Green Design | Inhabitots

Alligator and Little Bird Peg Rack from Maple Shade Kids is a Cute Way to Organize

We’re already a huge fan of Maple Shade Kids’ wonderfully useful (and adorable) handcrafted peg racks, and to be honest, we were perfectly content with these peg racks in darling owl form. Still, all owls, all the time, while cute as cute can be, isn’t for every kid. If your child is a little more wild, you have to see this shop’s newest alligator peg rack. This wonderful Alligator and Little Bird Peg Rack is made from Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified poplar wood and painted a brilliant non-toxic Hauser green. A fresh variety of colorful papers have been delicately hand cut and adhered with non-toxic glue to add texture and color and the entire product is finished with several coats of a non-toxic soy-based sealer.

+ Alligator and Little Bird Peg Rack $69.00

+ Maple Shade Kids

Miss Natalie Heirloom Growth Chart Tracks Kids’ Heights for Generations

by Julie Seguss, 04/19/12

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7 Earth Day Inspired Goodies from Etsy

by Jennifer Chait, 04/17/12

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Create Personalized Eco Decor With Paper Culture’s Bamboo Wall Art

by Michelle Lloyd, 04/13/12

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Eco-Friendly Apple Park Crawling Critter Teething Toys Buzz and Bounce

Meet the Apple Park Crawling Critter Teething Toys – they’re part teething toy, part plushie and boast a whole lot of buzzing fun. Baby can gnaw on the natural rubberwood ring while he tugs on the 100% organic cotton plush toy, which is stuffed with corn fiber. The caterpillar, birdie, ladybug and bee (all as cute as the members of the Apple Park Picnic Pals!) are connected to a stretchy silk cord that it “climbs” up when pulled on. Your …

Best Non-Toxic Organic Crib Mattresses for Your Green Baby Nursery

Sleeping Newborn - Image from Shutterstock

Babies sleep 10 to 14 hours a day, so naturally, you'll want to choose a safe and non-toxic spot for them to catch all those Z's. Traditional mattresses are layered with a variety of chemicals including PVC, polyurethane foam and toxic flame-retardants. If you go shopping for an organic crib mattress you'll find lots of options at a variety of price points from a variety of brands. But before you snatch up any organic crib mattress deal, you should know that they aren't all created equal. Even though a mattress may be labeled as organic, natural or eco-friendly, it may still include a vinyl covering or be coated in dangerous flame-retardants because there is little control over what those labels mean. So how can you be sure you're getting a non-toxic crib mattress for your baby? We narrowed down the field to bring you our seven favorite organic crib mattresses that meet fire safety standards naturally. There's one for every budget ranging in price from $595 to $259. Note: If you're worried about possible wool or latex allergies, you may want to opt for one of our crib mattress picks made from other materials. Once you pick your mattress be sure to check out our favorite eco-friendly modern cribs.

daswood Recycled Plastic Baby Mobiles Bring Modern Design to the Nursery

Our eyes were immediately drawn to Daswood's mobiles and we're pretty sure they'll have the same affect on your baby. The modern, graphic mobiles are made from laser cut lo-impact Eco Resin, a made-in-the-USA plastic made from 40 percent recycled content. From happy kitties to a DJ turntable and CDs, Daswood has a range of mobiles to fit your nursery theme. Keep reading to see more.

MUJI and LEGO Collaborate with Playing with LEGO Bricks and Paper Sets

Preempt weekend boredom with a new art project: encourage your kid’s inner multimedia artist with help from LEGO and MUJI, the hip minimalist design store. Their clever Playing with LEGO Bricks and Paper sets allow kids to use their LEGOs to make their art 3-dimensional. Read on to learn more about their playful sets, which let your tot's imagination run wild.

Ontwerpduo Rockid Resting Space Lets Parents and Baby Rock Together

Here’s a clever idea we wish was available on a mass market scale – a dreamy and restful rocking chair and cradle all in one. Baby sleeps while mama reads and rests, both rocking together. This adorable cradle + rocking chair pair, Rockid, was dreamed up by the savvy design team Ontwerpduo, made with coated birch ply wood. The cradle softly swings along …

Miniature Milk Baby Clothing is Made from a Cow’s Milk Fiber and Organic Cotton

Yes, milk does a body good, but did you know it makes a good bodysuit too? Miniature Milk has created a range of baby clothing made from a unique blend of organic cotton and milk protein that's naturally anti-bacterial. The adorable layette features oneises, hats, bibs, blankets and more for boys and girls featuring cute cow prints, solids and stripes. Keep reading to learn more about this innovative fiber.

