Safest Toy Brands for Holiday Shopping
Image is from Green Toys, an LTL recommended toy brand.
Tis The Season
Hey friends!! It’s that crazy, sensory-overloaded time of year again! The time when you imagine gift shopping to be an easy breezy, guilt-free adventure and then it hits and it ends up being a stressful task! I haven’t started kid shopping yet but I can picture myself now - slowly and anxiously walking down the toy isle only to be met with indecisiveness and over-analyzation. It is inevitable that my doubts about these toys will eventually feed my every bit of desire to GTFO of the store and get out fast. For the acronym challenged folk, GTFO = get the f*ck out. Honestly, who else has spent hours in a store only to come out with nothing but a $7 pop it. Yes, I need to take my therapist shopping with me.
We Got This
While toy shopping can be hard on some of us we must remember that this is not a perfect world! Toys will come and go over the years and some will be more toxic than others. I am hoping this guide will take a little pressure off of Holiday shopping so that you can at least mitigate some of the toys that will end up on your floors.
Toy Recalls & Regulation
I always have a hundred question to ask a toy but my first one is - are you safe? Ideally all toys would be created equally and made from natural non-toxic materials but unfortunately that’s not the case. This morning I was listening to a Joe Rogan podcast, he mentioned that over 12,000 pharmaceutical drugs have been recalled by the FDA and over 1,000 are recalled each year. When he brought this up I pondered how many toys have been recalled (the mind of a non-toxic mother right?). I found that each year 50-100 toys are recalled by the CPSC. In 2008 that number spiked to 178. Within those 178 toys over 10% of them were recalled due to unsafe levels of lead. What blew my mind was that these toys weren’t flops or unpopular, they were high demand, shelf favorite brands including Melissa & Doug, Thomas the train and Dora the Explorer. Fortunately, that was 2008 and toy regulations have improved. Some of these regulations involve lead, lead in paint, phthalates and small parts - THANK GOD!
Toys sold in the US are regulated by CPSC (the Consumer Product Safety Commission). If you are suspicious about a toy you can check here for recalls. While toys intended for children 12 and younger must be third party tested and compliant to the Federal Toy Safety Standard, unsafe toys still make there way into our homes. One reason is due to toys being manufactured in other countries. China for example, does not have the strict regulations like we have here in the US. Heavy metal contamination has been a concern with anything coming from China so important we do our research. The other reason unsafe toys make it into our homes is that CPSC standards still allow PVC, some phthalates and other heavy metals ie substances that are not LTL approved.
What does Safe Toy Mean?
What I’ve learned over the course of raising children in a toxic environment is that the younger the child is, the easier it is to find safer toys. Safer toys for young children is crucial given their high hand-to-mouth activity. As they get older the options become more limited so you may need to spend extra time researching.
Toys made of natural materials are almost always better. This includes solid and natural wood, organic cotton and wool. Other materials like medical or food-grade silicone and natural rubber are good too.
What to be Aware of While Purchasing Toys
Avoid toys made of PVC or Vinyl. PVC products typically contain phthalates. The PVC industry is also one of our nation’s largest polluters and water contaminators.
Be cautious of painted toys from china. Lead-based paint found in toys is an issue in China. Purchasing water-based painted toys from America is best.
Toys from China have been a source of other toxic ingredients such as brominated flame retardants. If a toy is coming from China look for certifications, organic textiles and water based paints etc.
Play jewelry, rubber ducks, sidewalk chalk and plastic play food are some of the highest sources of heavy metals, phthalates, asbestos and chlorine so vet these products well.
Here is a List of LTL Approved Toy Brands
We use these toys on the floor, in the pool and the bathtub! These toys are manufactured in California and surpass US and International Standards on BPA and phthalates as well as meets California law. I love these toys too because they are made from recycled plastic. The main ingredient is recycled milk jugs. All materials used are listed on their website.
Hape is a leader in designing and manufacturing high quality educational toys made from sustainable materials. These well designed toys are made with FSC certified wood and meet US and International environmental and safety standards.
