Alterna-Toys
Where to turn when you're sick of disposable doodads
25 Sep 2007
Block to basics.
Photo: iStockphoto
Dwelling
These soft, handmade toys are created by a women's knitting collective in Kenya, under the guidance of a nonprofit that helps connect artisans to international markets. All of the items are made with natural wool and colored with vegetable-based dyes, including this zebra hand puppet ($18) and these knit penguins (starting at $18).
Where to buy: Branch
HaPe
HaPe is a Swiss toy company with global designers and operations. They recently launched the world's first line of games made from sustainable bamboo, all finished with water-based paint. Check out the dice game with brightly colored caterpillar pieces ($29.95) and the dominoes ($11.99).
Where to buy: HaPe, Mastermind Toys
Lana Organic
Lana produces soft animal toys made of organic cotton, ranging from pigs to geese to anteaters ($24.99-$54.99).
Introduction and index to the series
Slide show: Photos and advice from Grist readers and staff
A handy health checklist for pregnancy
A few of our favorite parenting and health links
Can a crusade against crap toys ever succeed?
Where to turn when you're sick of disposable doodads
An illustration and explanation of today's tainted toys
A chat about Congress' effort to restore environmental education funds
Ecologist Sandra Steingraber explores the eco-causes of early puberty
The road to disodium inosinate is paved with good intentions
Time to reinvest in the school-lunch program
This family is sticking with eco-alternatives
Tumbleweed Woodworks
Artisans from Oregon-based Tumbleweed Woodworks handcraft a series of wooden puzzles with nontoxic materials. Underneath each dino-shaped piece of their Dinosaurs puzzle ($12.50) is the skeleton and name of the creature; the multilayer Endangered Species puzzle ($20) displays animals in their natural habitats.
Where to buy: Tumbleweed Woodworks
Under the Nile
Janice Masoud founded Under the Nile in the late 1990s when she noticed her children suffering allergic reactions to toxin-laden, manufactured clothing. The Milpitas, Calif., company is dedicated to fair-trade practices, and sells a wide variety of children's apparel and toys (aww, stuffed monkey) made from 100 percent organic Egyptian cotton and metal-free or vegetable dyes.
Where to buy: Under the Nile
A few other resources for healthier fun:
Challenge & Fun
Harvest Moon Boutique
Holgate Toys
ImagiPlay
Maud N Lil
Melissa & Doug
Peace Toys
Peapods
Rosie Hippo's Toys and Games
Taraluna
The Wooden Wagon
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From the Archives
Play Lady Play, by Lou Bendrick. Can a crusade against crap toys ever succeed?
Dr. Know, by Amy Linn. An interview with green pediatrician Alan Greene.
Kids On the Web. A few of our favorite parenting and health links.
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