EverEarth
A Sustainable Partner
Who They Are
EverEarth, a subset of Maxim Enterprises, is a family owned wooden toy manufacturer that’s been producing high quality and earth friendly wooden toys since 1973. They envision a world where children and parents know more about the environment they live in, and see sustainable design as the future of business. From classic wooden rockers and pretend kitchens, to toy vehicles, dollhouses, and more, they embody the fusion of sustainable design and traditional toys.
As a company, they’re committed to preserving our forests, from their Plant-A-Tree initiative, to purchasing one of the first company owned FSC-Certified forests in China. The Plant-A-Tree campaign enables kids and parents to participate in forest renewal by having a personal tree planted in the EverEarth FSC-Certified forest for each toy purchased.
The EverEarth team works to further develop their sustainability practices every day. To achieve this goal, they use recyclable packaging, environmentally sustainable shipping practices, renewable solar energy, and toxin-free dyes. They strive to give back and take less from the planet by recycling whenever possible, repurposing waste products like sawdust, and much more.
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Why We Like Them
EverEarth’s goal is to create a world that promotes a safe, healthy, and imaginative environment for children everywhere. Their traditional wooden toys are designed to be passed down from generation to generation, spreading the gift of learning through play. EverEarth not only uses FSC-Certified wood, but owns an FSC Forest, and uses renewable bamboo and beechwood for all their products. All paints and stains are water based, making it a safer and cleaner product than those made with oil based paints.
Solar energy is used for all EverEarth water heating, cutting out 1653 tons of carbon dioxide emissions over the course of 10 years. They utilize natural lighting as much as possible with ceiling windows in all of their factories. Near machines where light is needed, they employ energy efficient bulbs to keep costs low but productivity high.
EverEarth is a huge proponent of “reduce, reuse, recycle”, making recycling a key initiative in their factories, offices, and even after their products leave the store with you. Their facilities recycle glass, paper, aluminum, plastic, and batteries, keeping tons from the waste stream. They make packaging with recycled materials, which can then be recycled again. EverEarth factories consistently look for uses for materials commonly seen as waste, like the sawdust made from toy production. Rather than throw the sawdust away, they use it to power factory humidifiers, and sell the rest as fertilizer to local mushroom farms.
Not only is EverEarth here to bring sustainable fun to children everywhere, but they also want to make a global impact through their Plant-A-Tree Campaign. They have been lobbying to preserve our forests for years, and are one of the first companies to own their own forest in central China, covering an area of 8,000 hectares.
Through partnerships with local villages, they increase employment opportunities and access to improved income, as well as provide a safe and fair workplace for their workers. They also own multiple organic farms, and provide healthy organic food for their workers.
Sustainable Manufacturing
Safe and Fair Labor
Plants a Tree
FSC Certified Wood
Bamboo
Low Impact Dyes
Some or all of the energy used to make this product is produced via renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, or hydropower.
We support safe and fair labor practices when producing sustainable products. This company cares for their workers by fostering a safe work environment and providing their employees with fair wage.
The company that makes this product has a program to plant trees in proportion with their sales. Planting trees helps to combat deforestation, reduce atmospheric CO2, and preserve the health of ecosystems across the globe.
Products with the Forest Stewardship Council certification are made from or with wood sourced from FSC managed forests. FSC standards ensure the respect and wellbeing of indegneous peoples, forest workers, and local communities. Harvesting in certified forests maintains the ecological functions of each habitat. FSC prohibits the use of pesticides, GMOs, and the conversion of forests to plantations. As a third party, not-for-profit agency, FSC provides nonbiased audits of forest management.
As a member of the grass family, bamboo is one of the fastest growing plants on earth. It requires no irrigation, pesticides or fertilizers to grow, and can be harvested within 3-5 years, as compared to approximately 30+ years for traditional hardwoods. Bamboo is extremely adaptable and produces more oxygen per acre than large tree species, while using a fraction of the water to grow. Its durable and lightweight qualities make bamboo a great alternative for hard wood products!
Companies can adopt multiple practices to dye their textiles and products in a more environmentally safe way. Low impact dyes usually do not contain toxins such as heavy metals, plasticizers, fluorocarbons, and formaldehyde. Sustainable dyes can also be water or plant based, or use less water than conventional dyeing methods.
