Gifting His Mightyness
People love to give gifts, and Lord Rylor loves to receive 'em. He does, however, have some standards that he wishes upheld in regard to gifting.
Longtime visitors to this site may remember a page posted last year around holiday time discussing this topic. Since then we've seen the Chinese toy scare, which only
serves to lend more credence to Riley's wishes. To make life a bit easier for you he has decided to list some places where safe, made in America products can be
purchased.
Scout - Cool organic clothing
Tiny Birds Organics - Environmentally friendly products for baby
Nova Toys - Natural toys and crafts
Holgate Toys - America's finest toys since 1789 (These folks made Mr. Rogers's trolley!)
Maple Landmark Woodcraft - Wooden toys made in Vermont
The Cubbyhole - Wooden toys and puzzles
Pristine Planet - Organic, fair trade toddler wearables
Planet Happy - Natural non-toxic toys
Nubius Organics - Sustainable organics
Kee Ka - Organic, Eco-chic apparel
American Apparel - Keep an eye out for their "Sustainable Edition," which denotes organic material
More to come! Remember, it's always best to check with Riley's parents before purchasing anything. You might be surprised at what he wants or needs, not to mention
what he likes and dislikes. You'd also be surprised at the amount of stuff he already has!
If you're interested in trying to go it alone, below are a few things that are very important to Riley.
Fair Trade - Rather than receiving items
made for kids by kids Riley would like you to keep in mind that fair trade is the way to go.
A few key things to look for when it comes to locating such items; Made in the U.S.A. is an excellent start,
as well as certified Union Made.
Organic - You'd be surprised what goes into
todays products. Riley knows, and he'd prefer not to have synthetic chemical inputs in or on his person
if he can avoid it.
Cruelty Free - Riley considers animals his friends. You don't wear your
friends and he doesn't wear his. This includes animal derived fibers such as wool.
Lastly, Riley's not big on plastic at all. Sure, some things simply can't be found made of anything other than plastic... but in such situations it's
worthwhile to consider whether or not those things are necessary. After all, they put some scary stuff
in plastic toys, including PVC. And you know all that plastic doesn't degrade, right? By the time
Lord Rylor's a grown man he may be waist deep in the stuff! So while at first glance it may seem that his concerns are a bit too restrictive, in the end adhering to
them means a better life for him in the short and long run.
Further reading for the interested and/or bored:
In Chinese Factories, Lost Fingers and Low Pay The New York Times
Disney Toys Made in Sweatshops TimesOnline
Sweatshop Toys? ABC News
Wal-Mart Sweatshops Laborrights.org
The National Labor Committee
