The Internet is teeming with online stores, catalogs and environmental groups that sell green-friendly gifts for the holidays. Pictured here: a child's snail pull-toy from Earthentree, made by artisans in India from sustainable wood that is dyed with natural vegetable dyes and finished with lead free non-toxic organic resin.
Image: Earthentree
Dear EarthTalk: Can you recommend some sources for toys and other holiday gifts that are both safe and not harmful to the environment?
-- Tracy Gately, Marblehead, MA
Given the massive recall of toys contaminated with lead last year, let alone all the other bad news about chemicals seeping out of just about every other conceivable type of consumer item, it’s no wonder that people are nervous about what might be inside the wrapping paper this next holiday season. Luckily, growing environmental concerns—and consumer demand—means that plenty of safe and green-friendly items are available for those willing to do a little more than just walk around the closest shopping mall.
For kids’ items, Oompa Toys (oompa.com) is hard to beat. The Wisconsin-based company offers thousands of child- and Earth-safe items. On Oompa’s easy-to-use website you can buy products ranging from toys, dollhouses and stuffed animals to learning games, musical instruments and art supplies to kitchen play accessories, kids’ furniture and tricycles, many items made with organic or recycled materials.
Another interesting online source for kids’ toys is Washington-based Earthentree (earthentree.com), which sells dozens of pull toys, rattles, stackers and other goodies to stimulate young hands and minds. All of their products are handcrafted by “fair trade” (fairly compensated) artisans in India using sustainably harvested wood and natural vegetable-based dyes. And Hazelnut Kids (hazelnutkids.com) specializes in natural, earth-friendly wooden and organic cotton toys for kids and babies, and even offers gift-wrapping with recycled and recyclable paper.
For grown-up gifts, EcoArtware (eco-artware.com) sells a variety of items made from recycled and natural materials, from bath and kitchen accessories to pet products to jewelry, including many hand-made items. Everybodygreen (everybodygreen.com) is another good source for green-friendly jewelry. The company’s No Plastic charm bracelets are made with corn starch-based resin, natural herbal tea dye and recycled brass. For those holiday parties you might be attending, wine aficionados might appreciate a bottle of Boisset Family Estates’ Yellow Jersey pinot noir (yellowjerseywine.com), which comes from France in a 100 percent recycled (and recyclable) plastic bottle.
Looking for fair trade arts and crafts? Gifts with Humanity (giftswithhumanity.com) sells clothing, home décor, jewelry and more from artists in Asia, Africa and Central and South America. Organic Bug (organicbug.com) also sells fair trade items and other natural and organic products from clothing to home décor items to travel accessories. Other websites worth visiting for fair trade and/or green-friendly gifts include peacefulvalleygreetings.com, greenfeet.com, pristineplanet.com, gaiam.com, acacia.com and vivaterra.com. A simple Google search for “green holiday gifts” will turn up many more.
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Add CommentYou can also get Comfort Creatures, and Woopsies packs from: <http://bucky.com> The Comfort Creatures are sort of like ugly dolls, but they are filled with buckwheat hulls and have removable machine washable covers. The Woopsies are sort of like those boo boo gel packs, but these are filled with seeds and can be microwaved or frozen.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisLove the green toys! I found another good list of eco friendly toys on the Papa City site - http://www.papacity.com/gear/toys/index.php
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisI was so excited to see this article – we have been looking everywhere for a reasonably priced eco friendly kid safe play kitchen. I was thrilled to find the Maxim that you suggested…<a href="http://www.purelydiamonds.co.uk">eternity rings</a>. but when I hit the link, it comes up at $239! Help!
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisI was so excited to see this article – we have been looking everywhere for a reasonably priced eco friendly kid safe play kitchen. I was thrilled to find the Maxim that you suggested…[url=http://www.purelydiamonds.co.uk]eternity rings[/url]. but when I hit the link, it comes up at $239! Help!
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisThank you so much for posting this article! I am all for recycling and making our society's environment a better place, especially for out children. Eco friendly safe play toys are great <a href="http://productsforhealthonline.com">health and wellness products</a>. Are all the toys made form recycled material?
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