The Best Green Toy Brands for Kids

To help make playtime a little more safe, educational, and environmentally-friendly, we rounded up 15 of the best green toy brands for kids, and then had the Green Matters audience vote for their favorites. Below you'll find the 10 brands that are now Green Matters Approved, all of which make toys that are not only durable and composed of recycled and natural materials, but are also safe for children — in fact, many of the brands on this list are certified as such by a third party.

The 10 winners of this Green Matters Approved contest are listed below. Read more about our Green Matters Approved contests here.

PlanToys has been sustainably making toys in Thailand since 1981. Toys are made with water-based dyes, organic pigments, plant-based inks, and more. PlanToys products adhere to international safety standards such as ATSM and EN71 and utilize solar panels at the PlanToy factory to reduce carbon emissions. The company's 2022 sustainability report is also freely available on the company website.

Once Kids makes its toys from FSC-certified solid wood and bamboo, recycled water bottles, and decorated with natural nontoxic water-based paints. Plus, the company's toys are all educational and tested in a third-party, certified lab. The brand is well-known for its Natural Wood Bricks, which are wooden alternatives to — and compatible with — Lego pieces. Once Kids also partners with various sustainability-focused organizations.

Your child's imagination will run wild with the Curious Kingdom playset from Playper. The Curious Kingdom is a series of "play-based learning toys" that aim to imprint sustainability values on children. All products are made from "Playperboard," the company's custom recyclable, plastic-free material that is also biodegradable. Plus, Playper won the National Parenting 2024 Sustainability award.

Green Toys' USA-made products are composed of 100 percent recycled plastic. Products include trucks, play dining sets, bath toys, and various Minnie and Mickey Mouse toys. The California-based company says its toys pass governmental standards for BPA and phthalates and conform to various international standards, and Green Toys packages its toys in 100 percent recyclable cardboard.

Le Toy Van's adorable wooden toys are Forest Stewardship Council-certified, and the company is a member of One Tree Planted. Additionally, all of Le Toy Van's factories are ICTI Ethical Programme Certified, and the company is actively working towards eliminating all of its plastic packaging by the year 2026.

Internationally distributed but founded in Germany, Hape Toys has 40 subsidiaries that provide a wide variety of toys to children. As a member of the Forest Stewardship Council, Hape Toys makes products from sustainable sources such as bamboo, wood, and nontoxic, water-based paints and finishes. Toys include wooden food sets, mini bicycles, musical instruments, puzzles, dollhouses, and much more. Hape Toys is also ISO9001, ISO 14001, and ISO45001 certified.

EZPlay makes toys for active kids, including indoor mini jungle gyms, tents, play mats, and wobble boards. The company's products are designed to last forever, and they're made with quality ash wood and fittings, as well as water-based paint and solvents. EZPlay manufactures its toys in Eastern Europe, and the company also sells refurbished versions of its own toys on the EZPlay website.

Melissa & Doug boasts of being the "No. 1 brand for preschool toys," and it's easy to see why. As a partner of One Tree Planted, the company aims to plant 10 million trees by 2030, uses FSC-certified wooden materials, and makes inclusive toys that engage children of all learning abilities. Melissa & Doug's toys are beautiful, and include play kitchens and other play centers, arts & crafts, puzzles, costumes, a doctor's set, toy blender set, and tea set.

Unique, bendable magnet toys made of synthetic recyclable paper help Clixo by Toyish Labs stand out. Each toy pack comes with a different assortment of magnet toys with endless possiblities. Clixo's packaging is 100 percent biodegradable, and all its products have been tested to comply with federal safety standards, including ASTM, EN71, and California's Proposition 65.

Co-founded by Jessica of Happy Family Organics, Lovevery (pronounced "Love every") is a Certified B Corp toy company. Products are made with sustainably sourced wood, cotton, recycled paper, soy-based ink, and more for an all-around eco-friendly play experience. Lovevery aims to use 90 percent recycled materials by 2025, the company purchases carbon offsets, and the company joined the Climate Collaborative in 2020 to commit to sustainability.

This article, originally published on May 14, 2024, has been updated to announce the winners of this Green Matters Approved contest.