Submitted
Jiffy the Giraffe -- part of Fair Indigo's Joobles line for kids -- is made from organic fibers with natural dyes.
Have a special child in your life whom you'd like to spoil just a little bit -- without spoiling the environment? You might want to check out Joobles, the plush, stuffed toys fromFair Indigo. Fair Indigo is a Wisconsin-based company that sells apparel and kids' toys that are manufactured "without the exploitation of workers and the environment." Details about how Fair Indigo ensures good pay for workers and quality in its products may be found online at fairindigo.com.
What it is: Joobles is a line of items for babies and kids made from organic cotton using eco-friendly dyes. The line includes stuffed animals, embellished sweaters, blankets, and hats and mittens in beautiful colors.
What it costs: Joobles stuffed animals are $25 each; sweaters are around $50; animal "blankies" are $32; and hat-and-mitten sets, which feature animal faces and ears, are $34.
Who can use it: The toys are suitable for ages from infant to toddler, but even older kids might like some of the stuffed animals.
Where to get it: You can find Joobles online at fairindigo.com. Don't have Internet access?Call the company, located in Middleton, Wis., at (800) 520-1806 from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. weekdays.
Good stuff: Featured in The New York Times, Time magazine and the Wisconsin State Journal, Fair Indigo's founder, Bill Bass, traveled to the countries where the clothes and toys he sells are made. He then made contracts with companies to pay more than the required minimum wage in those places because, just like in the U.S., minimum wage won't support a family in other parts of the world, either. Some workers get other benefits, too, like on-site medical care.
Kids can make discoveries about science and more
The Discovery Depot Children's Museum at 128 S. Chambers St., Galesburg, Ill. (309) 344-8876 or discoverydepot.org.
Funstuff: There's something for kids of all ages to do. The museum has a play diner, grocery store and barn, and a new vet exhibit. It also has lots of Legos, a playhouse that lets kids learn about home safety, and a post office. Kids can dress up and deliver the mail in mailboxes posted at each exhibit -- and that's not all.
The museum also houses the biggest outdoor playground inGalesburg. If weather is nice, the playground may be open at times throughout the winter. Call ahead to check if you want to visit it before spring.
Good to know: The museum also provides free programs on a monthly basis. Not only is admission to the programs free, but families also get access to the museum's exhibits at no charge.
Programs include Stories Alive, at 10:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. the second Thursday of each month. Kids hear a story and participate in a classroom activity about it. Just for toddlers, Teeter Tots is special event for toddlers and their families, offered from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. the first Thursday of each month. A list of all programs, as well as a virtual tour of the museum, is online at discoverydepot.org.
Good to go: Admission is $4.50 for everyone. On "Thrifty" Thursdays, admission is $2.50 per person. Families with up to six members can get a year's membership for $65, which allows them to visit the museum as often as they like.
Have an idea -- an eco-friendly toy or a great place -- to share with 'for your family?' E-mail it to editor@radishmagazine.com.
