The Soft Landing Blog » Wood

TGI Tuesday Giveaway: To Go Ware RePeat Bamboo Utensils

Alicia — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 15:58:30 +0000

How about a little something for teens and parents this week for TGI Tuesday? We have the perfect non-toxic and eco-friendly To Go Ware RePeat Bambo Utensil toolkit!

I don’t know about you, but I’ve found that keeping a set in my bag, glove compartment, lunch box or desk is the only way I don’t end up using those blasted disposables. It reminds me of the grocery shopping trips where I load my whole basket and head for the check out, only to remember too late that my reusable bags are at home. Aarrgghh!

Our Favorite Features

Includes a knife, fork, spoon and chopsticks (which double nicely as coffee stirrers)
Carabiner allows you to clip and go
Carrying case made of RPET, a sturdy, washable material made of recycled plastic bottles
Heat and stain-resistant, won’t impart or absorb flavors
Lightweight surprisingly durable
Finished with a top grade, food safe wood oil
Dishwasher safe, though hand-washing is better for longevity

Thank God It’s Tuesday Giveaway!

For TGI Tuesday we’re giving away two To Go Ware RePeat Bambo Utensils. We’ll be giving one away via live giveaway on Twitter at 3pm EST today and another set via Blog Drawing right here (ends tomorrow at midnight CST).

How to enter our live giveaway via Twitter (#TuesGiveaway)

Follow us on Twitter @thesoftlanding
We’ll send out a contest announcement on Twitter at 3pm EST, and you’ll be entered automatically when you copy/paste that announcement and re-tweet it. Our tweet will look something like this: “RT to WIN: @thesoftlanding is giving away XYZ to the 50th person to tweet this!” (the tweet will be sent out right at 3pm EST and will not look exactly like this one – so be watching on Twitter)
The lucky tweet(s) will win! We’ll notify everyone by tweeting the winner(s) Twitter ID when the contest ends. Please check our profile page at http://www.twitter.com/thesoftlanding.com for updates
The winner(s) will contact us at info@thesoftlanding.com with their full name and shipping address to claim their prize
If you’ve won in the last 30 days, you will not be eligible to win today

How to Enter the Blog Contest

Don’t worry if you can’t make it to our TGI Tuesday Giveaway today, because you can enter here on our blog too for a chance to win! Simply leave a comment right here on this blog post by midnight tomorrow March 17, 2010. One entry per person. Open to all blog readers worldwide!

See our Privacy Policy here

Real vs. Artificial Christmas Trees: Not an Obvious Answer

Alicia — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 19:35:20 +0000

At first glance, artificial trees seem to make more sense as a long-term solution when considering cost, ease of use and the reusability factor. Artificial trees actually have some eye appeal these days, as compared to the days when they were manufactured by a toilet brush company. Cutting down a living tree seems like a bad choice for the environment and it’s also a yearly investment during the most draining time of the year.

So how is a family to make the right decision? Is it a no-win deal when every aspect has been taken into consideration? No, not really – because there is more to both sides of this story . . .

Artificial Trees: The Dark Side

Most artificial trees are made from PVC plastic. Not only is PVC loaded with toxic chemicals, its production also results in emission of dioxin and ethylene dichloride.
Lead is often used as a stabilizer in PVC to make artificial trees more resistant to light and weathering. Lead has been linked to kidney, liver, neurological and reproductive system damage. Some Christmas trees are even required to carry warning labels because they shed lead-laden dust, exposing children to the toxic chemical.
Other non-renewable metals and plastics are used to make artificial trees.
Many artificial trees are treated with flame retardants, and yet they can still catch fire.

Real Trees: The Bright Side

While pine trees contain resins and other aromatic chemicals that can damage the respiratory tract, causing chronic respiratory disease and asthma, fir and spruce trees do not contain the same irritating chemicals.
They are a natural, renewable, reusable, recyclable source.
Live evergreen trees absorb carbon dioxide and other gases while they are growing, and emit fresh oxygen. Approximately 1 million acres of holiday trees growing in the United States supply about 18 million people a day with oxygen.
Organic, pesticide-free Christmas trees are becoming more widely available.
You can support U.S. made products and farmers by purchasing live Christmas trees, because they are grown in all 50 States.

