As a parent it’s very overwhelming walking through the aisles of a store with all the choices for baby products. Our new myStonyfield Rewards partner’s mission is to help parents navigate their way through all the information, products and trends in order to make sound decisions about the care of their family. i play. and green sprouts were started by a mother of two, whose values prioritize protecting her children and the earth. She believes children grow and learn by playing, so their products encourage healthy and safe development through play.
i play. and green sprouts are a full line of natural products including clothing, feeding, toys, and baby care items. All their products are BPA and PVC free and conform to all US health and safety standards. They know you want the best for your baby. That is why they make baby-friendly products for your little one to grow up healthy and happy.
We asked Becky Cannon, founder and president, to tell us more about the company she started 30 years ago.
How did your company get started?
I have a background in early childhood education and Eastern cooking and philosophy. After college, I lived and taught in Japan and had my first daughter, Emi, there. Back in the States, I had my second daughter, Mari, and wanted the baby products I’d discovered and used in Japan. I started a mail-order company out of my home in Asheville, making and selling cloth diaper covers from a spare room in my home, and it’s grown and expanded from there! Today, we have two brands—i play. swimwear and apparel, and green sprouts feeding products, toys, and baby care. This year we’re celebrating our 30th year in business and we recently opened a retail shop in North Asheville.
What is your company’s mission/philosophy?
At i play. Inc., our mission has always been to protect our children and the Earth. In a nutshell, our company is built on my parenting values: we make baby products with a natural focus, and design our products to be safe and healthy. Children learn though playing, so we create clothing and other products that help them explore and learn from the world in a safe, supportive way. We also believe that “green,” natural products should be available to a wide range of consumers. Our i play. and green sprouts products have innovative designs and features and we make sure that they’re affordable and accessible, too.
Why are you excited about being a partner in the rewards program?
It’s always exciting to partner with a company that shares similar values and Stonyfield is no exception! Health and safety are our #1 priority—for babies and the planet—and we’re delighted to partner with a company that feels exactly the same way.
Tell us about 1 thing your company is working on right now that you are really excited about.
I’m working on a book to be published next summer, called grow healthy. grow happy. It’s a guide for parents to nurture their babies with nature, focusing on the first three years of their baby’s life. It covers the fundamentals of raising a whole baby with regard to natural wellness, discovery and play, heart and spirit, and has a lot of information on the best first foods for your baby. There’s a Whole Cooking section with over 50 healthy baby food recipes, and a whole living section to help parents make informed choices when it comes to the products on the market, paying special attention to the ingredients and materials to help them make safe choices.
What is your favorite Stonyfield product?
I’m a big believer in probiotics and think it’s great that Stonyfield’s YoBaby contains several live active probiotic cultures.
