Sustainable toys are designed to have a minimal impact—on both the planet and your child’s health thanks to a lack of toxic paints and plastics—while still supporting maximum fun.
We’ve curated a list of our favorite toy brands using responsible and safe materials, ethical labor practices, and low-waste packaging.
Our new Brand Rating System takes our consideration set much further by assessing toy brands (and all other brands) against a range of 22 sustainability-related criteria, like chemical use and climate action. You can learn more about it here and we encourage you to look out for rated toy brands on the list below as these are the brands who have opted in to be rated, going the extra mile to demonstrate transparency around their sustainability achievements and progress.
We independently research all featured brands and we ask them to confirm their claims. In many cases we personally review recommended products. This post contains affiliate links which means we may earn a commission if you buy something. Learn more here.
Our Top Picks: Sustainable Toy Brands
Sometimes growing up comes with bumps and bruises, but Toki Mats tries to minimize these with non-toxic latex-based foam toys that give little ones a soft place to land while they’re learning to find their feet. Toki Mats has been comprehensively rated and reviewed by us – see the rating.
Our kids love playing with Lovevery’s Montessori-inspired toys that encourage stage-based play, all the while being made with low-impact materials like organic cotton and BPA-free or bio-based plastics.
Meeting all international child safety standards, UK brand Tender Leaf Toys crafts beautiful and creative toys from reclaimed rubber wood and FSC-certified plywood.
Index: Eco-Friendly Toys
- Toki Mats Jump to brand
- Lovevery Jump to brand
- Tender Leaf Toys Jump to brand
- PlanToys Jump to brand
- Once-Kids Jump to brand
- Legacy Learning Jump to brand
- Wishbone Design Studio Jump to brand
- Kinderfeets Jump to brand
- Toy Library Subscription Jump to brand
Toki Mats
Ethical Sourcing
Raw materials have been sourced ethically with people and planet in mind.Non-toxic
All products are made with ingredients or materials that are currently considered non-toxicOrganic
Products are made from organic materials.Vegan
This brand does not use any animal products or by-products in their productsWoman Owned
This brand is owned by a woman or a group of women.Toki Mats has been rated by Sustainable Jungle. Find the full rating here.
If the name doesn’t give it away, Canada-based Toki Mats specializes in foldable play mats safe for babies and toddlers alike, featuring a colorful and stunning collection of removable covers. The brand was born during naptime, inspired by a mother’s need for a safe, comfortable, and supportive platform for her and her newborn to spend time playing on the floor.
The brand also offers all kinds of other toys and accessories for soft play, like play cushions, cubes, bean bags, couches, and tents.
All these soft toys and mats are mostly designed with a firm OEKO-TEX-certified natural Dunlop latex foam or GOLS-certified organic latex filling that’s flame retardant-free, anti-bacterial, self-ventilating, non-allergenic (except for latex allergies), and biodegradable.
Covers are made of either 100% organic cotton, OEKO-TEX-certified water-resistant bamboo, or OEKO-TEX-certified, water-based microfiber polyurethane (PU) vegan leather that’s especially easy to wipe clean.
Watch or read our reviews of Toki Mats below. For 15% off – use code SUSTAINABLE15.
My Personal Review of Toki’s Bean Bag & Play Mat:
“We own Toki’s bean bag and cotton play mat. My daughter absolutely loves the floral print and was so pleasantly surprised at how comfy the mat was to lounge on while doing puzzles, reading, playing dolls, colouring – the works! The bean bag is lightweight, and comfy. My husband and I take care to ensure our kiddos sleep on the safest materials, and now her play place is no different. The washable (and changeable) covers make for an easy bedroom update, and with the cotton lining, I don’t fear 1 trillion little beads spilling onto the floor. Clearly quality products, so I expect them to live with us for years – and as my nephews and nieces are born and grow up, I think they’ll make the perfect pass-me-downs or gifts.”
Review by Shelby Loeppky (and her daughter), SJ Writer & Product Tester
Toki Mats have kindly offered SJ users 15% off – use code SUSTAINABLE15 until the end of 2024
Lovevery
Price Range: $120 per subscription / $120–$400 individually
Lovevery 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.
