Yorkshire-based retailer, Soren’s House, is sending a stark warning to parents ahead of Black Friday as sales for the season’s must-have plastic gifts soar in popularity leading to a rise in the culture of ‘toxic toys’.
Soren’s House specialises in sustainable and eco-friendly toys, clothes and décor for children. The business, which was founded in 2016, has recently received a sizeable investment of £80k from Finance Yorkshire to expand its visibility and promote the importance of natural, organic, and eco-friendly children’s products.
The company’s ethos to provide only the best quality children’s products stems from Founders, Sally and Max’s personal journey following their son’s diagnosis of Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma at the age of six. This life-changing event for the family inspired the couple to focus on natural materials and sustainability. It also spurred an obsession with researching the harmful chemicals found in everyday objects – including toys.
Sally Jackson, Founder at Soren’s House, commented:
“Our business is deeply influenced by our children. Seth’s battle with cancer inspired our commitment to exclusively stock natural, organic, and eco-friendly products. I constantly question whether I would use a product for my own children; if the answer is no, we won’t sell it.”
“Following Seth’s cancer diagnosis and his journey to recovery, our concerns about toxins and hidden chemicals in food, toiletries, and children’s toys heightened. Unfortunately, the majority of plastic toys lack labels indicating the presence of harmful chemicals, leaving parents uncertain about their safety. This frustration fuelled the vision for Soren’s House – a one-stop shop for environmentally-conscious parents seeking sustainability.”
The most popular gifts targeted at children are often made from plastics that contain chemical additives to give them desired properties, such as hardness or elasticity. However, many of these chemicals pose potential health risks to children, especially babies and young children. The full impact of plastic chemicals is still being studied, but there is evidence that they can be linked to cancer and infertility. Therefore, it is important for parents to be aware of the potential risks associated with plastic toys and to take steps to protect their children.
As Black Friday approaches, Sally Jackson is urging families to avoid purchasing potentially toxic plastic toys:
“I understand that for young children, a big pile of presents is exciting on Christmas Day, but I firmly believe in prioritising quality over quantity. I’ve been guilty of adding last-minute toys to increase the size of the present pile in the past but statistics show a concerning reality: 80% of toys eventually end up in landfills, incinerators, or the ocean, and a staggering 90% are made of plastic, with an average usage span of just six months!”
While families will inevitably end up with some plastic toys under the tree this Christmas, Soren’s House urges families to minimise the risks to children and the planet by investing in higher-quality, non-toxic toys, wherever possible.
