Is “pinkwashing” the new greenwashing? Marketers certainly aren’t shy about using breast-cancer awareness to hawk their cause-related wares each October. We’ve rounded up 10 ridiculous pink-ribbon tie-ins that not only have little to do with breast cancer but could actually heighten your risk of getting the disease. Cluck for the Cure, anyone?

CONTINUE READING >

If you can’t hack your own bespoke Vespa rocking chair, this wooden scooter by Present Time is probably the next best thing. Made from solid wood, the ersatz rocking horse lends a cool, retro vibe to any nursery. It’s also available in baby blue and powder pink, with clean, sophisticated lines that are just as scrumptious as the real thing.

+ J.I.P. Wooden Rocking Scooter Chair $99

+ Present Time

Who needs Barbie’s Dream House when you can bring your own architectural masterpiece to life? For the aspiring archi-tot in your life, there’s the dollhouse kit from Makedo, an Australian company that makes connector systems for turning trash into works of art. Designed for kids from ages 5 and up, the dollhouse kit includes 57 pins, hinges, and clips for punching and clamping materials (such as cardboard, plastic and fabric ) together.

We’re positively wild about miYim’s new collaboration with the Jane Goodall Institute. What self-respecting animal lover wouldn’t be? Based on the renowned British primatologist’s ethos that people, animals, and the environment are all connected, the Jane Goodall Wild Animal Collection offers three stately if tragically endangered beasts: a gorilla, a hippo, and a lion. Only plant- and mineral-based dyes were used to make the toys, and part of the proceeds will go towards furthering the Institute’s research and advocacy work.

+ Jane Goodall Wild Animal Collection

+ miYim

There’s nothing grannyish or prissy about Monte’s rocking chair, which was formally unveiled at the ABC Kids Expo in Las Vegas this week. One cool, collected customer—everything you want to be when you’re soothing a recalcitrant newborn for the umpteenth time—the fully upholstered Joya Rocker sits on a solid base crafted from Forest Stewardship Council-certified hardwood. For padding, Monte opted for CFC- and PBDE-free soybean-based foam. And like all of the company’s furniture, the rocking chair is handmade in Canada. Pricing will start at $895 and go up to $1,295 for the bonded leather, solid walnut option.

+ Monte Design Group

We frequently extoll the green virtues of small-space living over at Inhabitat, but figuring out how to make limited real estate work for a family can be challenging. EspaceLoggia, a French company founded in the 1970s by actress Brigitte Bardot’s sister, makes modest dwellings work by maximizing the use of vertical space. The modular nature of the company’s furnishing systems also means that they can be adapted over time to respond to changing needs—evolving as your own child grows.

Forget the essential minerals and vitamins; the real magic happens when the Cheerios are downed and you’re left with an empty cereal box to bend to your will. The crafty dad at Made by Joel transformed one erstwhile breakfast receptacle into a series of ramps for rolling marbles. All it took was a pair of shears and some sticky tape—no muss, no fuss, and virtually free for the taking (or rather, making).

+ Made by Joel

[Via Swissmiss]

For new mom Gisele Bundchen, breast isn’t just best, it should be mandated by international law. “Some people here think they don’t have to breastfeed,” the Brazilian supermodel tells the September issue of British Harper’s Bazaar. And I think ‘Are you going to give chemical food to your child when they are so little?’” Bundchen, who credits breastfeeding for helping her maintain her famous figure, thinks that mothers should be required to nurse their babies for at least six months. “I think there should be a worldwide law, in my opinion,” she adds.

Photo by anaulin

Take that candy away from that baby—or that child or teenager, for that matter. Junk food, including sweets, highly processed snacks, and fried and takeaway grub, could be causing attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder in children and adolescents, according to a new study by Australia’s Telethon Institute for Child Health and Research. Researchers, who examined the diets of 1,800 teens, found that “western-style” diets more than doubled the risk of an ADHD diagnosis, compared with a diet rich in fruits and vegetables, even after adjusting for social and family factors.

Oh, the places you’ll go with miYim’s brand-new Dr. Seuss Eco-Plush Collection. The whole gang’s here: the Cat in the Hat, Horton, and the Lorax, all sprung from the good doctor’s beloved children’s books. Beautifully rendered in untreated, unbleached cotton and chemical-free dyes, the certified-nontoxic range includes rattles, teething blankets, and plush toys. All that’s missing is a side of green eggs and ham.

+ Dr. Seuss Eco-Plush Collection (Available on Amazon)

+ miYim