Why we love Educo:  A Canadian-founded company, now part of the impressive HaPe International, Educo makes much more than those colorful wire mazes we've all seen in doctor's offices and classrooms! Their line of practical, high-quality pretend-play toys encourage children to interact, learn, and grow. We appreciate that each toy is designed specifically to foster a child's development and self-esteem.
Country:  Eastern China.
In business since: 1983
Materials:  Natural birch and maple wood; non-toxic water-based paints.
Safety:  See HaPe.
Staff favorite: My First Tool Box
Awards:  Coming Soon!
A message from Educo:  "Since 1983, Educo toys have earned international distinction for durability, quality craftsmanship, educational value and innovative design. Naturally fun."

Why we love Elves and Angels: No other play kitchen on the market compares to Elves and Angels for wooden kitchens.  Our children have Julianna's kitchen and Jacob's Icebox that they have played with every day for almost three years now, and they have learned so much from it (social skills, mathematics when they play restaurant, food combinations, etc.).  What other toy has that kind of attraction and staying power?
Country:  U.S.A. 
In business since:1988
Materials:  Solid northern pine, sanded smooth and finished with an all-natural oil (non-toxic linseed oil).  Accent pieces (such as handles) are a slightly darker hardwood which creates a beautiful contrast.
Safety:  Every kitchen has heavy-duty self-closing hinges and screws that are countersunk and filled.  There are no staples or nails, as all of their products are screwed and glued together.
Customer and staff favorite:  Sophie's Wooden Kitchen
A message from Elves and Angels:  "We believe that the things children are surrounded by have an impact on how they grow and are formed.  We are committed to making the very highest quality products available anywhere.  We hope children will perceive in our products a sense of beauty, and the love of a job well done.  Our Lifetime Guarantee assures you of Heirloom Quality Products that can be handed down from one generation to the next.  We at Elves and Angels strive not to participate in the disposable society.  Our culture teaches children that you buy things only to throw them away.  We want you and your child to see the care that is put into this product line, to enjoy it, and then to pass it on."

Why we love Enlightened Play: Their mission is to 'encourage creativity and foster global community while protecting and preserving the planet.'  They have created the most unique and beautiful board game we've found, with a "pay it forward" philosophy that will leave children and adults feeling empowered and eager to help the planet.  The company has been accepted as a member of Co-Op America, which demonstrates that Enlightened Play is helping to create a socially-just and environmentally-sustainable society.  Plus, the founder, Eileen Thournir, is just a fabulous person!
Country: U.S.A.
In business since: 2007
Materials: FSC certified paper from trees grown in the U.S. or Canada.  Vegetable oil-based ink and non-toxic glue.
Safety: The manufacturer of the games (DeLano) sources almost all of their parts in the United States.  Any pieces from Europe are CE-certified, which meets or exceeds all U.S. safety and environmental regulations.  The vegetable oil-based inks meet California's low/no VOC laws. 
Customer and staff favorites: EcoRanch Board Game
Awards: 2008 Preferred Choice Creative Toy Award from Creative Child Magazine for the EcoRanch game
A message from Enlightened Play's founder, Eileen Thournir:  "The EcoRanch game addresses critical issues that are facing our global community.  We are teaching young people about the carbon footprint they leave on the planet and we give them alternatives to day to day choices they make in life to leave a cleaner, healthier and happier planet."

Why we love Gluckskafer:  With more than 60 years of experience, this family-owned company specializes in high-quality children's toys with bright colors and ageless designs. Their beautiful "Wood, Shapes and Colors" line is full of simple nesting and stacking toys, which are useful for tactile development as well as creative, imaginative play.
Country:  Designed in Germany. We carry the "Wood, Shapes and Colors" line, made in Bosnia-Herzegovina.
In business since:  1945
Materials:  Linden tree wood; non-toxic, water-based coloring.
Safety:  Gluckskafer toys have been carefully tested to meet the strict EN71 European safety standard for toys.
Customer and Staff favorite: All-in House
Awards:  Many of Gluckskafer's products have received the prestigious "Spiel Gut" award, which signifies good quality, a design suitable for children, and the ecologically sensible use of materials.
A message from Gluckskafer:  "We are strongly convinced that through our products we are able to support children's healthy development, love of learning, and joy in living, to respect social and ecological responsibility, and also to fund 'Heads' for creativity and imagination, 'Hands' for skill and craft, and 'Hearts' for honesty and for love."

