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Safety First for Holiday Toys – USA Today

A USA Today article today discussed the challenge of finding safe toys this holiday season. The government recently passed a law which would ban some toxic substances from children’s products, however, the ban does not take effect until February 10, 2008, allowing retailers and manufacturers to sell off toys this Christmas Season that do not meet the new standards.

Unfortunately, the Consumer Product Safety Commission said they will allow toys containing phthalates, one of the newly banned chemicals that affects the reproductive system, to be sold indefinitely. (I find it ironic they have “safety” in their name when they make a decision like this.)

Luckily, many reliable toys manufacturers already meet these new standards, and wooden toys are making a comeback as well. You can see some of these manufacturers and a list of toys that are lead, phthalate and BPA-free here. Other companies, like Fisher-Price, can’t tell you which, if any, of their toys are free of any of these substances.

Shop smart! My list of non-toxic toys and my Amazon store are great places to start.

Add comment December 3, 2008

Some toys with banned substances will stay on market

As always, there are loopholes in legislation that appears to be a good thing. In August, President Bush signed into law a ban on lead, cadmium and phthalates in products marketed to children under 12 years of age.

The reduction in the amount of lead that will be considered safe on Feb 10, 2009 will remain in place and any children’s product with lead levels higher than the safe amount on Feb 10 will be treated as a hazardous product.

So what about phthalates? For some reason, these will be treated differently. That reason is purley an economical one. But products containing the banned phthalates will still be found on shelves and legally sold as long as the product was produced prior to the Feb 10, 2009 date.

Read the entire article from the Washington Post.

So what is a parent to do?

1. Avoid plastic toys, especially vinyl ones where phthalates are typically found.

2. Read labels. Some manufacturers may label the product phthalate-free. If not, don’t buy.

3. Visit my safe toys list and find manufacturers who no longer use phthalates.

4. Opt for safer personal care products, like California Baby to avoid phthalates in the bath.

5. Look for a manufacturing date on the product before you buy it. If one is not listed, do not buy it.

Add comment November 19, 2008

Dolls for Christmas — PVC and Phthalate free!

SAFbaby has done a little research to find PVC and phthalate free dolls – and just in time for Christmas!

There are a few manufactures they list that use vinyl to make their dolls, but they are phthalate free. Certainly a great step, but as the article points out, lead has been found in several products using PVC. SAFbaby recommends erring on the side of caution and going PVC and vinyl free. In any case, those manufacturers using phthalate free vinyl are:
• Kathe Kruse
• Keptin-Jr
• Corolle
• Zapf Creation

These are the vinyl and phthalate free dolls SAFbaby recommends. They are all cloth dolls and easy to clean.

Paola Soft Doll by Haba
Waldorf Flippippi Fortune Fairy by Kathe Kruse
The Earth Friends Doll Raji
BabiCorolle Sorbet Melodie Doll
Keptin Jr – Organic Cotton Doll

Other cloth dolls I am aware of include (though note I am still contacting manufacturers to be sure they are free of other toxins):

Pottery Barn Kids Dolls and their Baby Dolls (though note, these are spot washable only, however cute they are)

Sweet Dolly by Baby Gund (my daughter has been attached to this doll for 2 years, since about 7 months old. She holds up very well in the washing machine.)

Flippippi Fortune Butterfly Red by Kathe Kruse

Baby Stella by Manahattan Toy

Whatever doll you choose, SAFbaby recommends contacting manufacturers to be sure the dolls are not treated with flame retardants, are free of heavy metals, and are painted with safe/non-toxic paints.

SAFbaby also told me they updated their post. They pointed out that even cloth dolls may not be free of phthalates. Some are stuffed with plastic pellets. Some pellets are made with PE which is a safe plastic and others PVC, which is not safe, so be sure you know what the doll is made of — inside and out!

1 comment November 6, 2008

Lead and Phthalate free, Non-toxic toys for Christmas, updated

Last updated: November 20, 2008

Because Christmas is right around the corner and the new bill protecting children from lead and phthalates will not go into effect until February 10, 2009, I am taking it upon myself to search for safe toys for Christmas 2008.

