Joobles Organic Cotton Cuddly Toys—Fair Trade Goods From Peru to You
Middleton, WI – Can a baby’s toy make much of a difference in a world of global warming and economic recession? Of course, say the founders of Fair Indigo, a company where gifts have a purpose. Meet Mel the Monkey and Icy the Penguin, two of the Joobles, a new line of incredibly soft knit stuffed characters made for cuddling.
Joobles are precious playmates from Peru where artisans have hand crafted a menagerie of animals under fair trade conditions, providing work and hope to hundreds of rural and urban Peruvians. That’s why their tagline is Responsible, Sustainable, Adorable™.
Each incredibly soft animal is made with eco-friendly dyes and organic cotton grown in Peru. Calley the Cat stands 11″ tall (as all the friends do) with adorable whiskers and a huggable green and yellow body. For parents hunting for eco-friendly toys, all of the Joobles are made with cotton grown without the use of pesticides, insecticides, herbicides, fertilizers, or other chemicals. Eliminating these chemicals is not only better for baby, but also for workers and for the environment.
“Equally important, we pay fair wages to the good people who make our clothes and accessories instead of the minimum wages that are often the norm today,” explains Robert Behnke, Co-founder and President of Fair Indigo.
There are 9 Joobles filled with personality and promise: Bella the Bunny
Buzzy Bug
Calley the Cat
Fair Bear
Icy the Penguin
Jiffy the Giraffe
Mel the Monkey
Mooey Cow
Pip the Dog
Retailing for just $29 each, Joobles can be found online at www.fairindigo.com or at specialty e-tailers like Oompa.com. Visit Fair Indigo’s website to see detailed images of each animal. The colorful characters range from turquoise to celery green.
Where do Joobles come from? Started by a Peruvian family — a mom, a dad, and their daughter — this company provides work and hope to hundreds of rural and urban Peruvians all over the country. Small groups of impoverished workers are trained to run their own small businesses making hand-knit clothing and accessories. In addition to providing much needed employment, they train workers throughout Peru in such valuable skills as quality control and production planning. Fair Indigo also works with this company’s charitable arm by donating free breakfasts and school supplies to children of the workers.
Parents who have shopped for organic toys will appreciate the value of Joobles. Other pricier knit toys not only cost more, but are often made of acrylic yarn and not made under fair trade conditions. Joobles are not only 100% adorable but will improve our planet for the next generation by supporting small sustainable farming and fair trade. Isn’t it amazing how the right toy can make a difference?