Why we love Haba: Their products show a loving attention to detail, as can be seen in the baby toys or the assortment of play foods.  We are so impressed with their concern for the environment and their strict safety standards - they are the perfect model of how a toy business should be run.
Country:  Designed in Germany.  Almost all of the Haba products we carry are also made in Germany, with a few made in China (and it is noted on our product pages).
In business since: 1938
Materials: Beech and maple wood; ecological adhesives and lacquers with a water base
Safety: Every toy they produce complies with the EN-71 (CE) European Standard for Toy Safety, the ASTM F963 Standard Consumer Safety Specifications in the USA, the EU Directive 76/769EEC on azo-dyes, and the Chemicals Prohibition Ordinance.  Haba has successfully passed the re-certification of DIN EN ISO 9001 and the new certificate according to ISO 14001 and the EMAS regulation.  These certificates guarantee consistently high product quality plus meeting prevailing safety standards fulfilling all environmental guidelines.  In addition, Habermaass is the first toy producer to have passed the audit for ecological friendliness.  The company is deeply committed to actively pursuing further environment protection throughout every stage of production.
Customer favorites: Rattling Caterpillar and Eeny, Meeny, Miny, Zoo! Building Blocks
Staff favorites: All of the Ball Track Sets
Awards:  Many!  Many of Haba's products have received awards for the best wooden toys by the German Design Association, and the "Spiel Gut" award which signifies good quality, a design suitable for children, and the ecologically sensible use of materials.
A message from Haba:  "A good toy allows a lot of freedom for a child's imagination and creativity.  The children themselves are giving us the best ideas and suggestions, which we then transform with all of our experience.  Maple and beech wood are our mainly used materials.  We are convinced that these pleasant natural materials, transformed in a design of plain colors and shape, are most suitable for toys, a useful combination of material and product being the basic requirement."

Why we love HaPe: The name says it all! The mission of this Swiss-founded, China-based company has only one purpose: happy children through positive play! We carry their Bamboo Collection games (which is the world's first collection of bamboo toys!) and mosaic puzzles.  We love their use of this extremely renewable resource that combines lightness with stability, and flexibility with strength.
Country: Eastern China (HaPe is based in China and owns and operates its very own exclusive manufacturing facility!)
In business since:  1986
Materials: Bamboo
Safety:  In 2000, they became one of the first ISO9001 (quality system certification) certified enterprises among wooden toy manufacturers in China.  They also passed the stringent German LGA examination (Landesgewerbeanstalt Bayern) for toy safety.  Hape has since received their ISO14001 (environmental management certification) and ICTI (International Council of Toy Industries audit for social accountability). In addition, HaPe states that their Quality Policy includes:

• All of our products are certified to ASTM and CE / EN 71
• We always conduct a 100% quality inspection before shipment -– that means each product is tested eight times
• 60 Inspectors and supervisors examine production after every stage of development

Customer favorite:  Castella
Staff favorite: Geo Form Mixed Shape Puzzle
Awards: Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Gold Seal Award 2006; Creative Child's Excellence Award 2007; Family Fun's T.O.Y. Awards 2008; Creative Child's Preferred Choice Award 2008; National Parenting Center Approval
A message from HaPe: "We draw on decades of child development expertise, which makes us sensitive to children's needs, whenever we develop and design a new toy.  Our toys support children throughout every stage of development, starting at a very young age to help nurture and develop their natural abilities...  Children's social, emotional, intellectual and physical health is a key issue, not only for parents but also for a healthy society.  So we take this responsibility very seriously and conduct a wide range of toy safety tests with respect to the materials and function of our toys."

