11 Eco-Friendly Toys Giving Your Kids Smart, Sustainable Fun
Worried about spoiling your child a little too much?
We can’t tell you how to parent, but we can help you with your eco-guilt that comes with buying plastic toys—especially considering they often contain harmful chemicals and can take 1,000+ years to degrade in landfills.
Like organic baby toys, eco-friendly toys are designed to have a minimal impact, while still supporting maximum fun.
What toy brand makes sustainable toys?
Here are a few brands to start filling your eco-friendly toy box.
Everything we recommend to you on Sustainable Jungle is independently researched and we ask all brands to confirm their claims. To avoid waste, we test products on an as needed basis. This post contains affiliate links. If you buy something through our links, we may earn a small commission. Learn more about why we do this here.
Some Sustainable Toy Brands To Jumpstart Your Play Date
Lovevery has the best sustainable toys for stimulating the brain, all designed for stage-based play.
PlanToys focus on sustainable wooden toys like building blocks for play—and a better future!
For some truly brilliant eco-friendly toys, UK brand Tender Leaf Toys crafts absolutely beautiful and creative toys from reclaimed rubber wood.
For the ABCs on how we found these environmentally friendly kids toys, hopscotch down to the end of the article.
The Full List Of Eco-Friendly Toy Brands
- Lovevery | Visit Store
- Tender Leaf Toys | Visit Store
- PlanToys | Visit Store
- Our Green House | Visit Store
- Once-Kids | Visit Store
- Legacy Learning | Visit Store
- Wishbone Design Studio | Visit Store
- Kinderfeets | Visit Store
- Green Toys | Visit Store
- EZPlay | Visit Store
- Toy Library Subscription | Visit Store
1. Lovevery
About Lovevery
Price Range: $120 per subscription / $120–$400 individually
Your child will love every eco-friendly sensory toy that comes from this brand.
And parents will, too.
Each of Lovevery’s eco-friendly toddler toys is designed to support stage-based play and activate developing baby brains and their 100 billion nerve cells!
The expertly-designed, Montessori-inspired toys, include play mats, integrated play gyms, play kits (via a subscription service), block sets, and other fun essentials for ages 0-4.
We tested out the Storyteller Play Kit, which includes a fort / puppet theater, animal puzzle, inspiring book, and more.
Not only did it keep our several kids of multiple ages occupied and entertained for hours, but we could see how it inspired and encouraged their imagination.
Lovevery’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
The toys are made with FSC-certified, sustainably harvested wood, medical-grade silicone, OEKO-TEX certified organic cotton (in the case of their non-toxic play mats), and in some cases, BPA-free or bio-based plastics.
They also exceed global safety standards and are free of lead, phthalates, and flame retardants.
Supply chain & labor practices:
The Certified B Corp’s designs come out of Boise, Idaho.
They’re then manufactured in Ningbo, China by a manufacturing partner that provides ethical, sustainable, and safe working conditions.
Carbon commitments & green practices:
Their lost parts promise provides replacement parts for all playthings, but they’re working on other measures to ensure all of their environmental toys can be repaired, resold, or broken down into recyclable materials.
By 2025, 90% of their products and packaging materials will come from renewable, biobased, or recycled sources.
By 2030, their entire supply chain will be carbon-neutral, but currently orders ship as such.
2. Tender Leaf Toys
About Tender Leaf Toys
Price Range: $13–$120
Are wooden toys sustainable?
Tender Leaf Toys’ sure are.
Started by craftsmen and designers, this UK company is one of the best wooden toy brands designing toys to support your child’s cognitive and physical skills.
Between play tables, extravagant dollhouses and dolls, games, culinary-themed toys, and this stunning Cosmic Rocket Set, YOU’LL want to sit down to have a tea party—which of course, they have a set for.
Tender Leaf Toys’ Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
The toys are made from reclaimed rubberwood (a byproduct of the latex industry) and FSC-certified plywood.
Only toxic free paints and glue are used. All toys meet international safety standards (EN71, ASTM F963, and AS/NZS ISO).
Supply chain & labor practices:
Every step of the process, from manufacturing to shipping, is performed by Mentari International in Indonesia.
The TLT team spends two months every year with the family-run factory, ensuring that they operate with high standards of training and employee wellbeing.
They’ve been awarded the ICTI Ethical Toy Program seal of approval for their ethical supply chain.
Carbon commitments & green practices:
Tender Leaf Toys are well on their way to plastic-free packaging and currently uses paper and recycled cardboard.
Community & charitable giving:
For every reclaimed tree that’s used, the company plants another one.
3. PlanToys
About PlanToys
Price Range: $
PlanToys got its start when seven university graduates decided to give back to their home country of Thailand.
