We’ve always had quite a collection of stuffed animals which I, from time to time, peer at suspiciously and wonder what toxic chemicals lurk within. Now parents have fewer worries. Organic and safe alternatives exist.
Aurora Naturally, a new line of organic plush from a well established player in the gift industry, offers a sustainable, healthy choice for stuffed animal lovers…and their parents. Handmade in Indonesia (I may be wrong but, I believe that most plush made in Asia is “handmade”…that’s why they make them in Asia, right?) each cute and fuzzy creature features a soft and fluffy exterior made from soy fiber.
Inside, they are stuffed with Kapok fiber, a material made from the pod of the Kapok Tree, a sustainable rainforest crop. I was reading a bit about Kapok fiber and some concerns about flammability so I checked with the company who assured me that these toys are safe and meet or exceed ASTM International standards and guidelines for toy safety.
The line which will be sold at zoos, aquariums, department stores and gift shops, has some unique offerings. Besides the classic Teddy bear, there’s a Mama and baby otter; a chimp and a gorilla; and a very cute looking penguin.
My son grabbed the chimp we received while I favored the penguin, mostly because unlike the thousands of penguin stuffed animals I’ve seen at store, this one had very cute and welcoming features. Sometimes I like my stuffed animals not quite so realistic!
If you’re truly eco minded, you’ll be happy to hear that even the hang tags, made from recycled paper, are earth friendly.
This issue has been bugging my mind for quite some time now. I always worry because my 2-year-old daughter always has the habit of putting her favorite toys in her mouth. Well at least we have someone to come up with such great ideas.
What i really want to know is, is it really organic? They are not labeled organic, and how do they meet the ASTM International standards and guidelines for toy safety if they aren’t using some fire retardant? I don’t worry about my child’s toy catching fire (what’s the probability of that?), I worry about them putting fire retardant or pesticides in their mouth…
That’s a good point… At the same time I think I prefer my kids toys to have been treated with fire retardant than not!
I suppose what Aurora is putting the emphasis on is the eco aspect of the product, made from natural fibres and stuffing that is ecologically sound etc.
Personally I think it’s nice to have a soft toy made of natural fibres like these and that still looks good. I mean, I’ve seen cuddly toys made from wool without use of any harmful substance and all that, but with all due respect to the persons who made them, they sometimes hardly look like the animal they’re supposed to represent! The cuddly toys from Aurora that I’ve seen, look good, feel nice, and if they’re better for the environment that’s all the better.
You can get toys labeled as organic, but is something organic necessary kind to the environment too? Can some manufacturer not bring the 2 together? I’d say it’s only a matter of time. If you know of any soft toy manufacturer that has managed that, let me know!