To celebrate Earth Day this year we’re taking a moment to share with you Four concrete things that we’re doing to make our business more eco-friendly; from smart manufacturing that reduces waste, to packaging thats kinder to the planet.
We’re choosing to do things better, and, by choosing to support small businesses like ours, you can feel good knowing that, together we’re taking steps to make a greener future for our children.
Here are some of the things we are consciously doing here at tinyFEATs to make our toys more Eco-Friendly:
1. Toys Designed to REDUCE Waste
One of our biggest contributions is something you’ve probably never even thought about… efficient design.
Whenever we design a new product we carefully consider the products design to minimize fabric waste. Take our felt boards, for example, the picture you see here is the sum total of wasted fabric from an entire batch of Felt Boards. Its really not a lot especially when you consider that the mass manufacturing of plastic toys often does not take into account the "green cost" of wasted material.
2. RE-USE Upcycled Craft Supplies
I doesnt end there though, what you see here is our scraps bin, a collection of all of the felt pieces that are too small to be used in one of our products. It is brand new, quality felt and its fantastic for crafts. So we donate it to local teachers and crafters as free craft supplies.
This fabric recycling program has been such a hit, we now have a waiting list!
3. RECYCLE-ABLE & Compostable Packaging
This year we are so excited to start using compostable mailers! They are currently only available for a select few products (like our felt name letters) but we are working to expand the line and eventually discontinue the use of conventional plastic mailing bags.
We also choose to use paper boxes that can easily be recycled at most local recycling facilities. Not only are these cardboard boxes a greener option, but seriously who doesn’t love the anticipation of opening a gift wrapped in a box?
4. RE-USABLE Toys that are Built to Last
This is the one we at tinyFEATs take most pride in, we design and build our toys to be heirloom quality and built to last generations. Its in everything we do, from choosing to make our toys from felt so they are literally unbreakable and easy to clean.
To designing “grow with me” toys that can be used throughout the early years, instead of just for a season. By designing our Quiet Books with removable pages you can keep the same book from baby to kindergarten stage simply by swapping out the pages. Then when the cycle is complete, re-gift it to a new baby, starting with the youngest pages again.
We even provide replacement name plates so you can personalize the busy book for a new child again and again.
Even our popular personalized felt name letters can be re-used or up cycled. They make a great gift for toddlers, then as the child grows, introduce a whole set of alphabet letters to teach kids the abc’s.. then once thats mastered, use the same letters to teach kids how to spell!
Then once they’ve mastered reading use the felt letters as craft supplies, like this monogrammed door sign my daughter made, or monogram a backpack, or cork board. There are just so many great ways to upcycle these adorable felt letters.
What you choose to buy for your kids can make a difference, shop small, shop local, shop green… and most of all thanks for choosing to shop tinyFEATs!