Eco-Friendly Mama: Safe product recommendations with a focus on organic and Made in USA!

My son received the 80 piece set for a Christmas gift from my Husbands parents. My side of the family is very aware of, and totally respectful of my wishes regarding made in the USA & (mostly) wooden play things for my family. I immediately assumed the Mega Bloks were going to be made in China, but was surprised to see they were made in Canada. OK, not terrible I thought, Canada has decent standards from what I know. My son dumped them out & within minutes of receiving the gift, Mega Bloks was suddenly part of his vocabulary, and Mega Bloks were suddenly all over our house.

I studied the bag for info on the Bloks. The bag boasts “PVC-free Eco-bag”. Cool. But, what about the blocks–the item my child will be playing with? So I wait for Christmas to get over & call their NA headquarters in Montreal, Canada. I get a recording that says to leave a message & they’ll call back, which I did. A week went by with no call back (I tried calling here & there only to receive the same “we’re busy, leave a message”). So I left my question on their FB page. Several days went by & they answered all messages around mine, but not mine, so I reposted it.

Q: What type of plastic are your blocks made of? Are they PVC & BPA-free? The bag advertises as PVC-free, but I find it odd that the info on the blocks is hard to come by, I see no info regarding it on your site, unless I’m missing it.

A: All Mega Bloks products meet United States and Canada Toy safety requirements for BPA and PVC. We do everything we can to keep them safe for kids of all ages.

Q: My question is whether they are PVC &/or BPA-free. I’m not familiar enough with the safety standards, but know that they may have an allowable limit, which is different than containing none

A: Our toys adhere to US toy safety standards and we are proud to enforce higher internal safety thresholds than required by the standards, but we cannot confirm that the blocks do not include trace amounts of PVC. We assure you that our toys are safe for our families and yours.

(It took me 3 posts to get to the bottom of it, here’s the ultimate answer: https://www.facebook.com/megabloks/posts/10152153976931703?comment_id=32101605&offset=0&total_comments=1&notif_t=feed_comment)

A different post on same topic shared on my wall yesterday: https://www.facebook.com/megabloks/posts/10151568026906703

What ticks me off the most? That they “assure” they are safe, although they cannot even confirm what is, or isn’t in them. No words can convey my frustration with that! WHY would they advertise the bag as PVC-free, when the blocks themselves contain them? To gloss over that fact… To create a smoking mirror… This frustrates me to NO end. I know that in the post or 2 I’ve done about this to date, while trying to get to the bottom of it, many parents have expressed frustration- they fell for the “PVC-free bag”, and assumed the same of the blocks. I’ve learned it’s never safe to assume anything, but feel their marketing ploy on this one is very deceptive!

While my son, who these were a gift for, is nearly 3 & not putting these in his mouth, his 6 month old Baby Sister is in the stage where EVERYTHING goes in her mouth. If it were not for her presence, I may just let my son keep these blocks, as he really, really was enjoying them. However, another issue that arose was I felt as soon as they were introduced to him the wooden block set he received a week prior from Smiling Tree Toys was a little less interesting to him, and that made me sad. And, I immediately loathed the mess they made around the house, as I was finding blocks everywhere. So, I packed them up one day during nap time & to my pleasant surprise he hasn’t asked about them once. We’re back to building towers & pyramids with his lovely, safe, handmade in MN wooden blocks, and I couldn’t be happier. I am going to send the Mega Bloks back to his Grandma & Grandpa’s, where they came from, and ask them to keep them there to play with while he’s visiting them. I will explain to them why I don’t want them in my house, which I’m happy to do as I know it’ll ensure we don’t receive any more Mega Bloks in the future! I REALLY, REALLY want to raise awareness on this issue, as I feel this company is “greenwashing” their products. I was surprised, after posting that we’d received these for a gift, how many replied that they’d received them too… So, please share this info on your page, and especially with other Mama/Dada groups you belong to.