For more than four decades, they’ve created a range of locally-made toys that include their highly popular dollhouses, doctor kits, and walkers.
But that’s just the tip of the toy box.
In fact, there isn’t a type of play they don’t facilitate, from Yellow Submarine sustainable bath toys to eco-friendly outdoor toys, like a Mini Golf Set that’s fun for the whole family.
PlanToys’ Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
To PlanToys, sustainable play means using materials like sustainably harvested rubberwood sourced from Thai trees that can no longer produce latex.
It’s combined with PlanWood, a zero waste material made from grinding surplus rubberwood sawdust.
Not only are these wooden toys eco-friendly, but non-toxic. They’re finished with E-Zero non-formaldehyde glue and non-toxic water-based dyes and exceed international safety standards (ASTM, EN71).
Supply chain & labor practices:
Materials are both responsibly sourced and produced in Trang, Thailand, keeping it nice and local.
Ensuring a fair, safe, and healthy work environment, the company is OHSAS 18002 and SA8000 certified.
Carbon commitments & green practices:
Their Children Museum is powered by solar energy, and their sustainably-sourced wood is strengthened in a chemical-free kiln-drying process.
Any waste wood is used in their biomass power plant to produce electricity for their factory and nearby villages.
Their packaging is plastic-free and uses soy inks and recycled paper.
Recognized for excellent environmental management, the company is ISO 14001 and ISO 9001 certified.
Community & charitable giving:
A portion of all proceeds is donated to a Children’s Museum and reforestation projects in Thailand.
They volunteer in their local community and run Toy Library in Thailand, to reduce the cost for a family to buy toys.
The PlanToys PlayCycle project encourages and educates families on the benefits of passing on outgrown toys, which helps those in need and reduces waste.
*Also available on EarthHero
4. Our Green House
About Our Green House
Price Range: $3–$245
Our Green House is a family-first, woman-owned company offering an impressive range of eco-friendly gifts, including toys.
The range includes blocks, puzzles, journals, arts & eco-friendly crafts, games, cars, and playsets.
For something snugly to settle down once playtime is over, they also have a selection of eco-friendly plush toys and stuffed animals, like the Organic Stuffed Hedgehog, made with 100% organic cotton yarn and polyester stuffing that bears a non-toxic OEKO-TEX certification.
Our Green House’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
Sustainably harvested maple hardwood, sustainable alder, sustainable birch, recycled rubberwood, organic cotton, OEKO-TEX polyester, and food-grade materials are used.
Many toys are finish-free, or are treated with non-toxic finishes and paints. Most use non-formaldehyde E-zero glue, too.
Supply chain & labor practices:
Using their filters, you can find eco-friendly toys made in the USA.
Those that aren’t come from countries with ethical manufacturing practices and fair trade standards.
Community & charitable giving:
With their Just Cause gift range, a portion of all sales are donated to causes supporting whales, bees, mothers, Australian wildlife, rainforests, and oceans—just to name a few.
5. Once-Kids
About Once-Kids
Price Range: $18–$120
Once-Kids will inspire your kids’ wonder and creativity through their range of heirloom-quality toys.
Their toys align with the brand’s mission (which is also an acronym of their name): Organic, Natural, Charitable, and Environmentally-friendly.
The Once-Kids range includes blocks, play sets, and action figures—like the Tulip Hard Play Hero, because girls can be superheroes, too!—some of which give you the option of DIY Christmas decoration.
Once-Kids’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
The eco toys are made primarily with FSC-certified eco-friendly wood. In some cases, felt made from recycled water bottles is also incorporated.
All products are safe and third party tested to be CPSIA, ASTM, EN71, and CE compliant.
Carbon commitments & green practices:
The packaging is also made from FSC-certified wood, and provides an excellent opportunity for re-gifting, upcycling (zero waste gift wrapping, anyone?), or use as a toy box.
Community & charitable giving:
Through a partnership with Trash Free Seas Alliance, every purchase sees 1% go directly to ocean cleanups and conservation.
*Also available on EarthHero
6. Legacy Learning
About Legacy Learning
Price Range: $13–$51
Want to support a small business and find eco-friendly toys for babies, toddlers, and kids?
Legacy Learning blends fun with, well…learning.
From quiet time activities to wooden stackers that cultivate fine motor skills (and are sure to make plenty of noise when they fall), there’s a Montessori and Waldorf-inspired toy for every kid’s (and parent’s) mood.
If you’re shopping the tiniest of tots, check out their selection of eco-friendly teething toys, like the adorable Dinosaur Teething Ring, made of sustainable wood and non-toxic, non-plastic silicone.