Here is the list I have come up with and will continue to add to it as I find new toys that meet the standards of being lead and phthalate free. If a toy has any of these toxins, I will not list them. I also did my best to steer clear of anything that contains BPA. Please note there are millions and millions of toys out there, so this is in no way a comprehensive list. If you are aware of another toy that is free of ALL lead, phthalates and BPA, please comment (along with a website or other evidence you may have if available) and I will add it to the list. Also, I will not list the obvious, like stuffed animals or books, but will do my best to include the obvious categories.

Also, some companies do have toys made with phthalate-free PVC. I have listed these and made a note by those toys. Although it would be great to avoid PVC altogether, as PVC can contain lead.

Most of the products are linked so you can read reviews, get more information and even purchase online.

Brands who are promising that all their toys are lead and phthalate free:
Edushape
Haba
Kids Give
Lamaze Baby Toys
Lego Systems
Little Tykes
Lisa LeLeu
Melissa & Doug (wood and plush toys)
Mudpuppy
Plan Toys
Publications International
Sckoon
Selecta
Step 2
Tiny Love
Under the Nile

Art supplies/Crafts
(note: many art supplies, including Play Doh, contain trace amounts of arsenic. I did not list these products in the list. Unfortunately, it makes for a shorter list)
EcoTots Art time easel
Melissa and Doug Deluxe Easel
Melissa and Doug Paints
KidKraft Deluxe Easel
Leaf Press by Selecta
Organic Crafts (book), by Kimberly Monaghan
Plant colored pastel crayons

Blocks
Deluxe Jumbo Cardboard Blocks, Melissa & Doug
Mega Blocks
Legos (all systems including Duplo)
Edushape (They had these at my daughter’s daycare and they are great! They are flexible so perfect for toddlers just learning to play with connecting type blocks.)
Kapla Wood Building Set
Wooden Animal Nesting Blocks, Melissa & Doug

Books
LIttle leaf house book, HABA

Cars/Vehicles
Automoblox mini’s (3 pack)
Automoblox vehicles
Baby Car, Plan Toys
Bulldozer Chunky Wooden Truck, FAO Schwartz
Cement Mixer Chunky wooden truck, FAO Scwartz
Discover Rig, Sprig Toys
Dump truck chunky wooden truck, FAO Schwartz
Firetruck Chuncky wooden truck, FAO Schwartz
Side Kick Vehicle, Rally Racer, Sprig Toys
Road Contruction Set, Plan Toys

Dolls
Babipouce Grenadine – 12″ Cloth Doll by Corolle
BabiCorolle Sorbet Melodie Doll
All Dolls by Corolle (made of PVC-free vinyl), including Tidoo, Calin, Chouquette Eva, and Poupette Lili These dolls are all just BEAUTIFUL
Baby Stella by Manahattan Toy
Flippippi Fortune Butterfly Red by Kathe Kruse
Kathe Kruse Dolls (some cloth, some PVC vinyl)
Keptin-Jr Dolls (some cloth, some PVC vinyl)
Keptin Jr – Organic Cotton Doll
Paola Soft Doll by Haba
Pottery Barn Kids Dolls and their Baby Dolls (though note, these are spot washable only, however cute they are)
Sweet Dolly by Baby Gund
The Earth Friends Doll Raji
Waldorf Flippippi Fortune Fairy by Kathe Kruse
Zapf Creation Dolls (made of PVC-free vinyl)

Whatever doll you choose, be sure the dolls are not treated with flame retardants, are free of heavy metals, and are painted with safe/non-toxic paints.