My mission to stick to wooden toys with safe finishes, organic cloth toys, or plastic toys from Green Toys (free of PVC, BPA, phthalates & lead) has been greatly reaffirmed! I’m looking forward to adding more wooden blocks to our collection from Smiling Tree Toys with the next Buying Club order in February.

Sources regarding concerns related to PVC:

http://healthychild.org/easy-steps/reduce-your-use-of-pvc-in-plastics-and-other-household-products/

“Polyvinyl chloride (PVC), or vinyl, is one of the most environmentally hazardous consumer materials ever produced.” http://chej.org/…/documents/PVC_Consumer_Products.pdf

http://www.healthystuff.org/chemicals.chlorine.php

A good resource with safe alternatives: http://www.safbaby.com/lead-free-pvc-free-and-fire-retardant-free-toy-manufacturers

My safe toy list: https://ecofriendlyusa.wordpress.com/made-in-usa-2/toy-list/

Work in progress: https://www.facebook.com/megabloks/posts/10152160438621703?comment_id=32137367&reply_comment_id=32152066&offset=0&total_comments=9&notif_t=feed_comment

Request for 3rd party verification: https://www.facebook.com/megabloks/posts/10152176171066703?comment_id=32246783&reply_comment_id=32250107&offset=0&total_comments=5&notif_t=feed_comment

A couple of weeks ago I asked for a volunteer to write a post about disposable diapers, as I get questions on my page often: what to look for, which are made in the USA, etc. I was happy that Sarah Mazzone volunteered to write a guest-post for us. She has her own site with a similar mission to mine: Made in the USA Challenge. For more info on cloth diapering, with made in the USA options, please check out this resource from my website: https://ecofriendlyusa.wordpress.com/made-in-usa-2/cloth-diapering/

Here’s the info she shared with us regarding disposable options:

What to look for in a safer, more eco-friendly disposable diaper.

None of the following environmentally conscious features eliminate the impact diapers have in landfills. They do decrease or remove common toxins used and are produced with safer manufacturing practices. All disposable diapers use a material call SAP, an absorbent gel that has been shown to be toxin-free, but not natural. Here are some of the things to look for when evaluating a disposable diaper for a safety and sustainability implications.

Chlorine free – Diapers are often bleached white with chlorine, releasing the toxic carcinogen dioxin.

Fragrance free – The ingredients “fragrances” and “perfumes” are unregulated and could mean many possible chemicals. Many artificial fragrances contain chemical irritants.

Dye free – Dyes are also unregulated and can cause skin rashes. They are used for wetness indicators and colorful designs on many conventional diapers.

Phalate free – Phalates are well known toxins found in many plastics, including the liners in many conventional diapers.

Contain no lotions – Most lotions used in disposable diapers are used to protect skin but are petroleum based.

How to choose made in USA diapers for your baby.

 Cloth Diaper Options

The purpose of this post is not to debate cloth versus disposable diapers. You can research the issues easily with an internet search. The issues with cloth diapers made in China has been explored thoughtfully by Kim of Dirty Diaper Laundry, who has also compiled a through list of cloth diapers made in USA and Canada. This is a great resource for those who choose the cloth diaper route.

Made in USA Conventional Disposable Diapers

Most conventional disposable diapers are American made. These diapers are the easiest to find and are the least experience. However, conventional disposable diapers typically do not include any eco-friendly features and often contain the toxins listed above. Major brands of conventional disposable diapers that are made in USA include Huggies, Pampers, Luvs, up&up (Target store brand) and Cuties.

Made in USA “Green” or “Alternative” Disposable Diapers

Pamper’s Swaddlers “Sensitive” – Marketed as a healthier, more eco-friendly version of conventional Pampers. “Green” claims include the inclusion of aloe, hypoallergenic and “blanket like softness”. Contains chlorine, latex, fragrance, and dyes. Not compostable or biodegradable. Clearly a greenwashed product that does not seem superior to the conventional version.

