Barefoot toys are unique, brightly colored, organic toys that will delight any child. These adorable soft eco toys are filled with character and vibrancy, and they’re sure to pique a child’s curiosity and make her want to learn more about the animal kingdom. Above is the Rainbow Caterpillar who comes with 16 detachable donut rings perfectly sized for small hands.
All materials used by Barefoot are handmade, child-safe, and eco-friendly. The yarn used by Barefoot is created with 100% handwoven cotton fibers that have been hand dyed using Swiss colorfast ecological, non-toxic pigments. Each Barefoot plush animal is stuffed with kapok, a natural, non-synthetic plant fiber. Barefoot is also a Fair Trade company.
Barefoot animals can be tricky to find in the U.S. Your best bet is to visit Organic By Nature, a Canadian company. Organic By Nature carries a large selection of Barefoot animals.
Australian residents have many shopping choices (Barefoot seems to be all the rage in Australia). You can visit Puddle Beach for a huge selection of Barefoot toys or Barefoot Australia. Prices vary at the different shops, but overall, Barefoot toys cost less than most typical green stuffed toys you see.
3 Responses to “BAREFOOT: Handmade Eco-Friendly Plush Animals”
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These are very cute, but nowhere on the company’s site or Organic By Nature does it say they are organic, just 100% cotton & fair trade. It’s rare to find an organic toy as colorful as these, so it would be nice to know if this is an error in the description or in fact true. If the makers site doesn’t say, it usually means it is not.
I am not quite sure how these toys are eco-friendly; non-toxic yes, but eco-friendly? They are wonderfully adorable, but cotton that is not organically grown is very harsh on the environment and the health of those working in the fields. Conventinal cotton accounts for about 25% of the worlds pesticides and considering there are about 4000 people die per year due to pesticide poisoning and about a million hospitalized that equates to about 1000 deaths that can be attributed to cotton and about 250,000 hospitalizations. This does not even touch the health effects on those living near pesticide intensive areas. A Study published in 2007 in Environmental Health Perspectives found that in California maternal proximity to heavily sprayed agricultural crops resulted in an increase in children diagnosed with autism. Then further down the chain the damage that is done to the wildlife and the build up of chemicals in the soil, air, and water. So far I like the Kapok fiber, and low impact dyes are certainly better than conventional, but conventional cotton is far from eco-friendly.
@Cerise Organic by Nature is just one store that carries barefoot. Barefoot itself is a brand. So not all items at Organic by Nature are organic, but they do carry items that have eco-qualities.
@Tiffany I totally agree that organic cotton is way better than conventional cotton. I also think that there are shades of green and small vs. large green steps and companies. While they could have improved this product with organic cotton for sure, it still rates higher (IMO) than a non-fair trade, toxic ink covered non-recycled plastic toy, you know? While I don’t agree with shades of green that go so far as to say, greenwash, I don’t mind sharing an ethical company that factors in more eco-techniques that most. It’s a personal call though. It’s very good to hear other people’s opinions so thanks for commenting
OH also, I think that comments like this are important for companies to hear. If people send these thoughts to the company, who knows, maybe they’ll incorporate organic along with the other methods.