Legacy Learning’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
All environmentally friendly kids’ toys are made with wood and all-natural, non-toxic paints.
Some feature medical-grade silicone.
Supply chain & labor practices:
Everything is handcrafted by owner Ashley in her Illinois home, so you know these are totally ethical toys, too.
7. Wishbone Design Studio
About Wishbone Design Studio
Price Range: $25–$280
With a desire to spread creativity, joy, and independence, Wishbone Design Studio has reimagined the functionality and durability of children’s toys.
You’ll see this vision in their thoughtfully-made range of eco toys for little ones on-the-go: trikes, bikes, rockers, walkers, and wagons.
Those like the Wishbone Flip are a higher upfront investment, but their clever convertible design means they’ll provide engaging play for ages one to five.
Wishbone Design Studio’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
Wishbone’s wheeled toys are made with sustainably harvested birchwood and post-consumer recycled content (like recycled plastic and carpet).
All toys comply with AU, NZ, EU, and US safety standards.
Supply chain & labor practices:
Wishbone toys are designed in New Zealand and ethically made in China.
Carbon commitments & green practices:
Designed for longevity and zero waste end-of-lives, most toys use zero additives to make their recycling easier.
Community & Charitable Giving:
With some products, portions of sales are donated to organizations promoting biodiversity and protecting endangered species.
8. Kinderfeets
About Kinderfeets
Price Range: $60–$300
With toys designed to develop gross motor skills, coordination, and balance, toy-maker Kinderfeets supports your child’s imagination and beyond.
Think balance bikes, Waldorf-inspired balance boards, tricycles, play gyms, and prams.
When it comes to sustainable toys, those with multiple functions are best, like Kinderfeets’ 2-in-1 Tiny Tots bikes that convert from bike to trike.
Kinderfeets’ Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
Fast-growing bamboo, eco-friendly birchwood, or FSC-certified German beechwood are the materials of choice
Only non-formaldehyde glue and non-toxic, water-based paints and lacquers are used.
The toys adhere to safety standards in Europe, North America, and Australia (CE, ASTM, EN71, AS/NZS 8124).
Supply chain & labor practices:
The toys are made in a factory near Shanghai, China that was established by an Austrian company and has long-standing ethical practices.
Minimizing environmental impact and supporting employees has allowed the factory to obtain ISO 9001 and BSCI certifications.
Carbon commitments & green practices:
Kinderfeets uses recycled materials for packaging and sells individual replacement parts for easy repairs.
Community & charitable giving:
A portion of the company’s annual profits is donated to Trees for the Future and their efforts to combat deforestation.
9. Green Toys
About Green Toys
Price Range: $11–$30
Normally, we like plastic-free toys, but in this next brand’s case, we’ll make an exception.
Upon first glance, Green Toys may not seem like they belong on a list of sustainable toy brands. Their toys look very much like run-of-the-mill plastic playthings—until you learn they’re 100% recycled plastic.
They offer a little bit (or a lot) of everything for all ages, from eco-friendly bath toys and play trucks to tea party sets and shape learning tools.
Each one is thoughtfully designed with not just circularity in mind, but also the benefits of unstructured play.
The Watering Can Toy is a versatile tool that you can use to help teach your kiddos about sustainable gardening by making them a hands-on helper, then doubles as a sustainable beach toy for your family vacation.
Green Toys’ Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
These non-toxic kids’ toys are made entirely of recycled milk jugs (one of the safest types of plastic available, BTW) with low impact dyes.
Each one is rigorously tested at every stage of production to ensure it is food safe and free of BPA and phthalates.
Green Toys is fully compliant with The CPSIA, ASTM F963, EN 71 and ISO 8124 toy safety standards.
Supply chain & labor practices:
Design to sourcing to final production, everything happens in the USA, keeping their footprint small and allowing them to personally acquaint themselves with all their partners.
Carbon commitments & green practices:
Green Toys’ products have removed over 54 million milk jugs from landfills and they encourage parents to use their toys as a lesson on how something bound for the trash can be turned into something fun.
As a recipient of the Greener Packaging Award, their packaging consists of 100% recycled cardboard printed with soy inks, and recycled water bottle reinforcements.
*Also available on EarthHero
10. EZPlay
About EZPlay
Price Range: $20–$499
Did you say jungle gyms?
EZPlay can provide your mini-me with the best climbing experience.
Suitable for all ages, they create adventure-ready playthings for kids of all ages, including options that serve as sustainable toys for babies.
Designed by Montessori specialists, their range includes jungle gyms, kid-friendly and foldable climbing walls, slides, ball pits, and the popular Wobble Balance Board, designed to improve kids’ coordination (and can equally challenge your own!).