Huggie’s Pure and Natural – Labeled as “natural” and “with a touch of nature.” Made with a portion of organic cotton and liner made with some “renewable materials.” Contains chlorine and dyes. Not compostable or biodegradable. Mostly greenwashing, with some improvements to their conventional version.

7th Generation – Popular brand of green diaper. Fragrance free, chlorine free, no petroleum-based lotions, packaged with recycled materials. Contains sustainably harvested wood pulp fluff. Not biodegradable or compostable. A fairly green product, best option for a made in USA totally disposable diaper.

G Diaper – Hybrid diaper consisting of a cotton pant with a disposable plastic-free insert. Contains harvested wood pulp. Cotton pant is reusable, insert is flushable (dirty diapers) and compostable (wet diapers). The best option for a green made in USA diaper that is partially disposable.

Other green disposable diapers that are not made in USA: Nurtured by Nature (Mexico), Nature Babycare (Turkey), Babyganics (“imported”), Earth’s Best (Mexico), Honest Company (Mexico), Bamboo Nature (Denmark).

Other Resources:

For more on 7th Generation vs. G Diapers, check out this Sustainability Report by the University of Vermont.

More on the use of SAP in disposable diapers from the G Diaper site.

Sources: Good Guide, Diaper Dabbler, Baby Gear Lab

Sarah Mazzone is a writer, nurse and Mom from Philadelphia, PA. She founded Made in USA Challenge in April, 2011 to detail her mission to find goods made in USA and become a more conscious consumer. She actively seeks out items made in USA to help strengthen our economy, protect our environment, safe-guard families from toxic products and minimize exploitation of workers in developing countries. Follow Sarah’s journey on her blog, Made in USA Challenge, as well as on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.

I just had so much fun shopping at the Natural Candy Store. It’s amazing! They have a huge category of organic Holiday candy. I got some organic candy canes & a whole bunch of stocking stuffers. The prices are very reasonable, they get you with shipping though. I was going to stop at $25 in product, but shipping was $14! Then I saw $6.99 shipping over $50, so got my cart to $50.25 I got some organic lollipops my son loves, and even some jelly beans that I’m going to store away for a few months until Easter. Yes, candy is still candy, but I love that I can find organic, fair-trade, non-GMO, made in the USA options to allow my family to indulge in!

http://www.naturalcandystore.com/category/organic-candy

FB post on this topic: https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=764507046898271&id=397517646930548

For those of you new to my page: I’ve been doing reviews for about a year to fulfill my mission to find the safest products on the market for my family & yours. In that process I have discovered several fabulous lines of products that I’ve happily shared with the page. Many people express interest in trying products from these companies, but then find out how much shipping is for the couple of items they’d like to try & they get discouraged & don’t place that order. The idea is to place infrequent, but large orders with each company as a group. After the November order we’ll be going to quarterly, so the next order won’t be until February. I won’t be selling lines like Earth Mama Angel Baby or Dr. Bronner’s (for example) even though they’re on my safe list, as they’re readily available if not locally, on Vitacost, Amazon, Etc & I can’t come close to competing with the prices they offer. Also, from those companies you have to order by the case, whereas the companies I’m dealing with are small enough that they’re willing to work with our need to purchase eaches (which is crucial to this whole idea!). Getting your friends, family, co-workers, neighbors to go in on an order with you is a great idea, as I can ship it all in one box, and you can divide shipping costs amongst yourselves- so share this idea!!

