Click-together building blocks (very similar to, and compatible with, LEGO Duplo) - made locally in Europe? Without plastic or any petroleum, just plants!?! Yes! That's BiOBUDDi!
What each set contains: 11 click-together building blocks, similar size to and compatible with LEGO Duplo (but these are free of all petro-plastics!) Sticker sheets. Manual.
Feel great about where it comes from:
- Raw materials from Europe? No - Brazil - we are not thrilled about this because it's far away (transport carbon emissions). But we do have assurance that no rainforest was removed to create the sugarcane fields:
- The sugarcane is grown in a different region of Brazil far from the Amazon rainforest
- The Brazilian government doesn't allow new sugarcane plantations because they feel the country has enough
- Organic? Yes >70% of the sugarcane is organically-grown
- Manufactured in Europe? Yes - Netherlands
- What's it made from? Bioplastic (specifically Green PE) - an innovative, carbon-neutral material made from the leftovers after sugarcane is harvested. It's carbon-neutral because plants absorb carbon as they grow - whereas petroleum-based plastic has a carbon footprint of up to 6 times its own weight in CO2. Bioplastic is fully recyclable at end of life along with petro-plastics. Think of it as FairTrade coffee - looks the same, tastes the same, but has a very different impact on the world because of how it's produced.
- What's it packaged in? FSC cardboard box, bioplastic bag (also made from sugarcane, recyclable including in Ireland)
- Shipping packaging from manufacturer to us: Cardboard only
- Plastic-free? 100% free from petroleum-derived plastic - made from bioplastic, see above for the difference
- Vegan? Yes!
- Animal-cruelty-free? Yes
- Reused upcycled or recycled? No
Feel great about where it goes after you've used it:
- Biodegradable / compostable? Not biodegradable (but still really good for our planet because it's made from plants (not petroleum), can be used for generations and then recycled
- Reusable refillable? Yes
- Recyclable? Yes 100%
Feel great about you and your child using it:
- Great for ages: 1.5 to 6 years
- Shelf life: Indefinite
- Awards: UK Toy Shop 2019 Gold Medal; DIN CERTCO certificate of bio-based materials; Baby Innovation Green Award 2019; Eco Excellence 2018 best nursery eco toy; LuxLife Parent & Baby awards 2018
- Safety standards met: EN71 EU toy safety standards
- Solvent-free? Yes
- Gluten-free? Yes
- Peanut-free? Yes
- Soy-free? Yes
- Lactose-free? Yes
- Easy to wash-off clothes skin? N/A
- Improvements we're working on in this product: None, we think it's perfect! But let us know what you think!
Search terms: bio buddi, bio buddy, biobuddy