Phthlates, a chemical used to soften plastic will be partially banned by the United States government soon due to findings that health concerns may be in peril. Among the products falling under the plastic softener area include children’s toys. Hence, putting the life of a child in danger is something that has to stop and with the drive of the US government to put a halt to these harmful toxins, a lot of lives can be spared.

The chemicals, known as phthalates, are found in hundreds of household items, including soft plastic toys and other baby products, such as teethers, bath books, and rubber ducks.

Studies have found exposure may cause long-term health effects, including cancer, as the chemicals can interfere with the development of the hormone and reproductive systems.

(Source) Environment News Service

Babies, baby products, cancer, Chemicals, child in danger, Children and Toys, harmful toxins, health concerns, long term health, plastic, plastic softener, plastic toys, reproductive systems, rubber ducks, toy makers Babies, baby products, cancer, Chemicals, child in danger, Children and Toys, harmful toxins, health concerns, long term health, plastic, plastic softener, plastic toys, reproductive systems, rubber ducks, toy makers

With all the recent headline attention on toy recalls, many of the big toy stores are thinking wisely and loading  their shelves with eco-friendly designed toys. Consumers are now trying to avoid the celebrated lead paint and globally dangerous toys of past,  which has simultaneously flung the doors open for eco-friendly toy manufacturers such as ImagiPlay.

Kids love toys. Kids live for toys. They are attracted to playthings like a fly to a light, although it eventually boils down to the colors, the features, and the child’s age. However, take into account the fact that the holiday season is just around the corner. Parents are more likely to consider safety first rather than glaring, bright colors and impressive features.

Millions of toys were recalled in 2007 because of worries about lead and other hazards. This year, big toy sellers have embraced stricter safety standards.

Some have gone even further. Touting “good green fun,” Toys “R” Us in March announced a line of “eco-friendly” toys, such as dolls made with organic cotton and an unpainted, battery-free wooden fire engine.

“When you see green toys at a place like Toys ‘R’ Us, you know it’s mainstream,” said Wendy Smolen, editorial director for Toy Wishes magazine.

(Source) AJC.com

Babies, Children and Toys, dangerous toys, Eco Friendly, editorial director, fire engine, fun toys, green fun, Green Marketing, Green News, holiday season, kids these days, lead paint, organic-cotton, safety standards, store shelves, stores, toy manufacturers, toy recalls, toy sellers, toy stores, toy wishes magazine, toys r us Babies, Children and Toys, dangerous toys, Eco Friendly, editorial director, fire engine, fun toys, green fun, Green Marketing, Green News, holiday season, kids these days, lead paint, organic-cotton, safety standards, store shelves, stores, toy manufacturers, toy recalls, toy sellers, toy stores, toy wishes magazine, toys r us

These may like the replicators off of Stargate SG1 but we are assuming that these solar powered robots are totally friendly and apart from the occasional burst of energy when it begins to flap its wings the bug will remain where it has been placed.

They are brain child of Tiny Minds and although they are priced at $80 the value is in how different something like this is when placed on a desk or table near the window.

Alternative Energy, Arts and Entertainment, Children and Toys, desk, Eco Friendly, energy, Fun and Games, robot, solar, Solar Power, Solar Power, table Alternative Energy, Arts and Entertainment, Children and Toys, desk, Eco Friendly, energy, Fun and Games, robot, solar, Solar Power, Solar Power, table

We know that Stella McCartney has always been a bit of a green machine when it comes to her designs but when she was putting pen to paper and came up with this bunny bag she really did go to town on it.

Made from recycled nylon, there is nothing within the manufacturing process that has been derived from animals, which is why creating a bunny is so cool. The bunny bag is going to become part of the McCartney range of bags for where it is on sale for $120. The LeSportSac webpage where the bag can be found, is really cool too, the image looks like a drawing until the fabric pattern is chosen.

Animals, Arts and Entertainment, bag, Bags, Bags, bunny, Children and Toys, Fashion and Beauty, Green, lesportsac, nylon, Purses, Recycle, recycled Animals, Arts and Entertainment, bag, Bags, Bags, bunny, Children and Toys, Fashion and Beauty, Green, lesportsac, nylon, Purses, Recycle, recycled

Do you recall the ages where skateboards were the talk of the town? These days, we still see them around although not as frequent as before. But with this new skateboard called the Push Deck from Element Skateboards, expect a new breed to demand what this featherlight helium construction.

