It’s common knowledge these days that water bottles are environmental sins. According to the Container Recycling Institute, only about 14% of all disposable water bottles are recycled, and those that are recycled are down-cycled into a lower form of plastic, rarely getting turned back into more bottles. On top of that, plastic can leach harmful chemicals into your kids’ apple juice. Even Nalgene is rethinking their plastic recipe. We say ditch the plastic altogether, and look to SIGG aluminum bottles, which are 100% recyclable, and 100% inert, ideal for kids and adults… and they come in tons of colorful designs in every size.

 

If you’re a fan of modern prefab architecture and you’re raising little ones, you’ll probably love the Mini Modern Play Shed. Part Case-Study home, part play-house, the Mini Modern Prefab proves that kid’s design doesn’t need to be garish or overly cutesy. Architect Ryan Grey Smith, known for his adult-sized Modern-Shed is bringing prefab to preschoolers with his Modern Play Shed, a smaller but no-less awesome version of his original design. Better than any treehouse or dollhouse we’ve seen, it comes fully loaded with a sloped shed roof, dutch doors, 12 windows, and more.

 

Combining cuteness with compactness, Ecotots is a full-line of environmentally friendly wooden modern furnishings for your tot’s play spaces. Designed to flat-pack and ship efficiently, the line of tables easels and desks also assemble and disassemble quickly and without tools or hardware. Plus they’re made from 100% renewable FSC certified Smart Wood®, and come in a variety of eco-friendly, colorful UV finishes.

 

Argington’s Taj Chair is a great example of simple green design- an understated design that combines the best materials and least chemicals for your tots’ toy rooms. Designed by Jenny Argie and Andrew Thornton with longevity in mind, the chair is the perfect size for ages 2 to 4, and comes with extendable legs for up to age 60-sized kids. All materials are safe and non-toxic, free of pesky and harmful VOC’s, so no worries if you find your tykes chewing on the legs.

 

We love DIY, open source design, especially when it’s great, green design made available to us and our families for FREE! Swiss architect Nicola Enrico Stäubli’s FoldSchool furniture does just this, bringing downloadable cardboard plans to your computer, so that you and your tots can build your own eco chairs! The downloadable FREE patterns from his website are the embodiment of great green design- all you need is a printer, some cardboard, a pair of scissors, and some childlike creativity, and you’re on your way to sitting pretty. Patterns come in three options- a stool, rocker, or chair.

 

Flat surfaces practically scream “draw on me!” for youngsters, and here’s a piece of furniture that encourages creativity without the hassle of scrubbing ink off your walls. The Fundy Play Table from Argington comes with a chalkboard table top or dry erase board, all packaged in a low kids-sized table in eco-friendly materials. It come sin white or orange, made from FSC wood and nontoxic finishes. And not to worry- after your tots are done drawing rainbows, store their pens and chalk in the compartment underneath the table surface.

 

Bring some 8-legged inspiration to your soon-to-walk tots with this ridiculously cute and recycled Socktopus. A sort of contemporary marine version of the traditional Sock Monkey, Mr. Octopus is made from recycled sweaters, making each one a totally unique creature. They’re even more endearing in their resemblance of those pesky lone socks you find after every load of laundry. Handmade in the USA, they’re filled with hypoallergenic polyester and topped off with cute button eyes (making them ages 3 and up appropriate). Here’s one 8-legged friend your little one will love snuggling up to.

$20 from Elsewares

 

We love all things convertible that bring multiple functions to one beautiful object. A great example: Argington’s Ayres Twin Bed, which is a pint-sized twin bed for your tots, with a second trundle that pulls out for sleepovers (or proof that there AREN’T monsters under the bed). Argington uses FSC woods and non-toxic finishes, all designed with sleek and simple kid-friendly aesthetics.

 

Proving that great materials and classic Scandinavian design never really loses its feathers, Bird by renowned Danish architect Kristian Vedel is a simple but metaphoric addition to your child’s nursery. The design has a great history and is still as beautiful as it was when first designed by Vedel in 1959. The initial design was as an expression of three generations of a family – children, parents, and grandparents. While only the small “baby” bird actually went into production, it very quickly became one of the most successful and popular Danish wooden toys, something of an icon in the 50′s. Luckily for you, the craft masterpiece is still available today to honor your own family’s generations.

 

For skin as soft as your babies, look to the very delicious organic skincare product line by BABYBEARSHOP. Founded by uber-momma Diana Lussenden Stewart, BABYBEARSHOP was kind enough to donate their lip balms to Inhabitat’s 2007 party, and the goods were gone in no time! The eco, mama, and baby-sensitive company has set the highest standards for certified organic and healing skin care for both you and your newborn, using only the best ingredients and production processes. Check out their balms for baby buns and more.