Hape is a German company that manufactures in China. Every toy is then third party tested to meet US and European Standards.
They are the largest producer of wooden toys so prices are a bit easier on the wallet.
There best sellers include
Plan Toys has been the recipient of more than 70 awards for its world class beautifully crafted wooden toys. I mean look at this wooden camera! Plan Toys wooden toys are made from reclaimed rubber trees that undergo a chemical free kiln drying process to eliminate moisture. They use organic pigments, plant-based ink and/or water-based paint. If glue is necessary it is of course, formaldehyde-free. Their rubber toys are 100% natural rubber which is the safest for children. I love this brand so much!
Under the Nile sells toys, clothing and home goods. It was started by a mom on a mission to create organic clothing for her children with sensitive skin. It is now a premium organic baby brand with over 20 years in business. They make sustainable, buttery soft, organic Egyptian cotton baby clothing, accessories and toys in a Certified Fair Trade facility. Many of their items are GOTS certified which is the highest non-toxic certification in textiles. I love their high quality products and have purchased many of them through Amazon.
Haba emphasizes social responsibility and environmental sustainability. Their toys are intentionally designed to last for years, keeping out of landfills and are made from wood that is sustainably sourced. Their toys are made from PEFC certified beech and birch wood. The certification ensures forest owners protect and manage their forests in line with challenging environmental, social and economical requirements. They use solvent-free paints and water-based stains. All toys made from fabric are tested by the State Trade Institute for harmful substances. Products are free of phthalates, BPA, Lead and PVC. No chemical glues or adhesives used. For more quality and sustainability information you can view their numerous YouTube Videos here.
As you may have seen in my constant baby spam of Ruby, we own a quite a few items from Finn + Emma. This small shop was started by a mom who noticed a lack of high quality, organic children’s apparel. They have since then brought in some note worthy sustainable baby gear items including this all natural untreated Indian hardwood finised with non-toxic vegetable wax. Hanging from the wood are GOTs certified hanging toys. The owner has a keen sense for detail and it is highlighted in the buttons of the clothing which are nickel free (for skin sensitivities) and include coconut inserts. Finn + Emma uses third party laboratories to test samples of all of their products post-production.
The Tot is a consciously curated children’s store and resource for parents who are passionate about non-toxic living. Their staff analyzes hundreds of materials and ingredients across every category and independently reviews each product before it goes on their site. To ensure transparency to the customers, they feature test results on every product page. They have a long list of materials and ingredients that do not pass their test. You can see their no list here.
What began as Montana’s Diaper Store, an online retail site operating out of founder Kim Ormsby’s laundry room, has quickly grown into the inspiration that would revolutionize the natural parenting industry. In 2008, Kim, Montana native, created a line of eco-friendly parenting products to solve the daily issues parents face while nurturing their babies, and developed The Natural Baby Company. in 2009 they launched GroVia, a modern, eco-friendly diapering system that took the market by storm! Both companies provide products that the highest quality, healthy, and environmentally friendly.
Lovevery has dedicated significant time and resources to help our planet. They use FSC-Certified wood, organic cotton and bio-based plastics. All products are made at the highest quality to ensure toys last generations. One of their company goals is to create a second-hand marketplace for families by 2023. I am deeply enjoying our Lovevery subscription and with each new both that arrives I am very impressed by the quality and commitment they have to producing safe and environmentally friendly toys.
Hevea is one of my all time favorites and one of the only companies to produce a truly non-toxic rubber duck! All products by Hevea are 100% natural rubber and sourced from the Hevea tree in Malaysia. Manufacturing also occurs there. Their products are BPA, PVC, Phthalate and artificial color free. I own a few of their bath toys and pacifiers which are a bit hit in our home. Natural rubber is said to better mimic a nipple than silicone so they are my first choice in pacifiers.
Did you find any non-toxic toys for the upcoming holidays? I hope these bring comfort to your conscious and home!
Check back for more brands to be added!
For more non-toxic information visit and say hello to me on Instagram @lowtoxicliving.
XOXO Alexa