Why we love Holztiger: They are the perfect representation of an imagination-building wooden toy.  The way they are made is amazing.  Per the Holztiger catalog: "Holztiger toys are all handmade.  First of all, the contours are stamped out on wooden boards, then the figures are cut out with a saw.  A number of different steps follow to smooth off the rough surfaces and edges.  The wood is then primed and finish-sanded - a process which results in a particularly smooth and soft surface.  Next, the figures are hand-painted with water paints.  To make the figures resistant to perspiration and saliva, each figure is subsequently painted - also by hand - with a water lacquer.  Once the Holztiger logo is burnt in, the final step is a trip to quality control before the wooden figure is released for its journey to the playroom!"
Country:  Germany
Materials: Hardwoods, primarily maple, and depending on the requirements, oak, beech and birch are also used.  Water-based acrylic paints, which are totally non-toxic.
Safety: Holztiger wooden figures comply with the European Directives for Toys (DIN EN 71) and the U.S. ASTM F963, which regulate toy safety.  The non-toxic paints and varnishes are furthermore subject to constant quality controls by the state supervisory authorities.  Over and above this, Holztiger makes additional voluntary commitments to quality and safety.
Customer favorites: The Green Fire-Breathing Dragon
Staff favorites: It's so hard to choose, but we are partial to the colors and majestic look of the Brontosaurus.
A message from Holztiger: "The last few years have shown more and more that Holztiger toys can play a big part in your child's development.  In their little hands our figures come to life, opening a whole new world of fantasy and games, while also helping to learn and expand their knowledge.  Our traditional handmade toys are mostly made of maple.  This wood being an ideal product of nature due to its light color and high resistance.  The toys are painted by hand, using non-toxic, water-based paints.  The resulting heirloom-quality figures are collected by all ages."

Why we love Idbids:  They use only organic and earth friendly materials to create their friendly characters that inspire kids to make a difference.  So much thought went into creating these kits, and the company 'walks the talk' by using earth-friendly materials in every part of the kit, including the packaging.
Country:  The plush toys are made in Egypt, the storybook and field guide are printed in China, and the packaging material is made in the United States.
In business since:  February 2008
Materials:  100% organic, Egyptian cotton - made by Under the Nile, with books printed on recycled paper with eco-friendly inks.
Safety:  The plush toys are handcrafted using 100% organic cotton, without the use of pesticides or chemicals throughout the production process, by Under the Nile.  The dyeing process uses metal-free or vegetable dyes.  The toys are tested according to the ASTM government standard.  The Storybook and field guide are printed by Ooola Printing in China.  The paper used is 100% postconsumer waste recycled, and they are printed with Ecopure brand eco-friendly inks.  The packaging is manufactured in the U.S.A. using recycled paperboard which is recyclable.
Customer favorites: TBD
Staff favorites: Waverly the Water Drop Idbid is the cutest precipitation we have ever seen!
Awards:  Named 'Toy Fair Breakout Hit' by cnnmoney.com, 'Top Toy of 2008' by Time.com at the American International Toy Fair, and one of TDMonthly Magazine's 'Positive Toys for Promising Futures'.  Also received the Creative Child Magazine's 2008 Preferred Choice Award, the Dr. Toy 10 Best Socially Responsible Products Award, and the National Parenting Publication Awards (NAPPA) Honors .
Idbid's Motto:  "iddy biddy steps make a biggie big difference."

Why we love Kallisto:  Their organic cotton stuffed animals are charming, big enough to be hugged all day, and the company is fair-trade, employing home-workers in Germany to lovingly sew their products.
Country:  Germany
Materials:  100% Certified Organic Cotton exterior, filled with pure wool, non-toxic dyes.
Safety:  They use certified organic cotton, and non-toxic dyes, and their products comply with EN71 toy safety standards.
Customer favorites: The Organic Cotton Lamb and Organic Cotton Benni the Rabbit
Staff favorites: Organic Cotton Horse.
An interesting fact about Kallisto:  After home-workers in Germany sew the stuffed animals, the faces are finished personally by Brigitte (the owner of Kallisto), who lovingly refers to the stuffed animals as her "babies".

Why we love Kathe Kruse:  The whimsical quality and feverish attention to detail on their handcrafted Waldorf Dolls is hard not to love!  With their inviting softness, natural materials, and gentle expressions, each precious friend is just asking to be played with.
Country:  Germany
In business since: 1905
Materials: Natural materials (not all dolls are made of every material listed): sheep wool, mohair wool, cotton, quartz sand, and goat or lamb's fur.
Safety:  Statement from Kathe Kruse:  "Since the founding of the Kathe Kruse Company in the year 1905, the name Kathe Kruse has become synonymous with the production of high quality, age appropriate toys for children.  All Kathe Kruse toys are manufactured under stringent quality and safety standards, while articles are conceptualized, designed, and produced on site.  Because of this unique feature, Kathe Kruse can boast that superior products are still manufactured in Europe.  Our toys comply with EN71 (European Norm) and ASTM (American Society for Testing and Materials) and we exclusively use all natural fabrics tested by Oeko-Tex.  Furthermore, we use only beech wood that is polished to a finish with natural beeswax.  As a matter of course, all our materials are lead free, non-toxic and tested for harmful substances."
Customer favorites: Waldorf Doll - Mini It's Me with Brown Hair and Organic Cotton Pillow Lamb (Pink or Blue).
Staff favorite: Waldorf Doll - Feng Shui Earth Hair
A message from Kathe Kruse:  "In the tradition of Waldorf education, children's creativity and imagination are inspired by simply designed all-natural toys.  The Waldorf dolls are all individually handcrafted and not mass-produced.  They are little individuals that stimulate your child's fantasy and imagination.  The Waldorf dolls are made of natural materials such as sheep wool, cotton stockinette and quartz sand.  They are warm and cuddly, tempting children to place them in their arms and therefore to develop affection and zeal.  The neutral features help to develop a child's imagination to see the doll laugh, cry, sleep, be sad or happy.  Our Waldorf dolls are soft and warm and they just ask to be pampered and loved by a child."

