forever, surviving many washings. These stuffed grapes have been in our house since the babes were born and they still play with them. Under the Nile also makes fantastic organic swaddling blankets that really make the best baby burrito!
Tiny Birds Organics carries lots of environmentally conscious toys. Plan Toys, the company that makes this rolling snail, has won many awards for their eco-friendly toys that stimulate imaginations and promote development.
This organic ball, made by Sigikid looks soft and inviting. All of their products are made using traditional Bavarian craftsmanship and are machine washable.
Uncle Goose blocks use naturally derived inks and sustainable wood. These blocks are well made and have so much to look at: pictures, numbers, letters. We love them.

Kimberly Jordan Allen is a freelance writer focusing on health and wellness. Kimberly's work has been featured in E/The Environmental Magazine, NY Spirit, Check Biotech, and the Organic Consumers Association website.

5 Comments on “Quality, Not Quantity: Organic and Natural Toys”

• kids, Toys, Room, Toy Room, toddlers
  

  [...] EcoChick [...]

  01/26/08 » 11:27 am »

• Matt Smith
  

  Nice article. Over here in the Uk there are lots of alternatives for green toys which are also ethical. Try http://www.naturalcollection.co.uk and as the kids get older and have parties and you want party bags try http://www.ethicalpartybags.com All the products are Fairly Traded and eco friendly.

  01/30/08 » 12:44 pm »

• Welcome Eco Moms! » Eco-Chick
  

  [...] Jordan Allen’s posts on Green toys and Inspirational Green Links for Green Moms are a great place to start. This entry was posted [...]

  02/16/08 » 11:55 am »

• Sara Frankel
  

  Hi Kim,

  I just wanted to let you know about our company, Rosie Hippo. We sell toys made exclusively from wood and other natural materials. All of our toys toys are extremely well-constructed, and we try to find toys that stimulate both skill development and imagination. Please check us out! The site is at http://www.rosiehippo.com.

  Sara

  04/23/08 » 5:48 am »

• john walter
  

  the article is very nice and educational i agree to support the toys which are made of wood rather than plastic

  02/10/10 » 11:55 pm »

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