ecofriendlytoys – Eco Couple

The wonder of receiving a letter from Mr Quinley and Annabelle

Published on August 30, 2022October 2, 2023 by EcoCoupleLeave a comment

Do you write or receive letters anymore? Well I don’t know about you but call me a classic girl, I love writing and receiving letters in the good old post mail box. Actually the more I write it to you here the more I am urged to write a few letters to people I love. One of my fondest memories as a child was my penpals…I had a few. One boy I especially remember that lived in east germany and I loved sharing our childhood through pictures and words.

The reason I bring this up is well for one, I would like to inspire you to take pen to paper and write someone a letter! Secondly I want to introduce you to a small business I recently discovered that awakens the magic of receiving letters in young children of today. In the form of beautiful stories.

Mr. Quinley’s Adventures – The letters are written by the adventurous character, Annabelle Button, about her magical adventures with her uncle, Mr. Quinley. He is the keeper of magic in the world and always has a trick up his sleeve…or in his hat, rather. Each story consists of three illustrated pages and one full page illustration. The readers get to follow along the adventure while experiencing the novelty of receiving fun mail and building a sense of wonder and excitement… Not to mention fresh reading material each month. Before you know it, your children will be running to the mailbox awaiting their next letter!

The founders of this magical concept are Eric and Janine, they have been friends since high school! A decade and a half later, they decided to launch Mr. Quinley’s Adventures in hopes of bringing a tangible story experience to children. In a world saturated with technology and
social media, Eric and Janine saw an opportunity to bring back the joys of letters, stories, friendship, and connection all through something as simple as a letter.

We at Eco Couple are always excited when we can support a brand that is bringing something special, heartfelt and beautiful to humanity and especially to the kids of tomorrow. Thank you!

We were able to get you a discount code: ecocouple we do not make any money on these sales nor are we paid by the brand, we simply wanted you to know about them!

Sustainably yours,

Eco Couple

The Perfect Organic Sustainable Kite

Published on July 4, 2021July 15, 2021 by EcoCoupleLeave a comment

beautiful handmade sustainable kites — Kites deserve a rediscovery in our culture as a simple, yet profound tool, for getting us outdoors and lifting spirits.-Little Cloud Kites

Flying a sustainable kite is such a magical experience. It is no coincidence when you fly one that all the children gather around eagerly and want to take a turn. As do the adults. The wondrous act of launching a kite into the sky and watching it soar above you. It is mesmorizing and in a way it can be a beautiful meditative process also for us adults. We love Little Cloud Kites!

I remember when I was a kid and we used to go to the hill to fly the kite. It was not very often, but every time we went felt like a “special day”. Walking with that purpose, hoping for wind, searching for the area without trees. Rigging the kite was always exciting, since it was such a seldom experience, every time there was those couple of steps where you weren’t sure how to do it, and it is certainly simple; I guess being excited makes you want to do things faster.

Well, we have re-created that moment, that emotion with our new “KITE”; Atlantis, our son was always curious about kites when we saw them from the playground, and now he is enjoying his a lot.

Mum normally raises the kite and Atlantis takes over and flies it for a while; we ask for wishes, since the kite is closer to the sky and takes messages from us back to the main land.

If I am lucky, I get a turn to fly the kite too, since every time we fly it, there are children gathering around to chase its shadow or eagerly stand in line to take a turn holding the spool. It provokes many smiles, fun, joy and happiness, and it is only a kite!!

It is amazing that although the construction is quite simple this kite flies batter than any I have flown. Simple yet it soars higher than any other and it looks phenomenal when flying.

This one, we explain, is made consciously; the wood used comes from a man who provides FCS certified wood and carves the different parts with his own hands; the fabric comes from India and it has been hand painted in Canada; the line is hemp, once again grown sustainably. It is the only kite we have ever found to be truly ethical and sustainable. It even has a lifetime warranty and it is exactly that a beautifully handcrafted Kite that will be and stay in your family for generations to come. All it needs is some tender loving care and some healthy flights to keep it going!

An unknown family having a go at the kite

Now, once you grab the handle you connect with nature, it is magical how the kite makes you feel the wind gusts, makes you realise when it is comfortable up there, and when it needs and extra push or wants to turn a little. When you look at it, you automatically come here and now, such a simple beautiful way to look up and admire how beautiful the blue sky is and the clouds, you see butterflies and dragonflies passing by, the experience is phenomenal. There is nothing quite like it and you are out in the fresh air catching a breeze on your face.