EZPlay’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
Top-quality natural ash wood is used for most of the eco toys.
They’re treated with water-based paint and solvents.
Supply chain & labor practices:
The wood is sourced in Eastern Europe, which is also where they’re manufactured into playgrounds.
Carbon commitments & green practices:
The ash wood is selected because it yeilds sturdy and durable toys, especially when coupled with quality fittings to provide long-lasting play structures.
11. Toy Library Subscription
About Toy Libraries
Price Range: Various
Let’s face it, most toys don’t stand the test of time, whether it be through breakages or loss of interest.
That’s where toy libraries come in.
Toy libraries let you borrow toys in the same way that you would borrow books.
This allows you to choose age appropriate toys for your child that will promote physical and intellectual development, but can then be swapped out before boredom sets in.
On average, it costs around $10-20 per month and that includes the delivery of sanitized, sustainable children’s toys. With some subscriptions, you can rent around $2,000 worth of toys annually, ranging in everything from blocks to eco-friendly dinosaur toys.
The greenest way to play, these borrowed toys reduce waste and limit the amount of packaging required. The most environmentally friendly toys are those that are shared, after all.
While there are dedicated toy library services in many countries throughout the world, they’re also offered by libraries and local councils, so a Google search might be your best bet to find something in your area.
Also available at Whirli (UK) | Toy Libraries (AU)
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Why Choose Sustainable Toys For Kids?
Why choose eco-friendly kids’ toys?
Well, let’s start with the fact that the toy industry is the most plastic-intensive industry in the world, requiring 40 tons of plastic for every $1 million in revenue.
Where’s the fun in that?
Made from natural, renewable, or recycled materials, sustainable toddler toys are a better way to play.
Aside from the issues associated with the plastics used, toys always seem to end up in mouths, and kids are more sensitive to toxic ingredients like phthalates and Bisphenol A which mimic hormones and disrupt normal growth and development.
For the most part, sustainable toys (and sustainability for kids in general) also help to keep young ones away from other toxins, too.
Sustainable materials, finishes, paints, and glues that are better for our environment, are also better for children, especially during their most important stages of development.
Whether you’re planning on raising a zero waste baby or are taking small steps toward a more conscious household, buying from children’s toy brands like these is a step in that direction.
How We Found The Best Eco-Friendly Toys
So, what is a sustainable toy, and how did we decide which brands to invite over for playtime?
Let’s take a closer look at our considerations:
Materials:
As with clothes, organic cotton, bamboo, and recycled water bottles make for good eco-toy materials.
Why are toys eco-friendly if they’re made from these materials?
Because natural children’s toys are also biodegradable toys, and those made with recycled plastic put other would-be plastic trash to better use.
Many are made with sustainably-sourced rubberwood that’s reclaimed as a byproduct from the latex industry. Other types of wood that commonly make their way into building blocks include sustainably-harvested birch, alder, maple, ash, and beech.
To a lesser extent, bio-based plastics and medical-grade silicone are sometimes used by non-toxic toy brands.
For sustainable plush toys, organic cotton is the safest fabric around.
- Certifications: OEKO-TEX, Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS), Forestry Stewardship Council (FSC)
Supply chain & labor practices:
Our kids may know the importance of telling the truth, but unfortunately the same can’t be said for companies who lean towards greenwashing…
That’s why detailed and transparent supply chain practices are important. Even better when they’re backed up by third-party certifications.
- Certifications: Fair Trade, Certified B Corporation (B Corp), Business Social Compliance Initiative (BSCI), Social Accountability International (SA8000), International Organization for Standardization (ISO 9001), ISO 14001, Occupational Health and Safety Assessment Series (OHSAS 18002)
Carbon commitments & green practices:
Still a relatively new part of the industry, makers of eco-friendly children’s toys have yet to really go beyond sustainable materials.
However, it is promising to see carbon offset shipping, designs that ensure durability, practices that reduce waste, offerings of replacement parts, packaging materials free of plastic, and commitments to reduce their impact.
Community & charitable giving:
While many of these companies are still getting their footing, it’s great to see that some are giving back to a kinder, more sustainable world through donations, volunteering, or fundraising opportunities.
Final Thoughts On Sustainable Kids’ Toys
We’d bet that these environmentally friendly children’s toys would make your kids smile.
And without the eco-guilt it’s (almost) too easy not to spoil them.
But remember, the best eco-friendly toys are those already hidden under your kiddos’ bed.
When boredom creeps in, look for secondhand options before buying something new. Or, how about starting a toy swap with friends or family?
Next time a birthday rolls around, spread a little (eco-friendly) joy by supporting a sustainable toy brand you and your kids will love.
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