As you can probably guess, my husband and I took the kids on our traditional trek to find the perfect live Christmas tree again this year. We found a beautiful blue-green fir and we’re enjoying the fresh aroma constantly! It’s also a wonderful opportunity to support a local business too

Twitter Tuesday Giveaway: RiNGLEY Natural Ball Teether

Alicia — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 15:43:10 +0000

Organic cotton + Canadian Maple wood = a truly chemical-free teether by RiNGLEY! The original RiNGLEY teethers have been such a hit with babies, that the company recently introduced two new designs to their teething arsenal: the Ball and the Junior. Both boast a new velcro features which allows you to remove the cloth and throw it in the washer without the wood teether!

Our Favorite Features

RiNGLEY’s Newest innovation allows you to un-velcro the cloth and throw it in the washer

Shape allows your child to easily grip the ring and cloth

Can be used wet or dry and easily reaches around a child’s gums and teeth (we use ours frozen)

Since infants learn through tactile stimulus, touching and putting things in their mouths, the need for a product made without harmful chemicals and dyes is important

Natural materials means a truly safe toy for babies to chew and teethe on

Handmade in Toronto, Canada

And Now for the Giveaway

It’s time for more Twitter Tuesday fun! Today we’re giving away a RiNGLEY Natural Ball Teether to one lucky winner via a live giveaway on Twitter at 3pm EST and another via 2nd Chance Drawing here on our blog.

How to enter our live giveaway via Twitter (#TuesGiveaway)

Follow us on Twitter @thesoftlanding
We’ll send out a contest announcement on Twitter at 3pm EST, and you’ll be entered automatically when you copy/paste that announcement and re-tweet it. Our tweet will look something like this: “RT to WIN: @thesoftlanding is giving away XYZ to the 50th person to tweet this!” (the tweet will be sent out right at 3pm EST and will not look exactly like this one – so be watching on Twitter)
The lucky tweet(s) will win! We’ll notify everyone by tweeting the winner(s) Twitter ID when the contest ends. Please check our profile page at http://www.twitter.com/thesoftlanding.com for updates
The winner(s) will contact us at info@thesoftlanding.com with their full name and shipping address to claim their prize
If you’ve won in the last 30 days, you will not be eligible to win today

*NOTE* Please be considerate of others by keeping your Twitter entries at a reasonable level (2-3 tweets). That way everyone will have a chance to enter

How to Enter the Blog Contest

Don’t worry if you can’t make it to our Twitter Tuesday Giveaway today, because you can enter here on our blog too for a chance to win another RiNGLEY Natural Ball Teether! Simply leave a comment right here on this blog post by midnight on October 22, 2009. One entry per person. Open to all blog readers worldwide!

P.S. Watch for a HUGE announcement about our 8 weeks of outrageous Christmas Shopping Specials this coming Thursday! Friday will mark our first special, so get ready to make quick work of your non-toxic Christmas Shopping. Here’s a little preview for you

Safer Kids Cup and Dish Guide

Alicia — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 18:45:36 +0000

UPDATED 7/12/2009

Finding safer cups and dishes for older kids has been a challenge. We’re embarking on an expedition to see what we can find. Our list is slowly growing as we we are able to confirm more BPA, PVC, phthalate, and melamine-free options, so check back soon!

Kidishes

Parents everywhere today are looking for an alternative to plastic dishes. Kidishes are made from tempered glass, which is amazingly durable and safe. They are available in kid-size bowls (5.5″ diameter), cups (5oz) and plates (7.4″ diameter).

Crocodile Creek

Crocodile Creek just launched the cutest and most functional lunch gear! Their new stainless steel drink bottles and PVC-free lunchboxes are the perfect pair for kids on the go.