At this time, there is no discount on product (unless noted). So, what is the advantage of ordering as a group? Consolidated shipping costs! My homemade deodorant is a good example of how expensive it is to ship. I ask $8 for a jar, and it costs $5 to ship via the USPS, they make just about as much as I do. So, many have expressed interest, but then find out shipping doubles the cost & are less interested. Now, you can purchase a jar of my deodorant, a handmade (by me) tie-dyed onesie, dish soap from Poofy Organics, face wash from Fiddlebump’s, toothpaste from Earthpaste, a box of EcoNuts, a bottle of castile soap from MamaSuds, laundry powder from Molly’s Suds, a body scrub from Simply Rustic (for example) & you’ll only pay one shipping fee and receive it all in one box from me to you. I know the USPS rate options well, and flat rate boxes can fit quite a bit of product, so having that box as full as possible saves you money. The idea is that you can order as much as you want, from whichever companies you want, and the more the better.

What I need from you: I need you to be patient, and realize that this is a slow process, but hopefully one that will get products in your hands that you’ve been waiting to try. If you need something immediately, please order it yourself. If you only want items from one company, order it yourself as going through me will not save you any money. The majority of these companies are making these products to order. As none of us have any idea how many of you are going to order it’s possible we could overwhelm a company if, for example, 200 people order dish soap from Poofy Organics (which I hope happens, it’s FABULOUS stuff!!). So, worst case scenario in that situation is Poofy would need to reorder some ingredients to complete the order. I would fill orders in the order they were received, and ship the rest as soon as I get the product in my hands. It may take them a few days to make the orders, then they have to get shipped to me. I turn around & repackage when I have everything, and reship. This whole process could take up to 2 weeks. So, with a deadline to place orders by mid-month, you should have the product in your hands by the end of the month at the latest. I’m sure there are questions I haven’t yet thought of, and situations that will come up. I guarantee I will handle them to the best of my ability, and make sure all parties are happy in the end.

HOW TO ORDER & OTHER IMPORTANT DETAILS:
◾You will email orders to me at: ecofriendlymamausa@gmail.com. Please include your mailing address, and a list of the names of the product you want, and what SIZE, if there is more than one option for that product (2 oz, 4 oz, etc) & what company it is from. Also include the price of the item so I don’t have to look it up. I will start taking orders on the 1st of the month, with the deadline for orders on the 17th of the month (for November). After the November order I will go to a quarterly order, so the next one won’t be until Feb. so stock up in November!!

◾There are no fees to join this ‘club’. But, if you greatly value this service & have a few extra bucks, I’d gladly take a donation in lieu of a memership fee 🙂

◾There is no commitment to ever purchase again.

◾ I’ve decided to ditch the minimum order policy for the buying club (I had requested a $25 min.). I REALLY want to get samples into the hands of those that would like them. You can now get a 10ml sample of my deodorant (~2 weeks worth), MamaSuds just introduced an 8 oz sample of her liquid laundry soap for $4 (2-4 loads), Molly’s Suds offers a 1-2 load sample pack of their powdered laundry detergent for only $2.75, Josiah’s Oils offers a sample of her shampoo (2.5 oz for $2.70), EcoNuts has 10 load samples for $4.50, and Earthpaste (all 4 flavors available to sample, $.25 each, enough for a few brushings). These would all fit nicely into the $5 flat rate envelope- but, that means you’re paying $5 shipping on not a ton of product. If you’re willing to do that, I’m OK with it. BUT, I’d rather see you throw a few other things in that envelope (a tie-dyed onesie/t-shirt or 2 would fit nicely), you could easily add a bottle/jar of this or that from the other offerings of the club too.

◾ I will ship anywhere in the world as you’re paying the shipping from my house to your house. The large flat rate box which will ship anywhere in the US for $12 costs $55 to send to Canada, and $77 anywhere else in the world (this includes $100 of insurance) While I prefer to keep products as local as possible, several of you in Canada & Australia who’ve been on my page for some time express frustration when I come out with reviews for great products, but you don’t have access to them in your country. I’ve mentioned in the past that I’d be happy to put together a package for you, and now that can be a reality!

