Orange You Glad We Found This Website?
Date: September 24, 2008 | Category: Care, Clothing, Food, Furniture, Kids, Toys
Why is it that tiny newborns raise such big questions in the minds of new moms? Instinctively, mothers want the best for their babies and often even the most thoughtless person will veer towards eco-friendly baby products when they become a parent.
When Generation Orange founder Shital Mehta gave birth to her son Krishna, now 20 months, she was intent on using only the most natural products on the market. So when she couldn’t find baby bottles made using BPA-free plastic in stores, she contacted a distributor of the bottles and ordered a case to share with friends who had also been trying to track the bottles down. As she researched other clean infant items, she realized that bottles weren’t the only hard-to-find sustainable products.
Founded by Mehta with her husband Prashanth Mysoor, Generation Orange is built on the principles of health, sustainability and community. The site provides one-stop-shopping for stylish baby and child products, including toys, clothing and foods, all made with the most natural materials available.
Generation Orange also puts a premium on giving back and works hard to partner with companies who take that principle seriously too; about 90 percent of the companies whose products are sold on the site give a portion of the proceeds to charity.
It seems that when you mix green with giving you make orange.
These Crayons Rock
Date: September 10, 2008 | Category: Featured, Kids, Toys
We love these Crayon Rocks, not only as an alternative to conventional color sticks made from non-renewable resources, but also because the unique shape is both creative and designed to strengthen young kids’ grip muscles in preparation for learning to write. Occupational therapists frequently use these colorful pebbles to help young ones develop fine motor skills.
In truth, they’re just downright fun (and fabulous) to draw with for people of all ages. Made of a soft soy wax (grown in the USA) and tinted with natural mineral powders, Crayon Rocks make vibrant colors and beautiful textures (like pastels) while remaining completely non-toxic. Small things create beautiful, refrigerator-worthy masterpieces. But if the result isn’t all that, the vibrant stones are so appealing, they could create an art installation of their own!
Block Party!
Date: August 20, 2008 | Category: Kids, Toys
These handsome, hand-crafted, vintage-inspired wooden blocks from Bok Toys offer a challenging, non-toxic 3-D puzzle for enterprising preschoolers. The 12-block set is made from a variety of untreated reclaimed wood, including maple, oak, walnut, cherry and poplar. (more…)
Green Tea Time for Toddlers
Date: August 13, 2008 | Category: Kids, Toys
If you’ve been biting your lip each time your princess puts her toy cups and saucers in her mouth, we have wonderful news! The old-fashioned children’s tea party is finally civilized, thanks to Green Toys.
Game On!
Date: July 30, 2008 | Category: Kids, Toys
For decades Monopoly has been teaching our kids how to be good little capitalists: to exploit opponents in times of financial duress, to maximize mortgage-debt ratios beyond reasonable risk and to gamble on windfalls when all else fails. With all due regard for the fruits of free trade, we think it’s high time we teach our children a different game.
Enter Earthopoly, an educational board game where players compete to earn carbon credits -i.e., clean air-for their properties!
From Roasted Duck to Wooden Duck
Date: July 23, 2008 | Category: Kids, Toys
With their growing line of organic clothing, Whole Foods might just become a one-stop shop…eventually. Boasting an eclectic selection of healthy gourmet food, vitamin supplements and beauty supplies, they’re now introducing a line of eco-friendly toys from ImagiPLAY.
The classic collection will be available at Whole Foods nationwide, with 20 t0 40 additional region-specific items to choose from. From wooden animals and nature-themed puzzles to playsets and adventure kits, all of these lovable objects are crafted from sustainably harvested wood or recycled materials. Looks like the kids won’t be fighting the grocery visits any longer. Maybe that is why they ask children to keep their hands inside the carts?
Green Stuff(ing)
Date: May 22, 2008 | Category: Kids, Toys
While plush products didn’t face the wrath of recent recalls for lead, magnets, and ingredients that came scarily close to date rape drugs, choosing earth friendly stuffed animals for your children is still important. Pear Tree Studio, a shared artists’ workshop in New Hampshire, creates cheerful pigs, ducks, penguins, and elephants out of recycled wool sweaters. The stuffed animals are filled with shredded recycled polyester and can be hand washed. By tucking one of Pear Tree Studio’s animals into bed next to your little one, you’re doing your child and the Earth a favor.
G-R-E-E-N
Date: April 3, 2008 | Category: Kids, Toys
The Uncle Goose Alphabet Blocks are a chic take on this iconic children’s toy, and are sustainable to boot. The blocks are carved out of Basswood that is planted and harvested domestically (around the Great Lakes), and the company has taken strides to minimize waste in production and packaging. They also utilize non-toxic inks that adhere to the stringent guidelines put forth by European EN-71 regarding toy safety - Important when there’s little doubt these blocks will make their way into your child’s, or even your pet’s, mouth (don’t worry; replacements are available). Showcasing impeccable craftsmanship with embossed numbers, letters and animals, here’s a tried-and-true learning tool that builds upon imagination in classic and eco style.
Toying With Cool Wheels
Date: March 31, 2008 | Category: Kids, Toys
Not so long ago four toy designers joined forces after being disappointed by the negative environmental impact their toys were causing. Their new company, Sprig Toys, uses recycled and reclaimed materials and relies on children’s activities to power the toys. The adventure cars are crafted from SprigWood, a bio-composite material made of recycled wood and reclaimed plastic. No batteries are required to power these stylistically minimalist toys, instead, kids push and pump the vehicles to trigger movement, lights, and noises (imagine that). The headlamps of the eco-explorers light up when placed in the vehicles, and they can be swapped from car to car to hear different adventure audio tales. Not only do Sprig Toys have a smaller impact on the environment than typical plastic playthings, but they’ll turn couch fingerling potatoes into active youngsters. My daughter, who is mortified by phthalates, will be thrilled to drive into this wiser world.
Magic Mushrooms To Chew On
Date: March 10, 2008 | Category: Kids, Toys
Making their way from France, these Vulli soft teething toys have landed stateside and can be found at baby online retailer extraordinaire, Zoe B Organic. This trio, Chan Pie Gnon (Chan is shown solo at left), are made from 100% natural rubber with non-toxic paints. Not only are they adorable fungi that squeak; these guys are void of parabens, PVC, phthlalates and BPA (bisphenol-a) - all toxic substances that can be found in traditional, plastic teethers. For a non-poisonous mushroom to munch on, give your baby a Vulli.
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Founded by green design guru Zem Joaquin, ecofabulous.com is the online destination for sexy, sustainable style.
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