Toys, not toxins

Black Friday, Cyber Monday, Broke Tuesday? Not this year.

I was particularly excited about the Black Friday sales this year because it would be my son's first Christmas. I wanted to get him all the classic toys from my childhood but also a few new learning toys. Bright and early on Saturday morning (I don't actually do the crazy crowds on Black Friday), I went to my local Target to rummage through the shelves.

I was greatly disappointed.

Aisle after aisle, toy after toy, everything was "Made in China". I don't have any problems with the Chinese but after recent manufacturing practices have come to light, I avoid buying goods made there. I especially avoid buying products that will go in my son's mouth and at this age, that includes his toys.

After doing some research online, the only 100% green and clean toy manufacturer I can find is Green Toys.

Here are the positives about their company:

      1.)   All their toys are made in the United States.

     2.)   They offer a lot of the classic toys I wanted to get AI:

 

      3.)   Their toys are green:

Green Toys Inc. makes an awesome line of classic children’s toys constructed from recycled plastic and other environmentally friendly materials. This helps reduce fossil fuel use and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improving the overall health and happiness of the planet.

      4.)   Finally, to placate my difficult-to-please mommy heart, they are safe! Oh, hallelujah, some toy maker out there cares about the same things I do!

Green Toys products are tested by nationally recognized, independent, third-party labs (located, yes, in the USA.) They contain no traceable amounts of Phthalates or BPA. They are also designed without any external coatings, eliminating the fear of lead paint.

On a tangent, I just wanted to venture into explaining BPA and phthalates for folks unfamiliar with those terms. BPA is worrisome because there are prostate and mammary cancer risks associated with it as well as accelerated puberty. Phthalates are equally scary in that they feminize males by suppressing male hormones while mimicking female hormones and also have been shown to accelerate puberty in females. In other words, they are endocrine disruptors.

I hope this has shed some light into what is often dismissed as overparenting. There are serious risks involved with turning a blind eye to the chemicals used to make your child's toy. I'm proud of the efforts that Green Toys is putting into their products and I'm looking forward to supporting their business. I hope that you do too.

So this Christmas, give your kids toys, not toxins!

Mama A