Why we love Keptin Jr.:  They design and produce with respect for the earth and the consumer in mind every step of the way.  They consider every detail when making their products, including using organic material that absorbs a mother and child's scent.  Additionally, their organic cotton dolls and rattles are pure, simple, and soft, which is perfect for babies and young children.
Country:  Netherlands
Materials: Organic cotton, color-grown organic cotton, wool, non-metal dyes.
Safety: The following information is from the Keptin Jr. website: "Natural fabrics are the basis of Keptin-Jr's toys. Pure cotton and wool. The advantage of natural fabrics is that they easily absorb the mothers and the child`s smell, as well as matching the temperature. All Keptin-Jr's toys are produced in an environmental friendly way. Many of our toys retain the unaltered, original colour of the fabric used. Coloured toys have been bleached without chlorine and are coloured with a responsible, non-metal dye.  We have been working closely with the same production studios for many years ensuring good working conditions for the workers involved. It goes without saying that we do not make use of child labour."  Additionally, their materials are tested by Oeko-Tex, the toys comply with EN71 toy safety standards, and they use durable fabrics, reinforced stitching, and no small parts.
Customer favorite: Organic Cotton Boyo - Lime
Staff favorite:  Organic Cotton Rattle Cozy - Orange
A message from Keptin Jr:  "Why do babies, toddlers and young children pick Keptin-Jr's soft toys?  Because they are made of soft, natural fabrics. Because the design is simple and because they stimulate the child’s imagination. Also the colours follow the latest trends. Parents will be pleased that Keptin-Jr's cuddly toys are produced with respect for the environment."

Why we love Kinderkram:  Not only environmentally friendly, these charming wooden toys will delight children of all ages. With an emphasis on developing a wide range of senses, Kinderkram toys have been keeping children involved in active, imaginative play for many generations.
Country:  Poland
Materials: Made of hardwoods; Unpainted toys are finished with a non-toxic, all-natural, plant-based oil. The bright, individually hand-painted toys are colored with non-toxic, water-based stains.
Safety:  Exclusively produced in Europe from carefully selected and tested materials according to DIN EN71 safety standards.
Customer and Staff favorite: Colored Ball Catcher .
A message from Kinderkram:  "Each Kinderkram toy is hand-crafted with love and care and designed with a focus on children's healthy development. Kinderkram toys nurture a wide variety of children's abilities and involve all their senses in positive ways. "

Why we love Lana Naturals: The faces and body shapes of their organic cotton stuffed animals are oh so endearing, and they are fairly-traded.
Country:  Lithuania and Turkey
Materials: Organic Cotton, filled with pure wool, and non-toxic dyes
Safety:  Their toys comply to EN71 toy safety standards.  Per Lana, "Lana ensures the organic and ecologically friendly productions from the fields to the home mothers that do the sewing through the auspices of the bioRe Label with its control regulations (KORE) and certification system."
Customer favorite: Organic Stuffed Animal Chicken and Organic Stuffed Animal Goose-Blue and Saffron.
Staff favorite: Organic Stuffed Animal Pig and Organic Stuffed Animal Rabbit - it's hard not to smile when you look at their funny faces and long arms and legs!
A message from Lana Naturals:   "We consider everything, from fabric production to design and garment manufacture, our responsibility.  Our cotton, for example, is from controlled organic production and obtained from countries such as Tanzania and Turkey.  We hereby can support local production initiatives and fair-pay prices.  The yarn and material are dyed using eco-friendly processes with heavy-metal free dye, finishing treatment is carried out solely by mechanical means.  Only those specially selected and qualified enterprises sew for us who appreciate natural fibres and delight in our fashion.  Sustaining traditional structures while taking an innovative approach - this potential fuels the creation of our fashion."