So we really want to urge you to support this small business and its exceptional organic sustainable kites. It is an investment you will make for you and your family to spend time in nature doing something everyone loves for generations to come.

With love,

Eco Couple

5 Amazing Eco-Friendly Toddler Toys

Published on November 20, 2020December 6, 2020 by EcoCouple2 Comments

^{Eco Couple uses affiliate links. We promote products we have tried ourselves and truly believe in. If you make a purchase using a link we may receive a commission. Such revenue helps keep this website running, and allows us to keep the content free for readers.This motivates us to stay on our mission of inspiring conscious consumerism.}

If you are a mother and anything like me then you are always looking for the best eco friendly toddler toys. We evaluate these brands and toys by the way they are made, the companies values and most importantly how much our toddler likes them and uses them in his every day life.

1- MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS

We absolutely love this wooden drum kit that we purchased. For us musical instruments play a great part of what we want our little one to grow up around! We have flutes, Caracas, harmonicas and even a baby piano but what he has most fun on is banging those drums. This store has so many fantastic ideas you will surely find something you love and you can search by age which makes it all that much easier to navigate, especially when buying gifts for others.

Musical Instruments are really great for learning hand eye coordination and if you don’t mind a little noise making these are well worth the fun. This is also a really great eco-friendly set or this adorable Banjo.

2- WOODEN RAILWAY SET

We got ours second hand from several mothers. What is great about them is they are all generally compatible with each other. I am not sure who loves this toy more our son or his dad, wether it be playing alone or with friends this toy provides hours of fun. It never gets boring because you can always set up new tracks. After doing some extensive research we found a few sets that we wanted to recommend. I truly recommend this for both boys and girls!

Orbium Train Set Melissa and Doug Kid Kraft Waterfall super set

3-PUZZLES

We believe puzzles are really an amazing toy! You can always entice your children by getting prints of things they love! Everything from floor puzzles to wooden puzzles. They are really great for developing perseverance, problem solving and eye hand coordination. Overcoming the challenges of puzzling gives them a sense of pride and self esteem. We highly recommend starting early with the puzzling world. Our favourites so far are by Melissa and Doug This store also has hundreds of other things to choose from so have fun browsing.

4-TOY KITCHEN

This is truly another all time favourite for us and so many parents we know. Whether you have a boy or a girl, kids love watching and emulating their parents. Unless you are extremely blessed with someone that cooks for you chances are your kids see it a lot and want to be part of the fun. Our son will make me full meals in his little kitchen and he really takes great pride in cutting his fruit and vegetables on his cutting board. As far as I can remember from friends with older kids this is a toy that lasts a long time because even 6 and 7 year olds have fed me their make believe meals when visiting friends. These are a few we found that we really liked.

Ultimate Green Store Melissa and Doug Kid Kraft

5- KITE

This is the most beautiful kite story by Little Cloud Kites, we like to call this a boomerang gift. It is a magical experience for your toddler but also an amazing experience for you. This is a kite that you will hopefully have in your family for life. It also comes with a lifetime guarantee, they will fix your kite for as long as you own it. Beautifully handcrafted, with eco-friendly wood, organic cotton and a perfect carrying case. This is the gift of a lifetime.

We hope you like our very special selection of toys for the little ones!

Sustainably yours,

Eco Couple

The 5 Best Online Stores for Sustainable, Ethical and Eco-friendly brands

Published on October 29, 2020November 21, 2020 by EcoCouple19 Comments

Eco Couple uses affiliate links. We promote products we have tried ourselves and truly believe in. If you make a purchase using a link we may receive a commission. Such revenue helps keep this website running, and allows us to keep the content free for readers. This motivates us to stay on our mission of inspiring conscious consumerism.

Want to be a conscious consumer but not sure where to shop? Well then this may be the most valuable list for you to start living a more conscious and eco-friendly life. We have all recently learned more about the importance of taking care of mother earth while still getting our needs met for our daily necessities. We researched and found some beautifully curated online stores carrying sustainable goods. So browse around, enjoy…and tell us about the products you have tried and love.

We at Eco Couple truly believe that we ALL have to support each other . The more stores, brands and options we have for living a more eco-conscious lifestyle the closer we are coming to truly beneficially impacting our environment. We always try to remind you that every step you take, every dollar you spend supporting sustainable eco conscious brands gets us closer to a better future. These are some stores that are truly a one stop shop for some incredible brands and their initiatives.