The Push Deck is lighter than the average skateboard and the green part of it is that is wood used for it comes from selected harvested trees.

The Push Deck is a skateboarding paradox. Lighter than any other deck, it’s also more durable.

This innovative structure is a result of the combination of the responsiveness and power of carbon fiber with the durability of Element’s own featherlight helium construction (i.e. there’s air inside). The upshot is a deck that sets a new standard for high-impact skateboarders. Bloggers have even gone as far as to call it “indestructible.”

The designs, the “Darrell”, the “Muska”, and the “Tave,” are the first three to be released in the Positive Negative series. We’re fans for the way the brand is reinventing skateboard construction while staying true to eco-friendly values. The wood is a result of responsible foresting; only selectively harvested trees are used in these decks.

(Source) Cool Hunting

carbon fiber, Children and Toys, Eco Friendly, element skateboards, featherweight, Green News, helium, paradox, skateboard, Trees carbon fiber, Children and Toys, Eco Friendly, element skateboards, featherweight, Green News, helium, paradox, skateboard, Trees

The real issues for most products today is how to make it eco-friendly. Apparently this points more towards the direction of packaging where the materials used such as plastic will often draw the ire of most environmentalists today.

Magic Cube is an educational book meant to cover such topics as the alphabet and the manner to which it is packaged obviously shows an overuse of plastic. ZooBooKoo has made the needed revisions to this packaging and has slashed the amount of plastic by 70% and the cube itself has 30 percent less space cost on transporting and warehousing storage.

ZooBooKoo commercial director Karen Wattle said: “Our new packaging is a positive and timely step forward for us. In one fell swoop, we have achieved a great new look to out cube range that retailers love, reduced the plastic content of our packaging and reduced the volume of space required to stock the product.”

The Cube Magic range is described as book in a cube and covers educational topics such as the alphabet, times tables and the human body. The cubes, which have a recommended retail price of about £5.99, can be flipped and unfolded to reveal content.

(Source) Spring Fair

Books, Children and Toys, cubes, Eco Friendly, educational book, environmentalists, magic cube, plastic, plastic content, recommended retail price, warehousing storage Books, Children and Toys, cubes, Eco Friendly, educational book, environmentalists, magic cube, plastic, plastic content, recommended retail price, warehousing storage

At one time of our lives, we have certainly heard of the game of Monopoly. The usual buying and selling, investing to get to the millions, Earthopoly is basically designed after it. The only difference is that it is based more on eco-friendly issues governing the world today.

Additionally, the whole game set itself is made from eco-friendly materials such as recycled paper and vegetable-oil based ink. If you want to know more about how to go eco-friendly these days, this is a game that promises to hold a lot of twists as well as fun for the eco-friendly consumers needed today.

Earthopoly is a new earth-friendly board game made by Cinncinati-based specialty game manufacturer Late for the Sky. The game follows the format and style of the legendary classic Monopoly, only nearly every aspect of the game right down to the board is eco-friendly.

All the paper is recyclable. The ink is vegetable oil-based ink. The game pieces are either made by nature or completely recyclable and many are sourced locally. The game’s box and board are made from 100% recycled paperboard, the outer wrapping is made from Earthfirst PLA film which is a bio-plastic.

(Source) Sustainable is Good

board game, Children and Toys, consumers, Fun and Games, game manufacturer, game pieces, Green Design, Green News, monopoly, new earth, recycled paperboard, recycled-paper, vegetable oil board game, Children and Toys, consumers, Fun and Games, game manufacturer, game pieces, Green Design, Green News, monopoly, new earth, recycled paperboard, recycled-paper, vegetable oil

Toys will always make a child happy. However, today a lot has been said on the kind of toys that are available in the market. Many toy manufacturers forget their ultimate social responsibility and most of, disregard the safety of potential hazards that raw materials and toxins can do to the child that finds comfort in toys.

Earthentree is one of these toy manufacturers that have acknowledged the need to be eco-friendly. It is not primarily about making money or a name for yourself. A lot of the big toy producers have been hit and soon enough, they will find themselves facing more penalties rather than the profits that they had originally hoped for. In short, your lackadaisical outlook will always come back to haunt you no matter how big you have gotten.

Recently at the Green Festival in Seattle April 12-13, Earthentree got an enthusiastic response. “I am getting tremendous amount of response,” she told India-West. “I am getting emails every day for wholesale enquiries and retail and things like that. People are really looking for something meaningful.”

For her, it’s not just about making money, it’s being part of something that was meaningful and worthy, Shankar said.

“Being very socially conscious and being around people who have been doing such tremendous amount of work, that was always my need to do that,” she said. “I’ve done a lot of work on folk and tribal art as well. So this is always in the back of my mind, to be doing something (worthwhile).

(Source) India West

Babies, Children and Toys, Earth Friendly, Eco Friendly, india west, making money, raw-materials, social responsibility, toxins, toy manufacturers, toy producers, toys, tribal art, wholesale enquiries Babies, Children and Toys, Earth Friendly, Eco Friendly, india west, making money, raw-materials, social responsibility, toxins, toy manufacturers, toy producers, toys, tribal art, wholesale enquiries

These swings are really wonderful, they not only look fantastic, and they also look as if they could really a natural occurring thing, which has been there in the garden forever. But in reality they are made from recycled materials. The pumpkin swing has been made from copper and waxed to preserve it.

Features:

Material: Copper

Dimensions: H1.4 x W1.4m - Weight 130kg

Price: £18,000 ($36,000)

Stand: £1200. ($2,400) Full circular stand 3m high with 1.5m diameter base

Options:

12v light fitting

Interior lights

Alcoves with night light holders

Music boxes

Jewellery box

Freight details:

We can ship the swings worldwide.

Children and Toys, Eco Friendly, Fun and Games, Furniture, Garden, Garden, Home and Garden, material, natural, Recycle, recycled, recycled materials, swings Children and Toys, Eco Friendly, Fun and Games, Furniture, Garden, Garden, Home and Garden, material, natural, Recycle, recycled, recycled materials, swings

Despite being part of the national curriculum the body that is charged with checking over schools Ofsted has recently been carrying out a study into the important subject of green living. The government are looking that all schools should be sustainable by the year 2020, the idea being that the teaching staff and the pupils limiting the impact that they have on the planet.

However there is no real directive which blankets the whole educational system through the country. What is needed is a coordinated approach to the subject and action plans developed in order for this to work properly.

art, blankets, Children and Toys, Conservation, Consumerism, curriculum, education, Green, Green Living, Socially Responsible, Sustainable art, blankets, Children and Toys, Conservation, Consumerism, curriculum, education, Green, Green Living, Socially Responsible, Sustainable

We all know that most parents today turn towards disposable diapers to help provide comfort for their babies but the issue of comfort will be a problem that most babies have.

gDiapers not only tries to provide babies and parents with the necessary comfort and needs today but also adheres towards the green standard practices being wooed today. gDiapers have no elemental chlorine, no perfumes, no smell, no garbage and no guilt. In fact, flushables are so gentle on the Earth you can even garden compost the wet ones in one compost cycle, approximately 50 – 150 days.

Why are gDiapers good for the planet? It is simple. Our flushables are designed using the Cradle to Cradle design principles of Bill McDonough and his firm MBDC. That means everything that goes into one of our flushables gets re-absorbed back into the eco-system in a neutral or beneficial way. So you are turning waste into a resource. At the same time, you are putting poop in the toilet, where it belongs, and avoiding the landfill issue all together.

(Source) Gdiapers

Babies, Babies, Children and Toys, compost cycle, Earth, Eco Friendly, eco system, elemental chlorine, Garbage, landfill, necessary comfort, toilet, wet ones Babies, Babies, Children and Toys, compost cycle, Earth, Eco Friendly, eco system, elemental chlorine, Garbage, landfill, necessary comfort, toilet, wet ones

As far as conceptualizing is concerned, most toy companies today are trying to outdo one another by using trends on how to be the ideal product for consumers today. The buying behavior or most people today have been sparked by the growing clamor for a greener environment. Among them include the fact that eco-friendliness which is now the benchmark for consumer preference and safety for their kids today.