Games
Bamboo Art, ages 18 months+
Battelo (memory and strategy game, age 4+, made of Bamboo)
Cagola Balancing Game, Bamboo Collection, ages 4+
Colora Magnetic Design, Bamboo Collection
Dominos, Bamboo Collection
Hasbro Bamboo Matching game (I saw at Wal-Mart, but cannot find online anywhere. It’s cute though.)
Natural Wood Memory Game by Selecta

Interactive Toys
Battino Pounding Bench, Selecta
City Beads (wood), Wonderworld
Click Clack by Plan Toys
Click Clack Ball Track by HABA
Hammer Balls by Plan Toys
Pounding Tower, Plan Toys
Ryan the Zebra Activity Center, by K’s Kids
Wood Baby Gym, Selecta
Wooden Ball Track Set by Selecta

Kitchen Sets
Guidecraft Deluxe Kitchen
Guidecraft Wooden Kitchen
Plan Toys Kitchen Center
Plan Toys Kitchen Set
Pink stove top by Plan Toys and Red stove top
Dishwasher by Plan Toys
Refrigerator by Plan Toys
Melissa and Doug Classic Deluxe Kitchen

Musical Instruments
Banjo, Plan Toys
Deluxe Band Set, Melissa and Doug
Drum Set, Plan Toys
Pine wood train whistle, maple and Marks
Hohner harmonica, Rosie’s Hippo
Mini Red Piano, Schylling
Melissa and Doug Band in a Box
Oval Xylophone, Plan Toys

Push/Pull Toys
Bird Family Pull Toy, Rosie’s Hippo
Circo Pull Toy, HABA
Dancing Alligator, Plan Toys
Frolicking Frog Wooden Pull Toy, Melissa and Doug
Trotto Wooden Push Toy by Selecta
Mini Pull along Giraffe by Sevi
Natural Wood Push Toy, Pedella, by Selecta
Sorting Train, Plan Toys
Walk and Roll, Plan Toys
Wooden Chomp and Clack Alligator Push Toy, Melissa and Doug
Zoo Animals Pull Along, Melissa and Doug

Play Food/Cookware
Alex Toys Deluxe Cooking Set
Bambu Kids Cooking Utensils
Erzi play food: Erzi Assorted Vegetables Box; Erzi Assorted Fruit Box; Erzi Assorted Vegetables; Erzi Assorted Fruit; Erzi Assorted Fruit Box Tropical Fruits; Erzi Assorted Tropical Fruits
Learning Resources – Made of PVC and polyethylene, but is lead and phthalate free
“Lunch With Friends” wood tea party set by Djeco
Melissa and Doug: Melissa & Doug Deluxe Wooden Play Food – 10 Piece Set; Melissa & Doug Sandwich making set; Melissa and Doug Deluxe Wooden Spice Rack Set; Melissa and Doug Cutting Food Box;
Melissa and Doug Food Groups; Melissa and Doug Pizza Party; Melissa and Doug Birthday Cake; Sushi
Plan Toys: Fruit and Vegetables, Breakfast Menu (with tray), Birthday Cake with candles, Vegetable pairs
Plan Toys Toaster
Plan Toys Microwave
Shopping cart by Plan Toys
Cookware set by Plan Toys
Tableware set by Plan Toys
Tea set (wood), Plan Toys
Tupperware Childs Kids Mini Baking Set
Tupperware Kids Cake Taker, Plates, & Spatula
Tupperware Kids Mini Party Set with Mini Cake Taker

Playmat (Infant Activity Mat)
Tiny Love Gymini Super Deluxe – Lights & Music
Wood Play Gym by Selecta

Pretend Play – Barn
Farm Animals, Plan Toys
Folding Barn, Melissa and Doug
Folding Horse Stable, Melissa and Doug
Plan Toys Country Barn
Plan Toys Wood barn

Pretend Play – Castles
Dragonstone Castle With Inhabitants by Haba
Princess Castle by Melissa and Doug
Folding Midevil Castle by Melissa and Doug
Dolls for Melissa and Doug Play Castles

Pretend Play – Playhouse
Neat & Tidy Cottage by Step2 (my daughter LOVES this house)
Daisy’s Market, Djeco