Eartheasy

This website is designed mostly for the outdoor enthusiast, from gardening to camping, although there are some great cleaning products as well as non toxic pest control options. It is well worth a visit and has a really great selection of eco friendly products, from home to garden to lighting to dehydrators.

Categories: Outdoor, Lifestyle, Gardening

Our favourite: Raised Garden Beds

Also check our post for more info on ¨Gardening Tips¨

The Ultimate Green Store

This store has an especially wonderful selection of bedding as well as, honestly, a little bit of everything you may need for the home, the site is really easy to navigate. If you want a beautiful array of cookware or some eco friendly storage cubes. Browse through a wonderful selection and make your home just a touch more eco friendly one purchase at a time.

Categories: Men, Womens fashion, toys ,etc etc

Our favourite items: Eco Friendly Backpacks

Aequem

For all things fashion this store has over 70 brands to choose from, and each and every brand has been hand selected for its values, the quality of their clothes and of course it’s beautiful appearance. Aequem recently did an interview with us, you can find it on their Journal page.

We truly love the selection and style of this store, from your every day necessities to some really far out haute couture pieces.

Our favourite items: Jumpsuits

They plant 10 trees for every purchase…. thanks Aequem…. we love what you do.

OUR COMMON PLACE

Here we have another truly inspiring store. It is kind of liberating to let these websites to do the research and you can just feel good about what you are buying. All the while knowing that the companies have been thoroughly investigated from production right through to the end consumer. This store has a really impressive shoe collection, as well as beautiful clothes and

Categories: Fashion, Beauty and Home

Our favourite items: Coats

Use ECOCOUPLE for 10% discount

Earth Hero

This store has a little bit of everything as well. From eco-friendly pet products to kids toys, to kitchen products and clothes for kids and sportswear for parents. Another worthy store to put in your favourites list.

¨Living a lifestyle you’re proud of, that supports a planet you’re proud for, should be simple.¨-Earth Hero

Categories: Clothing, Shop by Age, Zero Waste products and Accessories

Our favourite: The Toy Selection

Use ECOCOUPLE for 10% discount

Eco Couple’s Amazon Storefront

We personally have created a favourite eco friendly products list on our Storefront on amazon. It is comprised of a few categories we have gathered over the years. All the products we have personally tried ourselves and believe in. We hope you enjoy the selection. If you ever have a question feel free to reach out.

Hope this list is useful to you feel free to share this post with your eco conscious friends. We are always interested in hearing about the pages and shops that inspire you the most… please let us know in the comments. Thank you.

Sustainably yours,

Eco Couple

Eco-friendly Magic in a Box for ages 2-10+

Published on October 17, 2020November 10, 2020 by EcoCouple2 Comments

Green Kid Crafts

Do you ever look at Insta Moms, or pinterest and think I would like to do these fun and creative things with my kids? Well look no further we found your one stop shop to eco-friendy, sustainable, super cool and fun things to do with your little ones!

Honestly there is so much to love about this company and its practices. So let me introduce you to Green Kid Craft. Not only does the company plant a tree for every box sold! So we are already so behind this project…. the founder Penny Bauder, is an environmental scientist and leader in conservation, sustainability, youth education, and activism. Someone you would be happy your children to spend some time with.

In these very odd times and the current situation the world is in it is more important than ever that we nurture our youth with positive influences and fun projects to keep their mind on things that are nourishing and fulfilling, especially if they are currently home schooled, or sitting in front of a screen for virtual school all day. No matter how old, even us as adults can benefit from zoning out into this type of creative time! I think that sometimes I get more excited than my son does about art and crafts projects!!!

These boxes are full of creative projects that bring out the best in our little ones, while also teaching them about the environment, the value of sustainability and ways to better our planet. I cannot be happier about this! And there are so many options to choose from. Wether you would like to gift someone a one time box or simply want to subscribe to an awesome program. Made from eco-friendly materials each box includes 4-6 projects filled with creative ideas and project to keep you entertained for quite some time.

¨Leading by example is the best way to help our children learn¨. – Green Kid Craft

So if you have reverted to using the screen, try replacing that time with one of these activities and help kids grow into little scientists, engineers and inventors! Which at the end of the day is so much more rewarding for you and them.

Have you heard of STEAM (Science & Technology, interpreted through Engineering & the Arts, all based in Mathematical elements.”) You have nothing to loose by giving it a try and your kids have everything to gain! We absolutely recommend Green Kid Crafts

Thanks for reading and sharing,

Eco Couple