Wondering if there are cool kids toys that are also eco-friendly? Why yes! There are sustainable toy companies that produce unique and responsibly-sourced toys for toddlers. Get to know some of the eco-friendly toy companies that are revolutionizing the industry while leaving minimal carbon footprints.
Know More about Sustainable Cool Kids Toys
In this article:
- What Are Sustainable Kids Toys?
- When Do Kids Toys Become Non-sustainable?
- How Are Sustainable Kids Toys Made?
- Why Choose Sustainable Kids Toys?
- Who Makes Sustainable Toys for Toddlers?
- Where Can You Find Sustainable Cool Kids Toys?
What Are Sustainable Cool Kids Toys?
Sustainable toys come from materials that do not exhaust our natural resources or cause severe ecological damage. Simply put, these toys do little or no harm to the environment. Some are even organic and those that aren’t are recyclable. Examples of these are wood, sawdust, recycled straw, or plastic milk bottles.
Eco-friendly toys are mostly more expensive than their less sustainable versions. But they do tend to pay for themselves over time, considering these toys tend to be more durable and, again, less toxic to nature.
When Do Kids Toys Become Non-Sustainable?
Conventional, mass-produced toys are more often than not non-sustainable. They are considered as such because they are made out of plastic, which may contain toxic chemicals. Few of these are phthalates, bisphenol a, mercury, lead, cadmium, and arsenic. Basically, kids toys are not sustainable when they can harm our bodies and damage the environment.
But there is also another angle to sustainability. It is not just about being eco-friendly—sustainability also covers fair employment. If the employees who make the toys are not receiving just wages and are treated poorly, then the toys, no matter how eco-friendly they are, should not be considered sustainable.
How Are Sustainable Kids Toys Made?
Sustainable toy companies craft their products responsibly. They make sure the materials they’re using do not cause severe damage to nature and harm children with toxic chemicals.
Some companies combine sawdust, wheat straw, and other waste materials with recycled plastic. Others make toys from recycled plastic milk bottles, which are free from BPA, PVC, or phthalates. There are also companies that craft their toys from wood that comes from sustainable tree plantations.
Why Choose Sustainable Kids Toys?
Sustainable products are a better option simply because they help preserve and improve our world. But choosing sustainable toys for toddlers is uniquely better because the toys are less harmful. At their age, toddlers are prone to exploring things with their mouths. If they play with non-sustainable toys, they might accidentally ingest chemicals that harm their developing minds and bodies.
Kids toys made from sustainable materials like wood also tend to last longer. When your toddler grows up, you can hand down the toy to your younger child or even put them away for the next generation.
Who Makes Sustainable Cool Kids Toys for Toddlers?
Nowadays, there are plenty of eco-friendly toy companies for toddlers. Here are some of them:
1. Petit Collage
It produces wooden toys such as Rabbit Wood Stacking Toy for infants and toddlers. The company uses responsibly-sourced wood and paints that are vegetable-based or water-based. It also has craft kits that boost the child’s imagination through pretend play.
2. Pebble
They make knitted animals like KittiKat and GoodDog Rattles for toddlers. These are great toys for anxious and scared children. The toys have been designed to be their companions growing up. The company works with Hathay Bunano, a non-profit fair-trade organization in Bangladesh that provides fair employment to women in rural areas.
3. Apple Park
It is another toy company for babies and children. It makes products from responsibly sourced organic cotton free from harmful chemicals. The purpose is to inspire the kids to play without putting them in harm’s way. One of the cool kids toys from the business is Picnic Pals Plush Swinging Crate Bunny. It can be an interactive toy or a beautiful display in the child’s room.
4. Moulin Roty
Moulin Roty is a brand under a cooperative that is 100 percent worker-owned. It is famous for combining wood and fabric to create a sustainable, organic, and safe toys for kids. A good example is the Moon the Cat Doll. It is a beautiful toy a toddler can cuddle at night. The fabric usually comes from Europe while the wood is from an ecologically managed forest.
Where Can You Find Sustainable Cool Kids Toys?
Cool kids toys that are sustainable are challenging to find in stores even with the increasing number of sustainable toy companies. Luckily, they are easy to find online! One example is Simply Inspired Goods, an online shop that exclusively sells socially and environmentally responsible products.
Watch this video from World Bank and learn how sustainable toys affect people’s livelihood:
Start teaching your children about sustainability early on. Teach them that there is a way to enjoy material things without having to sacrifice others’ welfare or the environment. One way to do this is to let them see that toys are much cooler when they are sustainable. This is important considering that a plethora of non-sustainable cool kids toys are easily available in the market. If they learn to appreciate environmentally friendly products as toddlers, they may continue doing so as adults.
What do you know about sustainable cool kids toys? Let us know in the comments!
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