A lot of toys have been recalled and others finding their ways towards being dragged down due to their lack of confirmation with regards towards their role in leading a green life. With that in mind, you can be sure companies will not just accept the state of the economy but also what most consumers look for as far as priorities are concerned.

“Green is now a really good card for the toy industry and the youth markets to play because it’s going to help move to the next level and get the recalls out of the consumers’ forefront,” says Marshal Cohen, NPD Group retail analyst. “In the toy industry, eco is about safety. It’s about, you know, using certain types of product materials that are safer than other

(Source) CNBC.com

Babies, benchmark, Children and Toys, consumers, Eco Friendly, economy, Great Gifts, Green Design, Green Marketing, Green News, toys, toy_companies Babies, benchmark, Children and Toys, consumers, Eco Friendly, economy, Great Gifts, Green Design, Green Marketing, Green News, toys, toy_companies

Toys will always be a child’s best friend, and their level of safety should never be left out as well. As far as eco-friendliness is concerned, Earthentree in Kirkland has started selling these eco-friendly toys to give parents peace of mind.

Apparently, the safety of our kids is important and with all the issues and discoveries of harmful materials and toxins in most toys such as lead paint, the need to find alternative means of keeping our kids safe is a need.

So rather than turning to the expensive branded toys, remember, your kids deserve the best but they also deserve to be safe from the problems of irresponsible toy manufacturers in the world today.

Earthentree’s toys are handmade in India out of sustainable wood and colored with vegetable dyes, meaning no lead paint, said owner Deepti Shankar.

“I joke that children get their five color vegetables if they put the toys in their mouth,” she said.

(Source) The Seattle Times

All Natural, Babies, Children and Toys, Green Design, Green News, harmful_materials, kirkland, lead_paint, Socially Responsible, toxins, toys, toy_manufacturers All Natural, Babies, Children and Toys, Green Design, Green News, harmful_materials, kirkland, lead_paint, Socially Responsible, toxins, toys, toy_manufacturers

With all the issues surrounding the make of toys these days, Toys ‘R ‘Us has opened a totally new eco-friendly line of toys to make sure that parents no longer have to worry about safety issues with regards to the toys that they buy for their children.

Ranging from lead paint and harmful chemicals that other toy manufacturers have injected into the market, Toys ‘R ‘Us has taken the initiative to calm down the elders in ensuring the safety and pleasure of their tykes. Now you don’t have to worry about potential threats to your children anymore.

Toys”R”Us today announced the launch of an exclusive line of environmentally friendly toys that will be marketed under the Toys”R”Us brand. This line of toys is being introduced as more kids and families strive to make lifestyle changes that incorporate more organic and natural products. The first toys in the collection — Natural Wooden Toys, Natural Cotton plush animals and Organic Cotton Dolls — will be available exclusively at Toys”R”Us stores nationwide and online at www.Toysrus.com by Earth Day, April 22.

(Source) Fox Business

Children and Toys, Eco Friendly, Green Marketing, Green News, harmful_chemicals, lead_paint, safety_issues, toys_r_us_stores, toy_manufacturers Children and Toys, Eco Friendly, Green Marketing, Green News, harmful_chemicals, lead_paint, safety_issues, toys_r_us_stores, toy_manufacturers

When it comes to the environment you can never start too early and what better way could there be than getting these T Shirts for the children to pass the message around and take care of the planet at the same time.

The T Shirts have an old vintage style look to them along with the classic message on the front.

Made from 100% certified ORGANIC COTTON, this short sleeve t-shirt is so soft and comfy!

Grey shirt with “PLEASE RECYCLE” screen.

Pre-Washed and Pre-Shrunk.

Also available in KHAKI.

(100% certified ORGANIC COTTON)

Priced at $40

Source [Pregnancy Fashion]

Babies, Babies, Children and Toys, Children and Toys, classic_message, Clothing, Clothing, Cotton, Cotton, grey_shirt, Organic, Organic, organic_cotton, pregnancy_fashion, short_sleeve, t_shirt, vintage_style Babies, Babies, Children and Toys, Children and Toys, classic_message, Clothing, Clothing, Cotton, Cotton, grey_shirt, Organic, Organic, organic_cotton, pregnancy_fashion, short_sleeve, t_shirt, vintage_style