Newest BeginAgain Toys Return to the Earth

FORT COLLINS, Colo., Feb. 7, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- When your baby outgrows her GreenRing toy from BeginAgain, it may end up in a landfill. Even if it does, the toy will soon disappear.

Unlike traditional plastic playthings, BeginAgain's newest eco-toys are 100% compostable. Designed in collaboration with Green Dot Holdings LLC, the toys are made from plants -- a corn starch bio-resin and wood. They decompose and nourish the Earth when children no longer need them. BeginAgain's 2012 products will launch next week at the American International Toy Fair (Javits #5643) in New York.

"This corn starch bio-resin is the most innovative eco-material we've ever had our hands on -- it's the new rubber," says Chris Clemmer of BeginAgain. "It's safe, soft and can be naturally scented. It's even dishwasher safe, yet transforms into compost at the end of its useful life. We also love that Green Dot's bio-resins are made in the USA."

Perfect for teething and building skills, BeginAgain's new GreenRing is made from a 3-inch loop of smooth beech wood encircled by soft, corn starch bio-resin with natural, green apple scent. The dual material design offers tactile play and develops fine motor skills. Available in three colors, the outer ring can be removed and sanitized in the dishwasher (top rack). Recommended for babies 6 months and older, the GreenRing will retail for $10.

Another result of the BeginAgain/Green Dot collaboration, Scented Scoops is an ice cream party playset that smells good enough to eat. The 6"x9" beech wood serving tray holds six, three-inch beech wood "cones." Each cone can be topped with one or more of the six, deliciously scented two-inch "scoops" made from corn starch bio-resin (two vanilla, two chocolate and two mint). Great for role-play, Scented Scoops is recommended for ages 4+ and will retail for $30. Scented Scoops Singles -- one cone and a scoop -- will be sold separately for $5 each.

"We are extremely excited to partner with BeginAgain for the launch of our corn starch bio-resin, GDH-B1, to the children's market," says Mark Remmert, CEO of Green Dot Holdings LLC. "They understand that quality products can be made and disposed of with a lower impact to the environment -- right here in the United States."

Green Dot GDH-B1 was developed by Kansas-based Green Dot Holdings LLC and is made into toys by BeginAgain in Illinois. It molds at a lower temperature than traditional plastic, using much less energy for manufacturing. Products made with Green Dot GDH-B1 degrade within several months in an industrial composting facility and produce no toxic residues. 

New BeginAgain Pop-Up Playbook & Puzzles

The first Pop-Up Playbook in BeginAgain's new series is called "A Day on the Farm." This natural rubber playset springs to life as the beech wood sides of the Playbook are opened. To clean up, kids gather the animals, place the farm in the book, squeeze it closed and snap it shut. The set includes a Playbook (two boards hinged with natural cotton), a soft Pop-Up playscape and six farm animals made from natural rubber. The Pop-Up Playbook will retail for $30 and is recommended for ages 4 and up.

Also new from BeginAgain for 2012 are updated ImagiPLAY animal puzzles and yo-yos made from sustainably harvested rubberwood. The new designs have a fresh, whimsical look and are colored with non-toxic, water-based stains that show off the wood's natural beauty.

"Using recycled plastic is a great first step, but we have to do more to reduce our impact on the Earth," says David Bowen of BeginAgain. "We must fundamentally change the way we make and consume products. Renewable, plant-based materials like bio-resins, sustainably harvested wood, natural rubber and cotton are a big part of the solution."

BeginAgain's new toys will be available in fall 2012 at specialty stores across North America. For more information, visit the BeginAgain workshop at www.beginagaintoys.com.

About BeginAgain

Created by toymakers David Bowen and Chris Clemmer -- two of the co-founders of Sprig Toys -- BeginAgain is focused on thoughtful product design and imaginative storytelling for today's kids. It is our goal to inspire children with stories of invention, adventure, and good old-fashioned fun. BeginAgain toys teach through play and nurture the development of the whole child. The company is based in Fort Collins, Colorado. Explore the BeginAgain workshop online at www.beginagaintoys.com.

About Green Dot Holdings LLC

Green Dot aspires to improve the environment in which we live by building a more sustainable world through renewable bio-based resins and promoting their use through invention, creation and research. Visit us at www.greendotpure.com.

SOURCE BeginAgain