Toys and Games

• Maple Landmark Tic Tac Toe
• Maple Landmark Made by Me Trucks Set
• Maple Landmark ABC Blocks
• Max’s Mud
• Green Toys Tea Set
• Green Toys Jump Rope
• Green Toys Tool Set
• Green Toys Recycling Truck
• Under the Nile Veggies
• Under The Nile Veggie Crate

Babies

• Under The Nile Bibs
• Dandelion Corn Cutlery and Dishware
• Dandelion Organic Cotton Baby Sorters and Stackers
• Dandelion Organic Cotton Squeakers and Rattles

Why is it important to buy non-toxic toys and clothes for our children?

Children are our most precious resource. They are the next generation to take the helm of the world and make it their own, but they are being silently assaulted by the chemicals we use in our homes and schools on a daily basis. While we have put to rest many once frightening and deadly childhood diseases, we have seen an alarming increase in childhood asthma, lymphocytic leukemia, brain cancer and autism. This increase has occurred in the last thirty years while during this same time period thousands of chemicals have hit the market without proper testing.

Because our daily lives are so intertwined with the use of chemicals they end up inside our bodies and then into the bodies of our unborn children. According to Sloan Bartlett in her book Green Goes with Everything, “In 2004, researchers in two independent laboratories examined the umbilical cord blood of ten newborns from around the country. What they discovered was astonishing; there were 287 chemicals present in the blood these babies depended upon for nourishment and survival. There were 180 chemicals known to cause cancer in humans and animals. There were 217 toxic chemicals known to cause brain and nervous system damage. And there were 208 known to cause birth defects and abnormal development in tests on animals.” You can see the study yourself at http://www.ewg.org/reports/bodyburden2/.

These chemicals are all around us; in the food we eat, the cleaning products we use, the water bottle we drink from, the lotions and makeup we put on our bodies and even in the bedding and sheets we sleep in. Children are exposed even before they are born and will continually be exposed through the rest of their lives.

Common flame retardants or polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are found in many things such as mattresses, padding and pillows. It is best to find bedding without chemical treatment or that has been produced organically. It’s the same for most children’s clothing and cloth accessories that are made with chemically treated fibers and then dyed with more chemicals. This is why organic cotton and alternative fibers are best for kids; they are chemical free and safe.

Plastics are a huge concern because most toys and baby bottles are made from them. Many plastics leach out a toxin known as BPA or bisphenol A which is a hormone-disrupting chemical. Look for plastics that are numbered 1,2,4,5 on the bottom or are labeled BPA free. Phthalates are found in many soft plastic toys and if that weren’t bad enough, lead can be found in many hard plastic toys. Phthalates have been known to cause reproductive problems in male offspring in animals. Lead has also been in the news lately and it can be found in the paint that decorates toys.

So what can we do about this? Feed your child the most natural foods, tuck them in sheets and clothing made with organic fibers, rid your home of toxic cleaning supplies and make sure that every toy that enters your child’s life is made without the use of harmful chemicals.

The One Stop Sustainability Shop offers a variety of organic cotton toys and towels for babies, non-toxic play dough, safe and recycled plastic toys and sustainable handmade hardwood toys from Vermont.