fawn&forest

Ahh, yes. The ultimate do-good toothbrush. The Kid's Preserve Toothbrush by Recycline.  

The Preserve Jr. combines thoughtful engineering with fun colors and shape to make a toothbrush that both kids and parents enjoy. Designed for children ages 2 to 8, Preserve Jr’s ergonomic, pea pod shaped handle makes it easy for young hands to grab on to while the soft bristles protect your child's teeth and gums. The Preserve Jr’s handle is made from 100% recycled plastic, including Stonyfield Farm® yogurt cups, and is recyclable when mailed back to Recycline.

The Preserve Jr. is available in 3 colors at $3 each or 3 for $8. Brusha brusha brusha.  

What are they?
VOCs are chemicals that become vapors at room temperature. They are typically used in furniture in wood glues, wood stains and paints.

Why you should care?
VOCs are considered air pollutants and cause harm when inhaled.

Not all VOCs are created equal: Many manufacturers claim to be using low-VOC materials. Sadly, the EPA exempts many harmful VOC's from consideration when labeling a product low-VOC. The exemption is not based on any scientific criteria and has been described by a prominent health official as poorly based science that makes a mockery of freshman chemistry at college. In other words,low VOC is a great idea but it doesn't mean you are getting materials that are free of concern.

Q Collection Junior's solution
Every material Q Collection Junior uses is independently reviewed by an expert on toxic chemicals. In addition, they are the first children's furniture independently testing all of their furniture in air chamber testing facilities. Q Collection Junior knows down to the parts per billion what materials are in their glues and stains and consider all of the federally exempt materials. 

Image + text from Q Collection Junior. The Astronomer Stools by Q Collection Junior, above is available in 4 colors and 2 sizes.

Foldschool is nothing new, true. It has certainly made it's rounds around blogtown, rightfully. Foldschool rocks, providing free, printable pdf patterns to make cardboard furniture with and for your kids. Simple + innovative design at it's best. They've done the hard work, all you need is a rainy day, a mess of cardboard, printbable instructions and maybe a kid or 2.

Foldschool has created patterns for a stool (shown left), a rocker (shown middle) and a chair (shown right). And their site is quite user-friendly stating the age-range appropriateness, how much cardboard + time you'll need, as well as the difficulty level and stability of each piece.  

The mindset of Foldschool is to restore design to one of its original missions: to provide a product at an affordable price through a smart manufacturing process, essentially free. So donate to good design: help spread the idea of Foldschool to design addicts worldwide by donating here.

Happy Earth Day to you with the last installment of little bits of green. Next to making a recycled egg carton buggy mobile with the kids, hugging a Kata Golda softie friend is a happy way to celebrate.

Handmade using plant dyed wool felt + a lot of love in  Port Townsend, Washington by the Kata Golda crew. Using plant dyed wool felt creates those lovely soft + natural hues and is quite eco-friendly to boot. Each animal is then completely hand stitched with hand embroidered facial features and detailing. And to step it up even one more notch, each animal can be personalized with a child's name. 

In regards to sustainability, Kata Golda animals are instant heirlooms. They're the animal friends that will never go out of style and will never see a landfill. And will still make your kids smile in 30 years.

As a company, Kata Golda donates 5% of all proceeds to local elementary schools for art supplies, books and organic gardening. 

And for more Earth Day kid's craft projects, click here.

It seems we have reached the point where green efforts are becoming standard, many of which you may not even notice. Like granola now refers to cereal and not a person type. Or am I just saying this because I live in Portland?

Take Binth. Binth produces amazing pieces that are both organic (the pillow, pictured right) and recycled (the print, pictured left). Did you know?!

The original, modern pillow designs are screen-printed on organic linen using water-based inks, hand sewn in the USA and filled with luxurious down. The pillows, available in 5 different designs, would look quite lovely in any room, including the nursery. 

The prints, such as the abc letter print in "w", above, is inspired by Mid-Century Danish wood toys and is perfect for the modern nursery and children's room. Each letter is printed on recycled paper stock, with its luxurious feel and palette of soft, contemporary hues.

Fresh fruit galettes are right up my alley. No fuss. Free form. Dessert. And the kids can help and it'll still look tasty.

I first found this super simple apple galette recipe on this convenient recipe cheat sheet. You could really adapt this recipe to accommodate any fruit, but using apples is a simple start. My apples in the end could have used a little more love (or perhaps could of used a different sort of apple?) though the galette was scarfed in a quick minute. Read more on apple varieties, compliments of our local market. And I would argue organic is best.

You can read how to green-up your life or take an eco-anxiety quiz. But on most days, in addition to not using a million plastic bags or just letting the hose run, I'd rather spend quality time with my son in the kitchen, the old fashion way. Baking + making a mess. Perhaps not certified greenness, but seems more conscience than spacing out in front of the tv or accumulating endless amounts of brain numbing toys. Perhaps. 