◾You have 2 options to pay: PayPal, or personal check (many have gone to e-checking, which is fine too). If you don’t already have PayPal, it’s super easy to set up. I’m relatively new to it too, and was hesitant for quite some time, but am very glad I finally set up an account. It can take a few days, so please get one established immediately if you’re going to go that route. The benefit of PayPal is it’s an instantaneous transaction and eco-friendly as no fossil fuels are used to deliver a check across country. Also, it’s extremely convenient when it comes time to ship, as it saves your address & I’ll be able to see a ‘print shipping label’ button next to your name. which will save me manually entering everyone’s address into the USPS system. The other option is you can mail me a check & I’ll drop your package in the mail as soon as I receive it.

◾WI residents must pay 5.5% sales tax.

◾All sales are final. I will fix any errors I make, but if you order the wrong product, or aren’t happy with it, you’re stuck with it…

◾Shipping insurance- USPS includes $100 in insurance using Priority Mail, which I’ll be using. I will split the cost of additional insurance for packages over $100– $100-$200 will cost you an additional $1.60, $200-$300 will cost you an additional $2.55, and the PO informed me you must sign for your package if it’s over $200. I will not split cost of international shipping insurance.

◾You will be charged once your order is ready to ship. I’ll send you a PayPal invoice with the total amount as soon as I have your package ready to go, as soon as I receive payment it’ll go in the mail.

COMPANIES TO ORDER FROM:

I’ve noted a few gift ideas. Of course the personal care product lines all offer many great ideas- who can’t use some great shampoo, lotion, etc? Or if you have someone with eczema in the family, how about an eczema cream from a few different lines (Fiddlebump’s & Poofy both make one) for them to try, as an example.

◾Cold Bee Gone- http://www.buzzagogo.com/. $12.95/bottle. My review: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=749887745026868&set=a.568349859847325.144572.397517646930548&type=3&theater
◾EcoNuts– http://econutssoap.com/. Everything available, including 10 load sample packs so you can give them a try. Prices as marked on their website: http://econutssoap.com/ My note on soap nuts, in case you’re unfamiliar with them: https://www.facebook.com/notes/eco-friendly-babyfamily-products-made-in-the-usa/truly-natural-laundry-solutions-soap-nuts-wool-dryer-balls/556789574336687

**Gift ideas: reusable bamboo paper towels, samples of the nuts &/or liquid, dryer balls, veggie wash.

◾Fiddlebump’s– everything available, prices as marked: http://fiddlebumps.com/. My review of several products: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=640223369326640&set=a.568349859847325.144572.397517646930548&type=3&theater

◾H3idiho Designs amber jewelry: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.755110171171292.1073741831.397517646930548&type=1

◾Jess’s (that’s me) homemade deodorant which has received rave reviews. NEW: 10ml samples (lip balm sized container, enough for ~2 weeks) $2: https://www.facebook.com/notes/eco-friendly-babyfamily-products-made-in-the-usa/jesss-homemade-deodorant-and-body-scrub-are-now-for-sale/645692072113103
◾ Jess’s tie-dyes: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.723127704369539.1073741830.397517646930548&type=

***All would make great gifts!

◾ Josiah’s Oils LLC– everything available, prices as marked. NEW this time around: samples of shampoo (2.5 oz for $2.70) AND, Order any size of the Germ Fighting concentrated organic essential oils [known as the Thieves Blend] & you may have a FREE 2 OZ made in the USA spray mist bottle to make your own sanitizer or room spray for inhalation or just air freshener. Anyone ordering our Concentrated DIY Household Cleaner essential oil may have a FREE 4 OZ. Spay Bottle also made in the USA to make their own cleaner.: http://www.josiahsoils.com/. My review:https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=678783912137252&set=a.568349859847325.144572.397517646930548&type=3&theater