Each of Lovevery’s 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.
Designs come from Boise, Idaho, and are then manufactured in Ningbo, China by a manufacturing partner that provides ethical, sustainable, and safe working conditions.
Their lost parts promise provides replacement parts for all playthings, but they’re working on other measures to ensure all of their 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, and by 2030, their supply chain will be carbon-neutral.
My Personal Review of Lovevery’s Storyteller Play Kit:
“I tested out the Storyteller Play Kit, which includes a fort / puppet theater, animal puzzle, inspiring book, and more. Not only did it keep all of my kids of multiple ages occupied and entertained for hours, but I could see how it inspired and encouraged their imagination.”
Review by Shelby Loeppky (and her children), SJ Writer & Product Tester
Tender Leaf Toys
Price Range: $13–$120
Started by craftsmen and designers, the UK’s Tender Leaf Toys crafts toys from reclaimed rubberwood (a byproduct of the latex industry) and FSC-certified plywood. Only toxin-free paints and glue are used so all toys meet international safety standards (EN71, ASTM F963, and AS/NZS ISO).
From manufacturing to shipping, everything happens at 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 and are well on their way to plastic-free packaging, currently using mostly paper and recycled cardboard.
They’re 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.
PlanToys
Price Range: $12–$60
PlanToys started 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. There isn’t a type of play they don’t facilitate, from Yellow Submarine bath toys to eco-friendly outdoor toys, like a Mini Golf Set that’s fun for the whole family.
They use materials like sustainably harvested rubberwood sourced from Thai trees that can no longer produce latex. It’s combined with PlanWood, a low-waste material made from grinding surplus rubberwood sawdust. The toys are finished with E-Zero non-formaldehyde glue and non-toxic water-based dyes and exceed international safety standards (ASTM, EN71).
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, SA8000, ISO 14001, and ISO 9001 certified. 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. Packaging is plastic-free and uses soy inks and recycled paper.
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.
Once-Kids
Price Range: $18–$120
Once-Kids’ range of heirloom-quality toys align with the brand’s mission, for which their name is also an acronym: Organic, Natural, Charitable, and Environmentally-friendly.
The toys are made primarily with FSC-certified wood. In some cases, felt made from recycled water bottles is also incorporated. They’re third-party tested to be CPSIA, ASTM, EN71, and CE safety compliant. The packaging is also made from FSC-certified wood and provides an excellent opportunity for re-gifting, upcycling, or use as a toy box.
The Once-Kids range includes blocks, play sets, and action figures, like the Tulip Hard Play Hero—because girls can be superheroes, too! Some give you the option of DIY decoration.
Legacy Learning
Price Range: $13–$51
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 teething toys, like the adorable Dinosaur Teething Ring, made of wood and non-toxic silicone.
All kids’ eco-friendly toys are made with wood and all-natural, non-toxic paints. Some feature medical-grade silicone. Everything is handcrafted by owner Ashley in her Illinois home, where she ships directly from.
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’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. They’re designed in New Zealand and ethically made in China, but ship worldwide.
Designed for longevity and responsible end-of-life, most toys use zero additives to make recycling easier.
Kinderfeets
Price Range: $60–$300
Inspired by traditional Dutch bikes, Kinderfeets is a play on words for the Dutch word for “child’s bike”, kinderfiets. Today, they have operations in the USA and Canada.
Fast-growing bamboo, 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. Toys adhere to safety standards in Europe, North America, and Australia (CE, ASTM, EN71, AS/NZS 8124). Kinderfeets uses recycled materials for packaging and sells individual replacement parts for easy repairs.
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.
Toy Library Subscription
Price Range: Various
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 toys. With some subscriptions, you can rent around $2,000 worth of toys annually, ranging in everything from blocks to dinosaur toys. The greenest way to play, these borrowed toys reduce waste and limit the amount of packaging required.
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.
Why Choose Sustainable & Eco-Friendly Toys For Kids?
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.
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 also help to keep young ones away from other toxins. 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, supporting children’s toy brands like these is a healthy step in the right direction, for your child and the planet.