Green Toys makes environmentally friendly, kid safe, durable and FUN toys from recycled plastic right here in the good ole’ US of A. That’s right! And their toys are rated "awesome" and "cool" from a very fickle clientele - my daughters and nephews.
The Quest for a Tea Set
About two years ago, my daughter came across a tea set that she "really really really really really really wanted." She said "really" a few dozen more times but for the sake of brevity* (and my sanity) I have forgone giving her quote verbatim. Unfortunately for her, from my perspective, the tea set looked cheap, felt cheap and worst of all it was made in a foreign country that has experienced significant issues with lead and cadmium in their toys. In any event, I skillfully redirected her attention and we headed for the store’s exit.
Later, while shopping at another toy store, we came across Green Toys' Tea Set. My daughter carefully examined it and “really*” liked it. While I was not (and I’m still not) an expert on play tea sets, this one looked very well made, it was environmentally friendly and it was made in the USA. A Trifecta!
Needless to say, the Green Toys Tea Set came home with us and it has provided lots of fun play for my daughters. In fact, my daughters tell me that all the Disney Princesses and the "real" Queen of England have quite enjoyed tea with that very set. Perhaps Green Toys can get Queen Elizabeth's Royal Warrant mark? I can see it now...By Appointment to Her Majesty The Queen - Purveyors of The Finest Play Tea Set - Green Toys.
Encounter With A Cool Recycling Truck
About a year ago, I picked up a plastic Recycling Truck for my nephew’s birthday. It looked cool (or at least I thought it would to a 4 year old). I saw that Green Toys made the Recycling Truck - the same company that made the tea set my daughters love. I knew if they made the truck as well as they did the tea set, it would be great. Besides looking tough and pretty neat, I saw that it was made of recycled milk jugs and was BPA free.
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| Green Toys' Recycling Truck In Action |
While I appreciate, as much as the next parent does, toys made with 110% of the recommended daily allowance of lead, gamma hydroxy butyrate, BPA, PVC, phthalates and cadmium for youngsters, I decided that maybe, just maybe, I should try to keep my children away from that stuff. I know, I know, I'm radical like that.
So I bought the Recycling Truck from Green Toys. I knew that my nephew would like it and I would have peace of mind that he wouldn’t be exposed to toxic chemicals, heavy metals or other hazardous materials in the toy.
The Fire Truck Incident
About a month ago, I came across a very cool toy store called The Ark. The Ark had an amazing collection of toys for all ages. And there, on a table was the Recycling Truck made by Green Toys that I had bought for my nephew a year ago. And right next to it was a really cool new Fire Truck by Green Toys.
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| Fire Truck from Green Toys |
Yes, the roof ladder is fully operational (pivots vertically and moves 360 degrees) and the side ladders are removable too.
I picked up the box that the Fire Truck came in and there it jumped out at me – Made in USA. I thought Green Toys would be the perfect toy company to profile as we enter the season of giving.
Below is a video of kids playing with Green Toys' Dump Truck. If a picture is worth a thousand words, then I suppose that a moving picture is worth a hundred thousand words. Video is courtesy of Green Toys.
View From The Top Into 2011
I was fortunate to speak with Robert von Goeben - Co-Founder of Green Toys and learn a more about Green Toys and what they have planned for the future.
First, he informed me that Green Toys would be introducing a full line of tableware for kids in early 2011 under the Green Eats brand/trade mark. The new Tableware collection is not only environmentally friendly but it is dishwasher safe.
The impetus for the Tableware collection came from parent feedback and enquiries regarding whether or not Green Toys made tableware for kids. There was an obvious demand in the market that wasn’t being met and Green Toys was in a great position to address it.
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| Forks & Spoons from Green Eats |
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| Green Eats' Table Top Set |
When I asked Robert about other new products in 2011, he could not go into specifics but he said that Green Toys would be expanding its offerings in 2011. Could it be that the Fire Truck gets a friend?...say a police car or ambulance or even a rescue helicopter?
Based on their customer focus, continuous innovation and adherence to making fun environmentally friendly toys, I’m pretty sure that parents and kids will both be very happy. We’ll just have to wait and see what neat additions come from Green Toys in 2011.
360° Commitment to the Environment
Robert also explained that Green Toys’ commitment to the environment permeates its entire operation and mission.
Source Material – Recycled, Safe & Local
So let’s start with the source material - plastic. All of Green Toys toys start off as food safe grade plastic – remember all those plastic milk jugs you sort in your recycle bins. Yup. That is the source material for the toys and tableware.
Moreover, purchasing the material locally, in California, where Green Toys is based, does a few neat things; it supports and encourages recycling (since there is a demand for the material); it creates jobs in California, USA, and it reduces the carbon footprint of its products since the source material isn’t being shipped across the ocean.
Sourcing material from overseas can reduce costs and perhaps boost a company’s bottom-line, but in fact, those benefits are essentially wiped out when you consider the massive impact that large cargo ships have on the environment just from their use of heavy oil fuel and the resulting high emissions of sulfur alone. For further details click on the link below. It will really open your eyes to the total cost of manufacturing or sourcing materials from overseas.
Green Manufacturing
Another way that Green Toys is gentle on the environment is the very fact that they decided to manufacture their product in California. For those unfamiliar with environmental standards and regulations in the United States, California is usually years if not decades ahead of the rest of the nation in implementing environmental regulation. Regardless of where you fall on the political spectrum as to the reasonableness or need of such regulation, there is no doubt that having to comply with them can increase the cost of doing business. Green Toys did not let that deter them in establishing their company in California. Having said all that, companies that manufacture in California are subject to some of the most stringent clean air and anti-pollution measures around. This means that Green Toys manufacturing is, by default, environmentally friendly since their entire operation is based in the Golden State.
Finally, it seems as though everything and every toy must come in a box or package. Green Toys makes sure that 100% of the material used in its packaging comes from recycled material and that it is also 100% recyclable. Additionally, Green Toys experiments with making their packaging as minimal as possible.
A Win-Win-Win for Everyone
With Green Toys it really is a win-win-win situation. Children get a fun, well designed, USA made toy that’s tough; parents don’t need to worry about inadvertently exposing their children to known carcinogens, hormone disruptors or heavy metals that can damage their damage development; and American worker's don't see their job sent overseas.
This Christmas if you are looking for fun and well made toys check out Green Toys. If toys that are environmentally friendly are important to you, check out Green Toys. If you don’t want to worry about the toy you buy ending up on a government recall list for toxins, then check out Green Toys. If you are looking for toys that promote open-ended l play, go get a Green Toys toy. If supporting companies that make great products in the USA in a priority to you, than you need to visit GreenToys.com and load up on those Christmas presents.
I guess Kermit the Frog was wrong, it is easy being green!
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