Why we love Learning Herbs:  They are a family-run, handcrafted business from the Pacific Northwest who prides themselves on educating people about the benefits of staying healthy the natural way. And, a portion of the proceeds from their Wildcraft game benefit United Plant Savers, whose mission is to protect native medicinal plants of the United States and Canada and their native habitat.
Country:  U.S.A.
In business since: 2005
Materials:  Game board is made of 100% recycled chipboard and all materials are printed with vegetable oil-based inks and finished with water-based coatings. Also, all paper materials have been certified by the Forest Stewardship Council!
Safety:  Exclusively produced in America from materials that conform to CPSIA standards.
Customer and staff favorite: Wildcraft
Awards:  Winner of Dr. Toy's "2009 Best Green Product".
A message from Learning Herbs:  "Imagination, Nature, Storytelling, Teamwork, Strategy, Herbs, and most of all...FUN! Wildcraft fosters a connection to nature. Before you know it, you and your kids will be identifying plants in the park or yard...and you'll find yourself saying, 'Hey! That's chickweed! I can eat that AND use it to heal a wound."

Why we love Little Partners: Little Partners' success can be attributed to their love of children and the understanding of their needs. They are a company dedicated to the nurturing of children. Their mission is "to affirm the child's positive self image through strengthening the essential partnership between the child and the adult." Their products are high quality, non-toxic, and backed by a lifetime guarantee. Spending quality time together while performing daily activities will create memories that will also last a lifetime!
Country:  China
In business since:  1992
Materials: High quality layered birch, carefully finished with a durable, non-toxic, lead-free finish.
Safety:  Strict quality control guidelines, established by Little Partners, are followed by the manufacturing factories in China. Little Partners uses the USA testing laboratory, Bureau Veritas, to safety-test the products they distribute. Little Partners' products meet all the requirements for ASTM F963-03, Standard Consumer Safety Specification for Toy Safety and ASTM F1148, Home Playground Equipment. Click here to visit the Little Partners Safety Statement.
Customer and Staff Favorite: The Learning Tower with Playhouse Kit
Awards: Dr. Toy's 100 Best Children's Products Award, The Toy Man's Seal of Approval, The Toy Man's Award of Excellence, The Toy Man's 2008 Editor's Choice Award, iParenting Media's 2007 Outstanding Products Award, Creative Child Magazine's 2007 Top Toy of the Year Award, Mr. Dad's Seal of Approval, and the NAPPA Parenting Resources Honor in the "Preschool" category.
A message from Little Partners:   "A toddler's inborn sense of wonder drives him to discover and explore the world. Nurturing that drive through participation in family activities such as cooking, gives toddlers a sense of self and inclusion. This sense of self is a gift that will last a lifetime."

Why we love Maple Landmark: They are an American company with exceptionally high standards and care for the environment.  Plus, they are just a really nice group of people!
Country:  U.S.A.
In business since: 1984
Materials: Vermont hardwood, non-toxic paints and finishes manufactured in Vermont.
Safety: "Our products meet or exceed the Federal Safety standard (ASTM) for toys and games for children," states Jill Stackhouse, Sales Manager at Maple Landmark. She goes on to say "our concern is about not only with the quality of our finished products but also the environmental issues that surround the manufacturing of all of our products. We use local responsibly harvested materials, non-toxic water based stains on our NameTrain™ products, whey-finishes on our oval rattles, beeswax on our natural Classic trucks and all of our other paints and finishes are non-toxic and manufactured in Vermont, by people we know."  Additionally, they have third-party testing completed to test for lead and other heavy metals.
Customer favorites: Wooden Train Whistle  and Spinning Speller
Staff favorites: Marble Solitaire (it's so addictive!)
Awards: Many, including the Parenting for High-Potential Recommended Award for Mancala and Mental Aerobics, and the Creative Child Magazine Seal of Excellence for Mental Aerobics
A message from Maple Landmark:  "While much is being made of the dangers of imported products, there are alternatives. We craft a wide range of wooden toys, games, and gifts made right here in Vermont, USA.  We follow American standards of product safety, employee safety, and environmental protection. The shortcuts of doing it any other way are not what Maple Landmark is about.  We design our toys to provide the best in hands-on learning and exploration. Surely it is becoming an electronic world but children still need to learn basic manipulation and construction."