Enter the green world of Naef toys.  The objective for Naef toys is to produce play objects that unify quality design and superior Swiss craftsmanship. All Naef toys begin by specifically selecting woods that will not shrink or warp and will remain durable over time. All of the painted products are made using non-toxic varnishes or clear coats and all woods are harvested from sustainable forests in Europe.

The Rainbow, pictured above was designed by Heiko Hillig for Naef and can be used as a playful sculptural what-have-you, a tunnel for toy cars to zoom through and even used as a xylophone, offering endless combinations of sounds. Bonus: the kids will even learn their colors (something we are still working on in this house....).

Naef toys are objects of learning as play "uses one's sence of site, touch and sound to interact with an object while experiencing the changes in light and shadow,  proportion and rhythm, depth of field, etc."

True, Naef toys tend to cost a bit more green. But dig it: quality design + sustainable craftsmanship that transends age + time the whole family will surely enjoy.  As one customer said recently, "I do not buy the plastic fantastic."

The fantastic duo that make up Argington, the designers of the Fuji toy box and the much loved Sahara crib among other peices, have been at it again. This time with 100% organic crib, toddler and twin bedding. Nothing too fancy or super-designy, but patterns + visuals it seems all little boys + girls dig: butterflies and dinosaurs. 

And not that you'll be overwhelmed with an outrageous color palatte. Thankfully. Using the natural creamy color of organic cotton as a background, dino + butterflies are in a peaceful color palatte of soft pink + violet and sky blue + brown.  The prints are done with low impact dyes using a low impact printing process on 200 thread count 100% organic cotton sateen. The comforter and pillows are filled with Eco-Spun 100% regenerated polyester fill that does not off gas or emit any traceable VOCs (volatile organic compounds). Yes!

Ecotots collection of children's furniture is quite possible the greenest wood furniture for kids, ever. Your kids can sniff it + lick it and even eat off it (right?) and they won't be off-gassed on or consume any other yuckies like formaldehyde. I like!

All 3 pieces of the Ecotots Collection (by Inmodern) are made of 100% formaldehyde-free, Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) Certified/environmentally friendly SmartWood® and feature a durable, 100% non-toxic water-based finish. All 3 pieces, the coatrack, project table + stools and art easel are available in 4 colors -- fire, leaf, natural + cocoa. 

Easy to assembles and disassembles (for easy storage) in minutes with Inmodern's patented, no-tools assembly method. Which is cool, not an allen wrench it needed! Though I will tell you from experience, these peices will need a real good whack as they are designed to fit snuggly together. 

Some other noteworthy goodies:  Pieces are UV cured finishes minimize greenhouse gases, all materials sourced in North America as well as wholly designed and manufactured in USA. Member of the SFC (Sustainable Furniture Council) and a sweet lifetime construction guarantee .

I am 7 months pregnant + strangely could eat breakfast at anytime of the day. I recently + randomly checked out Bill Granger's bills open kitchen and could not resist making these buckwheat blueberry pancakes (shown above)..... for dinner, of course. With eggs and sloppy homemade blueberry syrup goodness. Oh ya.

Making dinner for your family makes for a happy + healthy bunch, but is also quite green. Feeding your family fresh, local + organic foods is not only reasonable but keeps all the partially hydrogenated oils and high-fructose corn syrupy-whats out of their veins. Food preservatives + chemically altered foods are just wrong, right?

So here's the blueberry buckwheat recipe, adapted from Bill's recipe. They were delicious + I will have no problem polishing off the leftovers for breakfast.....

Mix together in one bowl:
1 1/4 cup organic buckwheat flour
1/2 cup organic unbleached flour
1 tps. baking powder
2 tps. organic sugar

Mix together in another bowl:
2 cups organic buttermilk
4 organic egg yolks 

Then mix the wet + dry ingredients together well, some lumps are ok.
Then beat those 4 egg whites until they're fluffy and no longer slimy. Gently fold 1/2 the beaten egg whites into the batter, then the other half. Proceed as you would make any pancakes. This recipe made about 12 moderately sized pancakes and don't forget to toss on those blueberries before you give the pancakes a good flip. You'll need about a heaping cup of blueberries for this. I used the tastiest frozen organic blueberries as it's not yet blueberry season. 

For the Blueberry syrupy goodness I threw a heaping cup of blueberry in a skillet with a bit of water + 3 slugs of agave. Simmer it down until it looks how you want it to. Juicy, but slightly thick. 

And for even more healthy "breakfast" goodness, do yourself a favor + visit 101cookbooks.com.

Kate Quinn Organics covers all the basics in clothing for the youngins' in the coziest color palette + simplest designs. Instant classics + totally comfy. And all pieces are made from 100% organic cotton. Hello green!

Kate Quinn Organics prides itself on their commitment to fair trade and the earth. Using only certified organic cotton, grown using sustainable farming practices that maintain and replenish soil fertility without the use of toxic and persistent pesticides and fertilizers. KQO garments are made of ultra soft, all-natural, organically produced cotton certified by Control Union Certifications (formerly SKAL), a USDA Accredited Certifying Agent. KQO is also certified Fair Trade. Every little garment supports their vision and hope of a cleaner, kinder earth.

