#1 - PET or PETE: polyethylene terephthalate is used in many soft drink, water, and juice bottles. It's easily recycled, and accepted by most curbside municipal programs and just about all plastic recycling centers.

#2 - HDPE: high-density polyethylene is used in milk jugs, detergent and shampoo bottles. It is widely accepted by most curbside municipal programs and recycling centers.

#3 - PVC: Vinyl or polyvinyl chloride is a bad, bad plastic. Soft PVC often contains and can leach toxic phthalates, and can also off-gas chemicals into the air. It's used in some cling wraps (yikes!), many children's toys, fashion accessories, shower curtains, and detergent and spray bottles. To top it off, PVC isn't recyclable, either.

#4 - LDPE: low-density polyethylene is used most in plastic shopping bags, some cling wraps, some baby bottles and reusable drink & food containers. It is recyclable at most recycling centers (and many grocery stores take the shopping bags) but generally not in curbside programs.

#5 - PP: polypropylene can be found in some baby bottles, lots of yogurt and deli takeout containers, and many reusable food and drink containers (you know, the Tupperware- and Rubbermaid-types). It is recyclable in some curbside programs and most recycling centers.

#6 - PS: polystyrene is used in takeout food containers, egg containers, and some plastic cutlery, among other things. It has been found to leach styrene--a neurotoxin and possible human carcinogen--and has been banned in cities like Portland, Ore. and San Francisco. Still, it persists and is not often recyclable in curbside programs, though some recycling centers will take it.

#7 - Everything else, and this is where the waters get a bit murky. First, and perhaps most notably, #7 includes PC, or polycarbonate, which has been making headlines lately because it has been found to leach bisphenol A (BPA), a hormone disruptor that mimics estrogen.

• We offer non-toxic, safe products that undergo strict quality control and are tested by a CPSIA-accredited lab, as well as independent labs, to ensure that they are free of BPA (bisphenol A), phthalates, PVC (polyvinyl chloride) and lead.


• We offer high-quality, long-lasting products that promote sustainability and health, and inherently strive to reduce the millions of tons of waste associated with single-serving packaged foods and plastic bottles. We strive to use recycled materials as much as possible, and many of our products are recyclable.


• We offer products that are responsibly made in China, India and Taiwan in facilities that are working toward green practices, and supportive of our mission to reduce waste. Independent agencies audit the working conditions and environmental impact to ensure that the facilities adhere to fair and safe labor practices and environmental standards. We have made considerable effort to keep production in the U.S., while still making our products affordable to a broad market, but we found it difficult to compete with these countries in both quality and price, especially with high-quality stainless steel. It is a priority for us to manufacture our products locally, so our goal is to move toward U.S. suppliers.


• We actively educate our customers about waste reduction and the impact of environmental toxins. On our website, we share films, books and other resources about the environment and health, and we provide waste-free activity ideas and advice to daycares, preschools, elementary schools and non-profit organizations quite often! We've found that connecting with our customers by sharing information has inspired positive change, and has helped us learn and grow as well.


• We work with an internal team that is supportive of our mission to reduce waste. It's important that we advocate for sustainability, and that we are able to educate our customers based on our own experiences and knowledge. We try to reduce our environmental impact where we can. For example, our photographer's business is completely solar-driven!


• We offer a discount and advice for schools and have done so since our company's inception. After all, school children inspired us to start our business so it's a way for us to reciprocate. In this economic climate, funds are often not available for school programs related to sustainability, so this is a way to bring awareness to students and their families.


• Last year we were fortunate to receive a grant from Eileen Fisher for Woman Entrepreneurs that helped grow our business. We'd like to pay it forward by giving back to an organization that supports our mission, so we're looking for a local cause to support. We'll let you know when we find the right one!