Pretend Play – Dollhouse
Plan Toys Chalet Dollhouse with furniture
Plan Toys My First Dollhouse
Plan Terrace Dollhouse
Plan Toys Contemporary Dollhouse
Plan Toys Victorian Dollhouse (I want this one!)
Plan Toys Modern Dollhouse
Colonial Dollhouse by Plan Toys
Deluxe Wooden Furnished Dollhouse, Melissa and Doug
Dollhouse furniture by Plan Toys
Dollhouse Furniture, Melissa and Doug
Farm House, Plan Toys
Fold and Go Dollhouse, Melissa and Doug
Victorian Dollhouse, Melissa and Doug
Wooden Doll Family for Dollhouse, Melissa and Doug

Pretend Play – Other
Children’s Broom, Camden Rose
Pet and accessories, Plan Toys
Plan City Parking Garage
Pirate Ship, Plan Toys
Tree House, Plan Toys
Doctor’s kit, HABA

Puzzles
Animal Alphabet, Imagiplay (3D puzzle)
Clutching Puzzle Sunny Land by haba
Counting Bunnies 3D puzzle
Melissa & Doug wood sound puzzles
Nativity Puzzle, Imagiplay (3D puzzle)
Wood Animal Puzzle by Selecta

Riding Toys
4×4 WD Adventure Car, Plan Toys
Arabian Rocking Horse by Plan Toys
Lights and sound fire engine, Wonderworld
Pony rocking horse by Plan Toys
Puffy Dragon Ride On, Wonderworld
Rocking Cater, Wonderworld
Sports Car by Plan Toys (this is super cute!)
Trike Rider by Brio

Sports/Interactive
Wooden Bowling Set by Sevi
Ball Track Roll ‘N Roll ‘N Roll by Haba

Stacking Toys
Fun Stacker, Plan Toys
German Stacking Tower, HABA
Monkey Ring Stacker, miYim
Rainbow Tower, HABA
Rokkolina Wood Stacking Toy, Selecta (cute flower pot design)
Stacking Rings, Plan Toys
Witty Worm Stacker, Rosie’s Hippo
Wooden Rainbow Stacking Tower, Nunoorganic
Rocky Color Cone, Holgate Toys

Stuffed Animals
Andrew the Hippo, miYim Organic
Baby Victoria the Bunny, miYim Organic
Chikos the Hen, Deglingos
Cuddlekin Bunny Molly, HABA
Natural Friends Sheep Musical Toy
Pikos the Hedgehog, Deglingos
Ronronos the Cat, Deglingos
Sandwich Striped Cat Doll by Blabla
Solid Red Goose, Lana Organic
White Goose, Lana Organic

Teethers for Baby
Please see my post here: BPA and phthalate free teethers and rattles

Tools
Handyman Tool Box (wood), Wonderworld
My first tool set, Educo

Trains, Vehicles and other accessories
Alex Activity Mat
Brio
Maple and Marks
Melissa and Doug
Plan Toys
Super City Wooden Railways from Heros!

Companies with no phthalates (PVC) – Note: I have not yet determined if they are making the same claim for being lead-free. Also note that not all Evenflo, Gerber or Sassy products are BPA free.
Brio
Chicco
Evenflo
Gerber
International Playthings
Sassy

Watch for these companies:
Leap Frog (Phthalate-free; some toys contain PVC; most packaging in boxes)
Manhattan Toy (Use phthalate-free PVC)
Vtech (Use phthalate-free PVC)
Sassy (Use phthalate-free PVC (since 2000), working to eliminate BPA and eventually, PVC)
Fisher Price (Frequently use PVC (including teething rings), only toys for kids under age 3 are phthalate-free)
Mattel (Frequently use PVC)
Playskool (Frequently use PVC)
Baby Einstein /Disney /Kids II (Frequently use PVC)
KidKraft (Claims all painted toys will have some amount of lead, anything wood is fine)
Especially for Baby @ Babies R Us (Geoffrey Inc.) (Frequently use PVC, including teething rings)

Gaming Consoles
XBox and Playstation 3 contain high levels of phthalates, though they are NOT considered toys so will not be affected by the new law banning phthalates in children’s products. Read more about it here.

Another cool site with eco-friendly toys is http://www.euphoriababy.com/

Please check back as I will be updating this post until Christmas is here! Happy shopping!

For more information or to research specific toys not listed, visit these sites:
http://www.healthytoys.org/product.searchtype.php
http://toyportfolio.wordpress.com/2008/02/13/update-complying-companies/

Related Articles
BPA free bottles, sippy cups and more
BPA and phthalate free pacifiers
BPA and phthalate free teethers and rattles
Have we found the cause of SIDS?
Lead and PVC free lunch boxes
Lead in Christmas lights

9 comments October 22, 2008

Baby products packaged in PVC

So we know products like teethers made with PVC is bad not only for humans, but for the environment as well. But the question here is for those products packaged in PVC, does it transfer to the PVC-free item contained in the package?

Alicia Voorhees at the Soft Landing wrote this great article on the very subject. Read about it here. She offers great tips to avoid PVC packaging or how to clean the toys/teethers/pacifiers if you are unsure of what the packaging is made of.

Add comment October 20, 2008

Lead and Phthalate-free Toys for Christmas

View update here.

Last updated: September 29, 2008

Because Christmas is right around the corner and the new bill protecting children from lead and phthalates will not go into effect until February 20, 2009, I am taking it upon myself to search for safe toys for Christmas 2008.

Also, some companies do have toys made with phthalate-free PVC. I have listed these and made a note by those toys. Although it would be great to avoid PVC altogether, as PVC can contain lead.

Most of the products are linked so you can read reviews, get more information and even purchase online.

Blocks
Mega Blocks
Legos (all systems including Duplo)
Edushape (They had these at my daughter’s daycare and they are great! They are flexible so perfect for toddlers just learning to play with connecting type blocks.)
Kapla Wood Building Set

Dolls
Babipouce Grenadine – 12″ Cloth Doll by Corolle
Tidoo Bright Doll, bath doll that really floats! by Corolle (my daughter is getting this for C-mas — this doll is BEAUTIFUL)
All Dolls by Corolle, including Tidoo, Calin, Chouquette Eva, and Poupette Lili These dolls are all just BEAUTIFUL
Sandwich Striped Cat Doll by Blabla

Games
Hasbro Bamboo Matching game (I saw at Wal-Mart, but cannot find online anywhere. It’s cute though.)

Kitchen Sets
Guidecraft Deluxe Kitchen
Guidecraft Wooden Kitchen
Plan Toys Kitchen Center
Plan Toys Kitchen Set
Pink stove top by Plan Toys and Red stove top
Dishwasher by Plan Toys
Refrigerator by Plan Toys
Melissa and Doug Classic Deluxe Kitchen

Musical Instruments
Pine wood train whistle, maple and Marks
Hohner harmonica, Rosie’s Hippo
Melissa and Doug Band in a Box

Push/Pull Toys
Bird Family Pull Toy, Rosie’s Hippo
Trotto Wooden Push Toy by Selecta
Mini Pull along Giraffe by Sevi

Play Food/Cookware
Alex Toys Deluxe Cooking Set
Bambu Kids Cooking Utensils
Erzi play food: Erzi Assorted Vegetables Box; Erzi Assorted Fruit Box; Erzi Assorted Vegetables; Erzi Assorted Fruit; Erzi Assorted Fruit Box Tropical Fruits; Erzi Assorted Tropical Fruits
Learning Resources – Made of PVC and polyethylene, but is lead and phthalate free
“Lunch With Friends” wood tea party set by Djeco
Melissa and Doug: Melissa & Doug Deluxe Wooden Play Food – 10 Piece Set; Melissa & Doug Sandwich making set; Melissa and Doug Deluxe Wooden Spice Rack Set; Melissa and Doug Cutting Food Box;
Melissa and Doug Food Groups; Melissa and Doug Pizza Party; Melissa and Doug Birthday Cake; Sushi
Plan Toys: Fruit and Vegetables, Breakfast Menu (with tray), Birthday Cake with candles, Vegetable pairs
Plan Toys Toaster
Plan Toys Microwave
Shopping cart by Plan Toys
Cookware set by Plan Toys
Tableware set by Plan Toys
Tupperware Childs Kids Mini Baking Set
Tupperware Kids Cake Taker, Plates, & Spatula
Tupperware Kids Mini Party Set with Mini Cake Taker

Playmat (Infant Activity Mat)
Tiny Love Gymini Super Deluxe – Lights & Music

Pretend Play (castles, playhouses, dollhouses, etc.)
Dragonstone Castle With Inhabitants by Haba
Neat & Tidy Cottage by Step2 (my daughter LOVES this house)
Plan Toys Country Barn
Plan Toys Wood barn
Plan Toys Chalet Dollhouse with furniture
Plan Toys My First Dollhouse
Plan City Parking Garage
Plan Terrace Dollhouse
Plan Toys Contemporary Dollhouse
Plan Toys Victorian Dollhouse (I want this one!)
Plan Toys Modern Dollhouse
Colonial Dollhouse by Plan Toys
Dollhouse furniture by Plan Toys
Princess Castle by Melissa and Doug
Folding Midevil Castle by Melissa and Doug
Dolls for Melissa and Doug Play Castles

Puzzles
Clutching Puzzle Sunny Land by haba
Melissa & Doug wood sound puzzles

Riding Toys
Arabian Rocking Horse by Plan Toys
Pony rocking horse by Plan Toys
Sports Car by Plan Toys (this is super cute!)
Trike Rider by Brio

Sports/Interactive
Wooden Bowling Set by Sevi
Ball Track Roll ‘N Roll ‘N Roll by Haba

Stacking Toys
Witty Worm Stacker, Rosie’s Hippo
Wooden Rainbow Stacking Tower, Nunoorganic
Rocky Color Cone, Holgate Toys

Teethers for Baby
Please see my post here: BPA and phthalate free teethers and rattles

Trains, Vehicles and other accessories
Alex Activity Mat
Brio
Maple and Marks
Melissa and Doug
Plan Toys
Super City Wooden Railways from Heros!

Another cool site with eco-friendly toys is http://www.euphoriababy.com/

Please check back as I will be updating this post until Christmas is here! Happy shopping!

7 comments September 23, 2008

Sassy clears up which products are BPA-free

I was just looking at Z Recs blog and noticed they had an update from Sassy on which of their products do and do not contain BPA. Z Recs had received several comments from readers where different websites listed certain Sassy products as BPA-free and others listed the same product as containing BPA. So they asked Sassy to clarify, thanks Z Recs!

Turns out, some products Sassy previously said were BPA-free are not. Dissapointing, yet kudos to Sassy for coming out and clarifying.

Here is the list. Z Rec’s blog also has an image of all these products on their blog.

The following items were previously reported by Sassy as BPA-free, but are now reported to contain BPA:

Feeding products

Snack Time Infa-Trainer Cup
Color Change Fork and Spoon
Color Change Infant Feeding Spoon
Extra Gentle Soft Tip Spoon
Flexi Grip Toddler Spoon and Fork
Ideal Temp Feeding Spoon
EZ Grip Feeding Bowls with utensils

Bath Toys

Soft Ducky
Squirting Sea Pals
Boogie Board Buddy

The following additional items were previously reported to ZRecs as being free of PVC, but actually contain it (although they are still reported to be free of phthalates as well as BPA):

Bathtime Kitchen Sink
Car Wash
Counting Bath Time Bucket
Gator Boat
Snap and Squirt Sea Creatures

Two items were not included in this materials list, and ZRecs is seeking confirmation of their status:

Gummy Guppy Teether

Al-i-Sorter

Add comment September 19, 2008

Government says no more lead in toys — but not until after the holiday season

All children’s products must be compliant with the new govermental standards for lead content by Feb 10, 2009, so a little late for safe and confident Christmas shopping.

This means companies can still seel their lead-containing toys until Feb 10, but they must be removed from the shelves in the US after that. Now, I wonder who will monitor that? Honor system? We know how well that worked…

Anyway, what many may not know about the law is this:

The new lead limit is part of a sweeping product safety measure that became law Aug. 14. The law stipulates that by Feb. 10, children’s products can not have a total lead content above 600 parts per million. Six months later, that limit drops to 300 ppm and then to 100 ppm in three years if feasible.

So this year, buy with caution. Read the entire article here from the Washington Post.

Please check back for more on this topic and where to find safe toys this Christmas season.

1 comment September 15, 2008

BPA and Phthalate Free Teethers

After compiling a list of BPA pacifiers, I took the next step and moved on to teethers. I’ve done a little digging and these are what I found. Please note, this is not a comprehensive list, just the ones I have found. New BPA and phthalate-free products are coming out all the time and it’s getting hard to keep up, which is a good thing! If you are aware of another teether that is BPA and phthalate free and not listed here, please let me know and I will certainly add it!

BPA & Phthalate Free Teethers

Bright Starts: (note, their teethers may contain PVC and/or BPA, see The Soft Landing update)

Camden Rose: Waldorf Maple Teether and Waldorf Cheery Rattle/Teether

Combi Teethers like this one

Comfort + Joy Teether (not yet available)

First Years/Learning Curve: Cool Triangle Teether, Floating Friends, Soft teething beads, First Keys

Fisher Price: Laugh & Learn Learning Keys, Rainforest Monkey Teether, Rainforest Giraffe Rainstick Rattle, Miracles & Milestones Musical Zebra, Miracles & Milestones Sunshine Activity Ring, Miracles & Milestones Penguin Water Teether, Lil’ Laugh & Learn 1-2-3 Puppy Rattle (because of the large number of FP recalls due to lead paint, I personally do not recommend them until they get their act together. I am sure the new law passed by Pres. Bush will help this effort)

Gerber: Cooling Gum Soother, Cool Fish Soother, Cool Ring Soother, OrbiTeether

Haba wooden toys: Kringelring, Ramba Zamba, Rosa and Lisa teether ring, Bella teething ring, Minka teething ring, Nanni teething ring, Duck Duck clutching toy

Je Je Vibrating Teether (rubber)

Kushies Teethers: such as Zolo Links

Leapfrog Gentle Vibes teether

miYim: Knitted Teether Bear

Natursutten: fish teether, apple teether

Nuby/Luv n’ Care: Nuby Jiggle Giggle Teethers, Nuby Nibbler, Nuby Ice Gel Teether Keys on a Ring, Nuby Bug-A-Loop Teether, Nuby Icy Bite Teether Rings, Nuby Kool Soothers, Nuby Pur Icy Bite Teethers, Nuby Fun Teethers, Cool-Sicles Hard & Soft Teether, Nuby Fun Links and Fun Links on a Ring

Raz-Berry Silicone Teether (note: RazBaby’s regular pacifiers are NOT BPA-free)

Sassy: Sassy Jelly Fish Teethers, Sassy Coolin’ Teether, Sassy Chilly Dilly Daisy, Sassy Teething Feeder, Sassy Teach Me Toothbrush Set, Sassy Teething Tunes , Sassy Gummy Guppy, Sassy Earth Brites Natural Wooden Toys, Sassy Buzz n’ Bites teether

Under the Nile (are also Fair Trade, and all organic cotton): Organic Egyptian Cotton Teething Cat, Bumble Bee Teething Ring, Organic Egyptian Cotton Veggie Green Bean Toy, Organic Cotton Corn Toy, Teething Carrot, Organic Cotton Teddy Teething Ring, Organic Cotton Banana Toy, Organic Cotton Broccoli Toy, Organic Cotton Veggie Crate (4 veggies), Organic Cotton Centipede, Organic Cotton Asparagus Teether, Organic Cotton Elephant, Flat Mouse, Snowman

Vulli: Sophie the Giraffe Teether, Vulli Chan Pie Gnon Teethers, Vulli Vanilla Flavored Chan Pie Gnon, Vulli Cool It Soother Chan Pie Gnon, Vulli Vulli Musical Fruit Keys, Vulli Rattle Key Chain

Wonderworld: Twisty Moby, Twist and Roll, Rolling Raindrop Rolling Wooden Cylinder, Twistable Stuffed Animal, Little Wonder Doll, Rolling Butterfly Soft Rattle Toy, New Stacking Rings Toy, Dudy Shake Rattle Toy

3 comments August 22, 2008

PVC and Lead-Free lunch boxes for back-to-school

Updated post found here.