CaliBowl

The one-of-a-kind CaliBowl is perfectly shaped to help toddlers and kids feed themselves without the mess! They’re available in BPA-free plastic or ceramic.

Lunchbots

The LunchBots Uno and Duo containers are the perfect container for packing a sandwich, burrito, grapes or nuts – your favorite lunch to go. 100% high quality stainless steel (both lid and container) make for a seriously durable and healthy food storage system!

ECOLunches

ECOLunchbox Waste-free Kit comes with a bamboo spork, stainless steel food container, sauce container with lid, cotton napkins – all in a handmade, durable carrying bag that can be used like a backpack. The stainless steel food and sauce containers can be purchased separately too.

Thinkbaby

Thinkbaby Stainless Steel Feeding Set includes a soup bowl and cereal bowl with lid, insulated bento box with snap down, leak-proof lid, cup with handle and utensils.

Kids Konserve

The Kids Konserve waste-free lunch kit and other reusable products were the natural outgrowth of what two women saw as a big need that required immediate attention. With the premise that any business they undertook had to help the environment in some way, it didn’t take much imagination to see how they, as parents of young children, were contributing to garbage landfills, pollutants and sending the wrong message to their own children.

The lunch kit includes recycled cotton sack, cloth napkin, 16 oz. stainless steel beverage bottle, food kozy, two stainless steel food containers, and recycled aluminum name tag.

Built NY

The Built NY Munchlers Lunch Bags are not only made from safer materials – they’re so cute that any kiddo would be proud to take their lunch in them! They’re insulated and zip open to lay flat for use as a placemat too.

Bambu

The Bambu Kids line has a little bit of everything to make meals safer and more eco-friendly: Disposable Bamdino Plates, Mini Bowls, Spork and Utensil Sets

Thermos

Thermos continues to pump out safer feeding gear for kids. The FUNtainer Straw Bottles and Food Jars are amazing and in our experience, you just can’t top their the versatility, durability and cuteness. We often entice our older kids to drink their water by loading up a straw bottle – it helps keep them from from feeling like they’re missing out on those sugary drinks.

Think Sport

Think Sport has turned their grown-up water bottle into a mini me for kids! Just like the adult version, Think Sport’s super light weight stainless steel bottle has an elegant design and is easy to hold and drink from. It holds 12oz, is vacuum sealed to keep drinks hot or cold for hours, won’t “sweat” and fits into most car cup holders. The new mini me is be the perfect solution for sports teams on those hot summer days!

Obentec

Laptop Lunches were created by two Moms with school aged kids. Their mission is to help families improve lunchtime nutrition and reduce waste. They believe that healthy kids come from healthy communities and work hard to provide products free from BPA, PVC and Lead.

Recycline

Recycline Preserve dishware is made from recycled polypropylene (#5) which is BPA, PVC and phthalate free. Their products are reusable, dishwasher safe on low-heat cycles and made in the USA. You can find them at the Recycline website.

Arrow Plastics Manufacturing

Arrow is based in Illinois and all of their products are manufactured right here in the U.S. All of their plastic scrap, used corrugated containers, wrapping materials and pallets are recycled (none of these materials are deposited in landfills). You can often find these products at Walmart, but they are not currently available online (we’re working with Arrow to add their children’s line to our store soon). They have a huge line of products, so we’ll just focus on great stuff for kids. All of the following Frostware and Sip-a-cup/bowls/pops are made from polypropylene and are marked with recycling code #5.

IKEA

IKEA’s Stated Commitment: “IKEA works to ensure that products and materials are environmentally adapted and are safe for our customers from a health perspective. As part of our business idea, we insist on keeping costs low and always try to use resources wisely when designing our products. We strive to use renewable and recyclable materials in our products.” You can locate an IKEA store near you here.

UPDATE 12/10/08: I’m even more impressed with IKEA now that I’ve been searching through website again for new options – they have labeled ALL of their food containers with the materials used. Hooray for IKEA!

