Parents looking for organic and natural toys won’t have to go quite so far to find them according to an announcement released today. On Earth Day, April 22, 2008 Toys R Us and Toys R Us online will start selling a private label brand of toys.
The toys will be packaged in earth-tone colored boxes that bear a stylized “R” seal featuring a green leaf, encircled by the words “Recycle, Renew, Reuse, Re-think,” and signifies for parents that the toys are eco-friendly. The packaging itself will be made from no less than 70 percent recycled materials, according to the company.
Natural Wooden toys, including a fire engine, crane, car and blocks will be available first and are certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). Natural Cotton plush and Organic Cotton Dolls made using unprocessed, unbleached and untreated cotton will be available shortly afterward.
“We know that kids are becoming more environmentally conscious and are curious about how they can do their part to help protect the planet,” said Karen Dodge, Chief Merchandising Officer, Toys”R”Us, U.S. “Going green is more than just a trend. It’s becoming a lifestyle. This is just our first step in offering our customers the best selection of eco-friendly and organic products in all of our Toys”R”Us stores nationwide.”
Of course, readers of this blog have a quite a few more questions to ask about these products. Yes, they seem to be eco-friendly.
Are they Fair Trade?
Where are they made?
Are there any obvious, legal but, lethal toxins involved in the manufacture?
Do they promote open ended, imaginative play?
We’ll have to wait and see.
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Well you can’t argue too much with the “open-ended imaginative play” factor, that goes without saying; blocks, vehicles and dolls are staple toys!
As for trade and made, I’d be interested to see too… the FSC blessing doesn’t remotely cover the fact they could be churned out of a sweat-shop in a repressed cuntry… more info needed 🙂
it seems like a good initiative but i see a huge disparity between the availability of these types of items in the US and Canadian markets. When you check out the eco-friendly choices on the US website they are always greater than on the Canadian websites. I am disappointed that large companies cannot create consistent levels of availability of these products on the market.
There will always be some level of greenwash with every new launch from major players in all industries. People will have to do a great deal of their own due dilligence if they are looking for the best eco option in the future.