July 2010 Notable Toys — Eco-Friendly

This stylish hobo is made from Re-Run fabric and keeps six plastic bottles out of landfill. Organization is assured with multiple pockets inside and out. The Hana comes with wipes case and changing cloth, and features an adjustable shoulder strap.

This two-ply organic bamboo velour and bamboo jersey satin-trimmed, mid-weight blanket is an all-season, all-weather solution to keeping baby cozy. Choose from lime, cocoa or natural bamboo velour paired with natural colored bamboo soft jersey knit. The 31" x 31" blanket is suitable for nursery, travel and play. Made in USA of imported material (Organic bamboo velour (70/28/2 bamboo viscose/org cotton/poly) with organic bamboo jersey (100 org bamboo viscose).

These brightly striped organic bamboo velour hats feature alternative sizing. The Citrus comes with a ribbon stem and leaves set atop this cozy all season hat. The Plum is striped in cheery orange and plum purple with orange ribbon detail. The are made in the USA of imported materials (70/28/2 bamboo viscose/organic cotton/poly blend).

This full-coverage, all-season organic bamboo velour hat with wide band is lined in silky organic bamboo jersey. It's available in lime or cocoa. The lime sports a stem and leaves detail, while the cocoa hat is topped with a classic chocolate ticking ribbon. It is made in the USA of imported materials.

The Greenzys promote green living and teach eco-friendly practices to young children through heartwarming stories and endearing plush toys that are environmentally safe and fun. All Greenzys toys are made in socially responsible factories from soy fibers and non-toxic dyes, with packaging made from recycled paperboard. A portion of every purchase benefits the Environmental Media Association and for every Greenzys purchase made in 2010, the Arbor Day Foundation will plant one tree in U.S. forests.

The Greenzys promote green living and teach eco-friendly practices to young children through heartwarming stories and endearing plush toys that are environmentally safe and fun. All Greenzys toys are made in socially responsible factories from soy fibers and non-toxic dyes, with packaging made from recycled paperboard. A portion of every purchase benefits the Environmental Media Association and for every Greenzys purchase made in 2010, the Arbor Day Foundation will plant one tree in U.S. forests.

The Greenzys promote green living and teach eco-friendly practices to young children through heartwarming stories and endearing plush toys that are environmentally safe and fun. All Greenzys toys are made in socially responsible factories from soy fibers and non-toxic dyes, with packaging made from recycled paperboard. A portion of every purchase benefits the Environmental Media Association and for every Greenzys purchase made in 2010, the Arbor Day Foundation will plant one tree in U.S. forests.

The Greenzys promote green living and teach eco-friendly practices to young children through heartwarming stories and endearing plush toys that are environmentally safe and fun. All Greenzys toys are made in socially responsible factories from soy fibers and non-toxic dyes, with packaging made from recycled paperboard. A portion of every purchase benefits the Environmental Media Association and for every Greenzys purchase made in 2010, the Arbor Day Foundation will plant one tree in U.S. forests.

Goodbyn is a lunchbox reinvented for kids, parents and the planet. Made in the USA, BPA free and phthalate free, Goodbyn is designed to keep tastes (and moisture) separate with five separately sealing compartments. Each Goodbyn lunchbox comes with hundreds of stickers: alphabets, body parts, allergy labels — you name it, you stick it. Goodbyn has a carrying handle, is dishwasher-safe, and can be recycled simply and easily when it’s time to buy a new one.

Goodbyn is a lunchbox reinvented for kids, parents and the planet. Made in the USA, BPA free and phthalate free, Goodbyn is designed to keep tastes (and moisture) separate with five separately sealing compartments. Each Goodbyn lunchbox comes with hundreds of stickers: alphabets, body parts, allergy labels and more. Goodbyn has a carrying handle, is dishwasher-safe, and can be recycled simply and easily when it’s time to buy a new one. Rob Grennan, COO of Byndoo LLC, told TDmonthly, "The Goodbyn lunchbox line eliminates the need for one-time packaging like plastic bags and drink boxes; it has five separately sealing compartments to make packing lunches easy and fun."

These super-insulated sports bottles come with an internal mesh filter to stop ice or tea leaves from coming out during use. They are perfect for hot or cold filling. Double-walled stainless steel insures that the bottle does not sweat and does not contain harmful chemicals like Bisphenol-A (BPA). Kevin Brodwick, Founder of Thinkbaby and Thinksport, told TDmonthly, "The thinksport bottle is the best priced and most functional insulated bottle on the market."

Wallables are three-dimensional wall decor. Made from a revolutionary eco-friendly soy-based foam material, Wallables are designed to be safe and lightweight. They are easy to attach to any flat surface with the Velcro system and are designed to be put up and taken off the wall over and over. Eva Burkley, Vice President of Wallables, told TDmonthly, "The unique, intricate three-dimensional sculpting is new and has never been seen in the wall-décor market."

Wallables are three-dimensional wall decor with characters that seem to "pop" off the walls. Made from a revolutionary eco-friendly, soy-based foam material, Wallables are designed to be safe and lightweight. They are easy to attach to any flat surface with a Velcro system and are designed to be put up and taken off the wall over and over. Eva Burkley, Vice President of Wallables, told TDmonthly, "The unique, intricate three-dimensional sculpting has never been seen in the wall-décor market."

Wallables are three dimensional and eco-friendly, made from a revolutionary soy-based foam material using U.S.-grown soybeans. They are easy to apply to any surface with a Velcro patch and are designed as removable to be played with. Eva Burkley, Vice President of Wallables, told TDmonthly, "They are intricately sculpted, lightweight foam wall décor products."

Kids can shake up some painting fun with Glob Natural Color Blends craft paints. This set includes four do-it-yourself paint jars. Just add water and shake to produce 2 oz. each of all-natural lemon verbena, tangerine, berry blue and pomegranate colored and scented paint. All Glob paints are gluten-free, soy-free, vegan, non-toxic, made in the USA, and boxed in recycled packages.
— Glob paints were a big hit with Eco Child’s Play’s Jennifer Lance: “This may be one of the coolest products we have reviewed in a long time,” she raved. With the all-natural ingredients, Jennifer felt assured the paints were truly non-toxic. She noted, “Mixed up paint needs to be stored in the refrigerator, because they are truly all natural, but you can easily just mix up a little at a time based upon your needs.”
— Tiffany of Nature Moms Blog found the Glob paint to require more work than other paints, but once mixed, the paint worked well for her children on a variety of surfaces. She also enjoyed the fruity and floral scents.

Made of organic materials, the Picnic Pal Finger Puppets are individually boxed and include Ducky, Lamby, Bunny, Cubby and Monkey. Launch date: May 2010.

Free of BPA and phthalates, these stainless steel drinking bottles features colorful, attached caps, clips for attaching to a bag, and a wrap-grip personalized for the child. Designs in more than 100 names are available.

The Big Bang Rocket is a "green" toy that recycles old newspapers to operate. Lindy Borkin, marketing manager at Can You Imagine, told TDmonthly. "Remember 'caps'? They used to be the only way to create a big bang. Well this is better, safer AND it recycles old newspaper," she said. Launch date: March 2010.
—  “Everyone likes it. They buy one for their kid, then they come back and buy one for a birthday present," John Blair, owner of Science Safari in Cary, N.C., told TDmonthly in April 2010. His store was already selling its second dozen of the rocket since ordering at Toy Fair in February.

These Spielstabil German-made Ocean Sand Molds are perfect for the beach or sand box. The Ocean Sand Molds are brightly colored in different ocean shapes. HABA USA National Accounts Manager Janet Walker told TDmonthly, "This item's construction will make it last for years to come!" Launch date: March 2010.

The intelligent design of this product uses bamboo rings to form very unique building blocks. The distinct angles of the bamboo rings combined with textile edges that act as "grips" create endless possibilities for building exciting shapes and structures. It includes 24 angular bamboo rings and an instruction guide. Hape International Marketing Manager Robin Lehnert told TDmonthly, "The eco-friendly activity helps children develop a sense of spatial awareness, geometry and hand-eye coordination." Launch date: July 2010.

Stormy Seas is a stacking game where the boat is ready to be loaded with cargo and the seas are moving the boat up, down and sideways. Players must carefully load the boat while balancing the cargo. Includes one boat with flag, 25 cargo pieces and one die. All pieces, other than the flag, are made of bamboo. Launch date: 2010.

Add an outdoor patio to any dollhouse with bamboo plants, decking, a patio set with a working umbrella, and a miniature grill with four shish kabobs. Hape International Marketing Manager Robin Lehnert told TDmonthly about the company's "use of bamboo to create a very unique and realistic dollhouse furniture set." Launch date: Feb. 2010.

The Big Picture is a socially conscious salute to Uncle Rock’s musical heroes, including 12 original songs and two covers. Known for his rockabilly style and lyricism inspired by Roald Dahl and Shel Silverstein, Uncle Rock offers a musical variety show here with songs about recycling, acceptance of differences and the importance of shopping locally. Publicist Beth Blenz-Clucas of Sugar Mountain PR told TDmonthly, "These songs are fun but also provide food for thought." Launch date: April 13, 2010.
— Jenn Savedge of Mother Nature Network praised the CD for being “socially conscious” but not “sickeningly sweet.” She told fellow parents, “You'll honestly be glad when your kids want to hear it again and again.”
— Jeff Bogle of Out With The Kids was equally impressed by the mellow and more upbeat songs featured on the CD. He proclaimed, “If you’ve never owned an Uncle Rock album before, now is the time to rectify that situation.”