◾MamaSuds– castile soap for $9/bottle (16 oz.) , and 8 ounce bottles of liquid laundry soap samples (2-4 loads) for $4. The gallon of laundry soap is expensive to ship, and the $20/gallon price directly from her website includes shipping, which is roughly ½ the cost of the product, so there’s no advantage to ordering it from me- you should do so straight from her. I love her castile soap though, and it’s a great alternative to Dr. Bronner’s, so am happy to offer it to the group! Website: http://m.mamasuds.com/. My review: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=660935610588749&set=a.568349859847325.144572.397517646930548&type=3&theater

◾Molly’s suds– everything available, prices as marked: http://www.mollyssuds.com/ I haven’t used these products yet, but many on the page have tried the powdered laundry soap & have shared great feedback. My review: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=753873981294911&set=pb.397517646930548.-2207520000.1382562434.&type=3&theater

◾Natulo Ice Teethers made from organic bamboo & organic cotton fabric. http://www.natulo.com/store/index.php?route=product/category&path=61. There will be new colors available for those that bought them during the special offering on my page awhile back. So if you’re looking & seeing just white, check back soon for more options! Prices as marked, and just the teethers available.

◾Poofy Organics: http://www.poofscloset.com/servlet/StoreFront. Everything available, price as marked . My review: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=657087054306938&set=a.568349859847325.144572.397517646930548&type=3&theater

**gift ideas: nail polish would be a great stocking stuffer, zit zapper kit, and their is a whole page of gift baskets: http://www.poofscloset.com/servlet/the-**HOLIDAY-Gifts-%26-Baskets**/Categories

◾Redmond Trading Company: http://www.redmondtrading.com/. Everything available, prices as marked on everything EXCEPT Earthpaste which I can offer for a bit cheaper $6.00 (it is $7.99 through them, $9.99 on some online sites, $4.59 through Vitacost). NEWLY available, their brand new xylitol-free Spearmint in full size tubes only, no samples are yet available. Also, you can buy a sample of any flavor (except spearmint) Earthpaste for $.25, so it’s a great time to try all flavors!

***Earthpaste sample (10-24 packs) would make nice stocking stuffers, they offer season salt gift boxes, or variety packs of the various salts. Also, the bath salts &/or clay products would be wonderful gifts.

*My review of Earthpaste: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=677690208913289&set=a.568349859847325.144572.397517646930548&type=3&theater

*Redmond Clay: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=687531201262523&set=a.568349859847325.144572.397517646930548&type=3&theater

*Real Salt, Season Salt, Bath Salts: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=691161900899453&set=a.568349859847325.144572.397517646930548&type=3&theater

◾Simply Gum- the only TRULY natural gum in the U.S. $2.99/pack of 12. Here’s my review: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=759042250778084&set=pb.397517646930548.-2207520000.1383052806.&type=3&theater
◾Simply Rustic: http://www.simplyrustic2011.com/. All products available & prices as marked. My review: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=568353086513669&set=a.568349859847325.144572.397517646930548&type=3&theater

**She offers different gift boxes & sample packs (you can choose the scents/flavors), many wonderful gift ideas!

◾Smiling Tree Toys– http://www.smilingtreetoys.com/ will be available for a one time order in advance of the Holiday shopping season. The deadline for the club’s 2nd order will be Nov. 17th, but as Smiling Tree is making all these toys by hand, and I anticipate several custom/personalized items, we need to give them a couple of extra weeks to get your items made. I will start taking orders for Smiling Tree Toys on October 27-Nov 3. If you’re not placing an order with the Nov. 17th deadline for the rest of the companies, it makes no sense to order from Smiling Tree through me, do so directly from them. But, if you’d like some items from Smiling Tree, Poofy, EcoNuts, Fiddlebump’s,etc. this will be a great opportunity to get it all shipped in one box, with one shipping fee! Don’t worry, I’ll send out plenty of reminders about this!! PLEASE be very specific when sending me your order, I’d like a list with direct links to each item so we make sure we don’t screw anything up, there’s no returns!

Questions, comments, thoughts, ideas welcome!