And as a little FYI on organic cotton, click here. 

Yep, recycling magazines is obviously very very green + that is exactly what these Frazier + Wing mobiles are made of! Expertly crafted mobiles made of recycled magazine pages. 

Frazier + Wing Mobiles are the green that keeps on giving, as there is life beyond the nursery for these babes!  I'm thinking living room or dining room and certainly the home office could use a dance of color these mobiles provide.

Available in 3 lengths (28", 38" + 72") the Recycled Magazine Mobiles are constructed using carfully selected imagery. Each two sided element is hand cut and strung with monofilament. Four strands of multi shaped, oval, or flower elements hang from a thin plexiglass disc. Each mobile is a handmade labor of love taking up to eight hours to construct.

And a shout out to Portland, Oregon named the greenest city of '08 in the US! Both Frazier + Wing and fawn&forest are based in this lovely city we call home.

Brand new to the Oeuf Sparrow collection: the Sparrow Crib in Birch + the Toddler Bed Conversion Kit.

Oeuf has made it a mission to ensure environmentally sound products, starting with the choice of materials to the manufacturingg processes to the selection of recycled packaging.

All Oeuf furniture is produced in the small European country of Latvia. On the Baltic sea, Latvia is covered by over 70% forest and thus has a proud tradition of woodworking.  In the manufacturing process, 100% of the wood waste is recycled into briquettes which is then used to fuel the modern, self reliant heating system. Additionally they have a state of the art dust collection and reprocess waste into usable fuel. Oeuf is also a Forest Steward Certificate (FSC) holder.  

And... all finishes are non-toxic and when used, low-emission mdf. And don't forget about an organic mattress to go with that lovely green crib! 

To celebrate the greenest day of all, Earth Day (April 22nd) on the Notes, I will be featuring amazing green products from innovative designers, fun projects and other green-ish bits for the next 2 weeks.  

To kick the week off, 2 amazing pieces from DMFD in all their corky-ness! The CUB children's chair + the adult size SWAY stool, pictured above, are made from 100% cork. The cork DMFD uses originates as the waste material from the bottle stopper industry. The pieces are created by casting cork, which produces a dense, unusual texture, highly attractive and intriguing to the eyes and hands of young children + adults alike. By Casting cork, the designer, Daniel Michalikam, is able to insure the ecological responsibility of all binding agents used in his cork peices, as well as streamline from scratch the production processes.

Corks is amazing!! It is a renewable, sustainable product. In other words, the more the material is harvested, the more is created! Cork is recyclable, waterproof and extremely buoyant. Cork is naturally resistant to all forms of rot and mold growth. Your piece of cork will remain unchanged for centuries to come with normal use and is naturally resistant to bacterial and microbial growth. No nasties hiding in your cork furniture! Cork is highly absorbent of sound and vibration and is a fantastic insulator as well as being naturally heat and fire resistant. Cork will turn black under extreme heat, but will not ignite. It is even used by NASA to line the interior of the Space Shuttle's fuel tanks!

DMFD is also a part of the Sundance Channel's The Green, Big Ideas for a Small Planet show, airing April 8th at 9p est.  Images + information above (paraphrased to fit), provided by DMFD. For even more info on DMFD + cork, click here.

Two companies, Natural Mat and Naturepedic (pictured above, left + right) provide the organic answer to the toxicity of conventional crib mattresses. In a nutshell conventional crib mattresses are downright nasty. They are generally composed of vinyl (polyvinyl chloride or PVC), phthalates, polyurethane foam, harsh chemical fire retardants, and other chemical additives. In doing a bit of googleing, you will find studies linking SIDS with the toxicity of the conventional crib mattress as well as the multitude of other health effects it has on our babies and children. 

Below is a list, taken from Naturepedic, that clearly illustrates the insanity of conventional (non-organic) crib mattresses. Amazing + disgusting at the same time. 

To continue reading the article on the 5 Major Problems With Conventional Mattresses, click here. To see the full selection of organic mattresses + accessories, click here. Image on left is an organic Natural Mat mattress, image on right is an organic Naturepedic mattress.

The Hiya Collection from Spot on Square is the newest addition to the modern nuresry genre, making their debut this month at the CA Boom Design show in LA. Spot on Square is a husband + wife team, a collaboration that brings together two things: good design and children, with a background in industrial design, education + real life experience as mom + dad to 3 small kids. 

Say hello to the Hiya sleep collection: the crib + the toddler bed. Solid construction made of bamboo or birch and eco-friendly, painted (non-toxic + low-voc) mdf. Playful design the kids will like + versatile enough for mom + dad. The height of the crib is slightly shorter than most cribs (which is a plus if you are part of the shorter-set), with a 3 level adjustable mattress height.  The toddler bed has seamlessly designed side rails while still being low enough at the end of the bed for mom or dad to sit, tuck in + read stories.

Simple + sustainable + thoughtfully manufactured in the usa. Sleep!