Earth Responsible Toy Companies

I can't stand all the packaging that comes with kids' toys. It's just as frustrating for me to remove it as it is for my kids to wait (rather impatiently) to do it. When we had Grayson's first birthday party this weekend, I was reminded yet again of how much I hate it and all the waste it causes, until Grayson opened a toy cell phone and an adorable bath tug boat from B. Toys. I've always loved the colors and design of their toys, but this time, I really read the packaging and was happy to find they are an earth-responsible toy company who makes their packaging from all recycled materials, some of them even serving double duty as pretty trays or reusable containers. And they even give 10 cents from every toy purchased to the charity, Free the Children. I love corporations that give back. So, that got me to thinking – what other earth friendly toy companies are out there? Turns out, there are quite a few!

Source

Green Toys

  • Made from 100% recycled plastic, most of which are milk jugs (yep, the ones we use everyday! Pretty cool, huh?)
  • Made in the USA (which reduces transportation and, therefore, pollution and greenhouse gases)
  • Simple design, allowing kids to decide how to use the toy, which develops imagination and creativity
  • Minimal packaging – all packaging is recycled corrugated boxes with no plastics, cellophane or twist-ties, and are 100% recyclable
  • Watch a video of their story on YouTube
  • Prices 
    • Most Expensive Toy: $48.99 (on amazon.com)
    • Cheapest Toy: $8.50 (on amazon.com)
  • Where Can I Buy these Toys? (here is a list of the most popular places, but for a full list, visit https://www.greentoys.com/buy/index.html)

  • Wooden toys made from rubberwood, which is not fertilized for three years prior to cutting the tree down, to keep the wood safe
  • They are also made with non-toxic wood glue, and water-based inks, and all packaging is made of recycled materials or is recyclable
  • Green manufacturing – they use solar, biomass and low-emission bio-fuels to power the machinery used in the kiln-drying process
  • Green packaging – they take care to minimize storage and shipping space to save on fuel and waste reduction
  • Watch a cute video about their story on YouTube
  • Prices 
    • Most Expensive Toy: $76.95 (on fatbraintoys.com)
    • Cheapest Toy: $5.60 (on fatbraintoys.com)
  • Where Can I Buy these Toys?
    (if this list doesn't suit your fancy, just google Plan Toys and you'll get a whole mess of places to buy them from!)
  • A nail polish company who says their nail polish is “as natural as mud!” Very cute.
  • Natural, non-toxic, hypoallergenic, eco-friendly nail polish and nail polish remover
  • Made in the USA and free shipping from their website!
  • Prices 
    • Each bottle is $8.99 on their website
  • Where Can I Buy this?
    (for a complete list, visit https://www.piggypaint.com/retailers)

  • A family-run business that makes all natural art supplies for children
  • Products are powder based and made from fruit and vegetable extracts like beets, carrots, and red cabbage
  • Packaging is kept to a minimum to reduce waste
  • Prices 
    • Most Expensive Product (finger paint): $23.99
    • Cheapest Product (rolling pin): $6.00 
  • Where Can I Buy this?
    (for a complete list, visit https://www.ecokidsusa.com/store-locations.html)

Source
  • All made in the USA, more specifically, Vermont, with a company culture of reusing and recycling (read more here)
  • They work with local companies to make their toys, claiming to only use 1% of foreign companies
  • They use only Vermont trees, such as rock maple, pine and cherry, from a sustainable farm (source)
  • The coolest part – local farmers use their sawdust for cattle bedding and they leave their wood scraps for locals to use for kindling for their wood stoves! (source)
  • Minimal packaging to reduce waste. They even reuse boxes and packing materials (taking packing peanut donations from the local community) for outgoing shipments!
  • Prices 
    (the prices run the gamut, with the average price being in the $40 range, although you can buy many cars and small toys between $10 and $20).
    • Most Expensive Toy (ABC heirloom blocks): $112
    • Cheapest Toy (activity book): $2.95 
  • Where Can I Buy this?
Here are websites with even more earth responsible toy companies listed:

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *