Our corner of the world is an exceptionally fertile place for growing creative products for kids. And we want to see these brave entrepreneurs thrive!
For our Homegrown Guides, we’ve picked a few of our favorites because we want to spread the word about the ingenious, amazing products created by parents right here in our community; these businesses care deeply about healthy business practices and being environmentally friendly, plus making top-quality, kid- and friend-tested products; and we believe a healthy community for families includes successful small businesses serving parents and kids.
Goodbyn
Originally conceived in Seattle, this Illinois-based company aims to solve the problem of trash created by one-time-use packaging while making lunchtime easier and more inspiring for both kids and parents. Although the company’s products were originally designed and manufactured in the US, it now uses carefully selected international factories, in order to make its products more affordable and available to consumers. Goodbyn has a variety of lunchtime solutions available, including reusable ice packs, insulated travel bags, and small snack boxes. The Bynto, its flagship product, features three separate compartments for different food items, and comes in hot pink, lime green and royal blue; $9.50.
Goodbyn, 23 locations in the greater Seattle area, www.goodbyn.com.
City Kid
The brainchild of a Seattle mom, City Kid features new and recycled fabrics in designs that will grow with your little girl. The “Classic” dresses, for example, hit at knee-length when you buy them, but two years later, they’ll be long shirts perfect to wear with jeans. There are one-of-a-kind designs, like a dress made from a Sounders FC t-shirt, as well as holiday outfits featuring seasonal plaids and the handprinted message “Let Love Sparkle.” You can also commission custom listings. Classic City Kid Style Dresses, available in a variety of sizes, $38-$44.
City Kid, available at craft shows and www.citykidstyle.com.
Soaring Heart Mattresses
With bedding products for everyone in the family, this Fremont-based company believes that sleep should be “restorative, deep and profoundly comfortable.” Its mattresses use materials that are organic and grown responsibly along the West Coast, and the company has received certifications from USDA Organic, Global Organic Textile Standard, Oregon Tilth, the Consumer Product Safety Commission, and Made in Seattle, among others. The company’s crib mattress is made from organic latex, organic Pacific Northwest Eco-Wool and organic cotton, and replace the chemical fire retardants that have been linked to environmental illness with a proprietary needle-punched wool that passes all flame retardant laws; $520.
Soaring Heart Natural Bed Company, 101 Nickerson St., www.soaringheart.com.
Max’s Mud
If you’re seeking worry-free sculpting dough, look no further. Max’s Mud, created here in Seattle by, you guessed it, Max’s mom, is certified organic, gluten-free, vegan, compostable and non-toxic, with no wheat, soy, corn, fragrance, lead, parabens or phthalates – and it comes in a recyclable container, of course. But with all those “no’s” there’s one big yes: Max’s Mud is fun! It offers tactile play that is creative, imaginative and stress-reducing, so much so that you’ll want to play right alongside your child. It comes in natural brown, white, red, orange, yellow, green, blue and purple, and is $3.95 per 3-ounce tub.
Planet Happy Toys, 2914 NE 55th St., www.planethappytoys.com.
