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When looking for stuffed animals for our daughter we thought we would have to choose between the sustainable and nontoxic properties in organic cotton or the washabie and dryable benefits of plastic fiber or pellets. That's why I was especially exited to find an option between the two extremes that managed to offer up items with the softness and visual appeal that would engage our daughter.
Dandelion for Baby makes a number of sustainable product lines but hits the nail on the head with their Bamboo Zoo line. I'm guessing the line is called Bamboo because they use a Velour fabric that is a Bamboo blend.
The key though is the fill, which they say is made from corn fibers. That's sort of true as the polylactide fiber fill is derived from corn fibers. But a more accurate description would be a renewable biosynthetic material derived from corn. It's made from the sugar dextrose primarily sourced from corn. Although I think some of that dextrose could be sourced from other bio-sources (beets, potatoes, sugar cane, rice, wheat, etc), ag waste biomass and non-food biomass.
To make the fill, dextrose is fermented into lactic acid and then through catalysis polymerized into polylactide that can be processed into the PLA (polylactide) fibers that go into this plush. This is exacty the type of material that has come about from research on sustainable plastics.
Our daughter immediately took to the Bamboo Zoo Monkey like it was her best friend, snuggling and cradling the plush when napping. It's soft and just the right size at 10' for a toddler to hold and carry.
PROS:
* SOFT FILL and FABRIC
* WASHABLE: Unlike organic cotton fill, the polylactide polymers used in the plush can be placed in the washer. A big deal to avoid allergen, dust mite exposure
* DRYABLE: Also unlike organic cotton, the plush can also be dried in the dryer without impacting the integrity of the plush. No line drying. A huge benefit to avoid mildew and mold. The key to drying plush is to dry as fast as possible after washing.
* RENEWABLE SOURCES
o FILL: Unlike plastic fill, the renewable source used to make the fill is far more sustainable and leaves a smaller carbon footprint than hydrocarbon sourced polymers. The post consumer Polylactide fibers can be composted, disposed of through anerobic digestion, or recycled back into lactic acid.
o FABRIC: The bamboo velour fabric is made from a blend of bamboo, organic cotton and polyester The manufacturer claims that the bamboo used is certified by the Forest Stewardship Council. And the bamboo velour readily absorbs dye which means less dye needed to color the fabric
o PACKAGING: Minimal packaging uses recycled paper and vegetable ink
* LESS TOXIC: No plastics mean no worries about exposure to Pthalates or BPA,
* NO GM: The source manufacturer is adamant that they use no genetically modified feedstocks in the production of the corn fiber
CONS:
* While technically low-impact, fiber reactive dyes are more harsh than natural dyes. That said, natural dyes can also present issues from the heavy metals in the additives used to set the dye to the large amount of dye used to get a color. Issues you avoid with fiber reactive dyes. So it's a trade off
* Dandelion is an American company with warehousing in the US but growers and manufacturers in Asia. They claim just like everyone does that they have a strong handle on their suppliers. But you have to decide for yourself if that is acceptable to you
I'd love for Dandelion for Baby to more explicitly detail all the treatments or additives that they use or don't use in their products. Everyone talks about how they comply with CPSIA and ASTM testing and standards, but that's like stating you have a drivers license in response to a question about your driving skills. But to be fair, I have yet to see any sustainable toy company hit that mark.
Those concerns aside, when considering all the issues with a plush, from health impact, to sustainability, to the ability to engage your child with a soft, appealing and durable plush, I haven't found a single alternative that even remotely comes close to this line. We are ordering two more to place in rotation with the one she already has so that we can take them on trips and out and about and not have to worry about losing or damaging one.
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