ZAK! Designs

Safe Mama did some digging and found out that all of their children’s dinnerware is BPA and PVC free. Their cups, snack n go containers and cereal on the go cups are made from polypropylene (#5) which is what we would recommend from their products for older kids. Some of their plates and bowls are made from melamine (as seen in Iron Man below), which we wouldn’t recommend (even though it is BPA and PVC free). Read more about it here.

Trebimbi

Trebimbi makes a huge assortment of BPA and PVC free dishes and utensils. They’re unique, innovative and great for enticing kids to the dinner table.

Stay tuned for updates – we’re always working to locate more great alternative options for kids!

BPA, PVC and Phthalate Free Baby Teether Guide

Alicia — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 15:13:33 +0000

UPDATED 12/19/2009

We’ve put together a huge list of safe teethers to help you find the perfect teether for relieving baby’s aching gums without toxic plastic!

Here’s a quick reference list:

Dandelion Organic Teethers
iPlay Teethers: Green Sprouts Cornstarch Ring, Hand and Dumbbell Teethers; Natural Wood Crescent, Cage, Ring and Heart Teethers
Vulli Teethers: Sophie the Giraffe, Soft Toy Chan Pie Gnon Teethers, Cool It Soother Chan Pie Gnon, Vanilla Flavored Chan Pie Gnon, Musical Fruit Keys, Rattle Key Chain Chan Pie Gnon
Sassy Teethers: Beginning Bites Teethers (animal faces), Ladybug Teethers (water filled), Butterfly Teethers (water filled), Jelly Fish Teethers, Coolin’ Teethers, Chilly Dilly Daisy, Gentle Vibes Leapfrog Lilypad, Buzz n’ Bites, Sassy Teething Feeder, Teach Me Toothbrush Set, Teething Tunes, Gummy Guppy, Earth Brites Natural Wooden Toys
Nuby Teethers: Natural Touch Teethers (Odd Ball, Three Star, etc.), Icy Bite Teether Rings, Jiggle Giggle Cool Bite Vibrating Teethers (cow and butterfly), Jiggle Giggle Vibrating Teethers (assorted animal shapes), Nibbler, Kool Soothers, Pur Icy Bite Teethers (triangle shape), Nuby Ice Gel Teether Keys on a Ring, Fun Teethers (assorted animal shapes) Nuby Bug-A-Loop Teether, Fun Links and Fun Links on a Ring (see our Nuby list complete with pictures here).
Je Je Vibrating Teethers
Comfort + Joy Teether (by BabyLife)
Combi: All teethers (4 month, 6 month and 8 month)
Gerber: Cooling Gum Soother, Cool Fish Soother, Cool Ring Soother, OrbiTeether
RaZbaby: RaZ-Berry Teether, Raz-A-Dazzle Silicone Toothbrush
SmartMom: Teething Bling silicone pendants and bangles
My Very Own Rattle solid maple teether
Camden Rose Maple Teething Rings
Dano2 Circus Teethers
Rich Frog Natural Rubber Duck
Ringley Natural Teething Toys
Earthentree Natural Wood Toys
BornFree Silicone Teethers
Soothy Pacifier Teether
Zoli: Munch Silicone Teether, 3 Ring Teether
Plan Toys: Baby Ring Teether, Baby Rattle
Under the Nile Organic Cotton Teether Toys
Dr. Blooms Chewable Jewels
Oh Plah! Teething Bracelet
Kathy Kruse: Rainbow Baby and Nicki Baby
Maple Landmark: Organic, unfinished Ring Teether and Disk Rattle
Bright Starts: Please see update below (11/26/08 )

As with our other Guides, this one will grow as we continue to contact more manufacturers and learn what materials each is made from.

P.S. Check out our exclusive Go BPA Free Teether Samplers at The Soft Landing!

11/26/08: We’ve removed the following Bright Starts Teethers from our BPA/PVC-free list after a routine follow-up call to to re-confirm the status of Chill and Teethe Tubes, Licensed to Drool, Rattle and Spin Teethers. We were told that the information we had been given previously was incorrect. Read more here.