Lead as you know is toxic to children (and adults for that matter), so it’s important that the place their lunch is stored in is lead-free. Lead can also be ingested from your child touching the bag and then their food. For a list of manufacturers who have agreed to produce lead-safe lunch boxes, check out the CEH’s website.

PVC is toxic as it contains phthalates and lead. The Center for Health, Environment and Justice offers a downloadable guide to PVC-free school supplies.

Safe Mama has a great review/listing of lead and PVC-free lunch boxes for back to school (or even for work!) Here are the ones she mentions, plus some others that I found:

The Cool Tote is a replacement for the traditional brown bag. It’s made of nylon thus lead and other toxin-free. They offer over 50 designs, so you are bound to find something you like. They also claim the product will last for years, which is also a good thing!

Crocodile Creek. These are SO CUTE, and my favorite of the bunch. I saw these at Whole Foods and they are very well-made and have very cute kid-friendly designs like dinosaurs, the solar system, horses (purple for girls) , trucks/vehicles (boyish), girls from around the world, flowers, countries with animals, farm animals and a sunflower. All are PVC, lead and phthalate free. These are a soft lunch box, they have a mesh pocket in back, a zipper pocket in front and the main compartment is insulated. And as mentioned, these look very durable. I want one for myself!

Laptop lunches are good for those who don’t like their food to touch. There are little compartments for separating food. The containers are made of polypropylene (#5) so are BPA-free and they each have lids made of polyethylene (#2). The set also includes a stainless fork and spoon with plastic handles.

LL Bean has a critter lunch box line that is really cute and lead and PVC-free. They have designs with a butterfly, a gecko, panda and several others. They would be great for a tween who wants something stylish without licensed characters.

The Lunch Pak by Fleurville is PVC-free but NOT 100% lead-free, but does exceed California standards for lead and other toxins, so are “considered” lead-free according to the company. It is also a backpack design, but does have a handle to carry like a traditional lunch box. Since it’s not completely lead-free, I probably would not buy it. They also offer a lunch buddy which is more of a traditional lunch box style.

Mimi the Sardine has cute cloth lunch totes that are PVC and lead free. There are several designs such as the ladybug, monkey/elephant/flower pattern, bugs and mice (my favorite).

Munchlers look like zoo animals and they fold out into a placemat, also very cute. They are insulated and made of polypropylene. There are several designs including a yellow tiger, white dog, green bunny and pink panda. They also have a wearable tote, but it fits like a backpack, so not sure how this would work if your child is already carrying a backpack.

ZAK Designs offers several licensed character insulated lunch boxes that are lead free and lined with PVC-free material. Note, they just mention “PVC-free lining” so leads me to believe the entire lunch box may not be PVC-free. I am emailing the company though. Some of the characters available include: iron man, Wall-E, The Little Mermaid, Tinkerbell, Spongebob Square Pants, Diego, Spiderman and many others.

Here is another list I found of PVC-free lunch bags, though I do not know if they are lead-free.

The site also offers 6 tips for a healthier and safer lunch tote:
• Check for “lead safe,” or even better, “lead free” labels.
• Check for “PVC-free,” “Vinyl-free” or “phthalates-free” labels
• If you find none of the above, avoid soft vinyl bags and avoid bags with additional chemicals such as anti-bacterial claims (Microban is one of them), this includes statements like “keeps food fresh longer.”
• If your chosen bag offers no labels, store or wrap all your child’s food individually to avoid contact with the interior lining. Remind your kids to wash their hands before and after lunch.
• To reduce waste, choose re-usable containers and use your own silverware and napkins.
• Don’t refill disposable water bottles. The best choices are stainless steel reusable water bottles.

4 comments August 21, 2008

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