Alyson Beaton’s Lille Huset Dollhouses Inspire Little Architects – Support the Line on Kickstarter!

Alyson Beaton, a designer mom, was looking for a dollhouse for her daughter's 7th birthday. After she had a hard time choosing between wooden and plastic houses for little children and the usually pricey "grown up" style houses that seemed to be more for show, she decided to design an eco dollhouse herself. Now that vision has expanded and Alyson needs help with her to get her business off the ground. What's in it for you? You'll get awesome Lille Huset dollhouse goodies for your donation!

miYim Organic Cotton Jungle Play Mat Offers a Soft Spot for Tummy Time

Looking for a soft and eco-friendly place for your baby to practice tummy time play? Giggle’s Jungle Play Mat from MiYim is the perfect spot. Like all of our favorite goodies from MiYim, this play mat is made from super-soft 100% certified organic cotton and colored with safe, plant-based dyes. Baby will love grabbing at the cute hippo and elephant, gazing at herself in the mirror and exploring the crinkles and squeakers. Want to fit in some tummy …

Adorable Last Minute Easter Printables to Make Your Easter Celebration Sweet

If you haven't got time to hippity hop to the store, there are a number of beautiful Easter printables that you can print out right on your home computer using recycled paper (even at the last possible minute). Take the printable Easter cupcake toppers and tags from La-fabrique-a-bricole shown above for example. Perks of printables include a lower price point and the ability to reuse them year after year. Many printables include customization features, making them useful for holidays, birthdays and other events alike. Keep reading to see more of our favorite must-have last minute Easter printables.

Marc Tetro New York Pop-Out! Paper Models Go From Flat Pack to 3D in Minutes

Let your little one build her own Empire State Building and imagine she’s living a big city dream with Marc Tetro’s New York Pop Out! Paper Models. We’ve shared Marc Tetro’s cute puppy pop-outs in the past, but his latest eco-friendly offerings are geared toward kids who love the bright lights and action of city life. Made from recycled paper, the punch-out flat pack pieces quickly become impressive 3D art. The skyscraper is nearly a foot tall and the …

Wee Can Too Edible Veggie Crayons Are Safe to Eat (But Better for Art!)

Wee Can Too first brought us sweet edible vegan sidewalk chalk and now they’ve taken vegetables (and art) to a whole new level with their creative Edible Veggie Crayons. While not intended as a yummy snack, these cute little dollops of crayons are safe to eat, made with entirely edible ingredients like organic fruit and vegetable powders. Your child can stack these little discs, plus color …

eeboo Eco-Friendly Board Games are Fun for the Whole Family

Eeboo’s whimsical design and learning-through-fun activities (including other Inhabitotsfavorites like their nesting blocks) are supported by lots of green cred: the small, family run business uses simple materials which are often recycled and colored with non-toxic inks, and consistently exceed safety standards. But their products are not just for kids – you can fill up those extra post-dinner hours of sunlight with a family board game. Eeboo’s games are printed using soy inks and do not include any plastic. Plus, the eco-friendly messages continue into the themes of the games themselves.

Aden & Anais Organic Cotton Muslin Crib Sheets Are Soft and Breathable

You probably know Aden & Anais for their beloved swaddling blankets. Now they have just launched a line of crib sheets in the same fabrics and gorgeous prints. Choose from four pretty organic cotton muslin crib sheet options including solid white and a fun dragonfly print, or pick from seven muslin crib sheets in solid colors or …

Win a 6-Month Supply of The Honest Company’s Green Cleaning and Care Products Worth $215!

Jessica Alba and Christopher Gavigan, former CEO of Healthy Child, Healthy World, recently launched The Honest Company, a new diaper and green product delivery service for eco-minded parents like you. The company offers everything from laundry detergent and hand soap to shampoo and conditioner to biodegradable diapers and wipes – all at an affordable price and effortlessly delivered to your front door. Now we are excited to announce that The Honest Company is giving away a 6-month supply of their Family Essentials Bundle valued at $215 to one lucky Inhabitots reader. The first month will include the five products you see above: Honest Shampoo, Body Lotion, Hand Soap, Healing Balm and Laundry Detergent. But for the other five months, you can choose any five products you like from the entire 14-product body care and cleaning line (shown after the jump) including Auto Dish Detergent, Hand Sanitizer, Sunscreen, Bubble Bath and Surface Cleaner. All products are non-toxic and made in the USA using all-natural and organic ingredients. Read our review to learn more about The Honest Company and keep on reading to find out how easy it is to win!

LOTS MORE GREAT GREEN DESIGN STORIES HERE... KEEP READING!