Sustainability: Designed Without Waste
Our promise
COI Play started with a simple promise: everyone can be an artist — with toys designed without waste. That runs through everything — the paper we print on, the paint we mix, the basket it ships in, and the keepsake you're left with.
Paper that respects forests
FSC® Mix–certified (FSC® C157025)
We print on FSC® Mix–certified paper — paper from responsible sources. FSC forests are responsibly managed and kept regenerating, so harvesting never means net loss of forest over time.
Real watercolor, real ingredients
Bound with natural plant gums, not synthetic acrylic
Many kids' watercolors are bound with synthetic acrylic. Ours use natural plant gums instead — peach tree resin, used in watercolor for over 1,500 years, and gum arabic, the classic natural watercolor binder. Every color conforms to ASTM D-4236 and is LHAMA-compliant. See how the paint-on-paper works →
Hand-woven, not mass-made
Baskets from a women-led cooperative
Our Art Party Deluxe sets ship in baskets hand-woven by women from minority villages around Yulin — a women-led cooperative using bamboo and rattan techniques passed down for generations. We work with them directly, and each basket is made to be reused as storage or a tote, so the packaging never goes to waste.
Designed without waste
Compact by design
Our kits are compact on purpose — less packaging, less air shipped, less waste. We skip the over-packaging, and many of the tools and materials are made to be reused, not thrown away.
Made to keep, not toss
Real watercolor = a permanent keepsake
Unlike paint-with-water or reveal kits that fade and get tossed, COI uses real watercolor that stays. One box lasts a long time, the art is a keepsake, and the brushes and tools carry on to the next project. Compare COI vs paint-with-water & reveal kits →
Safe for kids, made for everyone
Non-toxic · ages 6–99 · screen-free
Non-toxic, safe-ingredient watercolor, sized for ages 6 to 99 — a calm, screen-free way to make something real. COI Play is also an ASPCA Business Ambassador.
Sustainability FAQ
Are COI Play kits eco-friendly?
Yes — they're sustainably designed: FSC® Mix–certified paper, non-toxic safe-ingredient watercolor, compact low-waste packaging, hand-woven reusable gift baskets, and real watercolor that's made to keep rather than thrown away.
What is the paper, and is it FSC-certified?
It's FSC® Mix–certified paper (FSC® C157025) — paper from responsible sources, from forests that are responsibly managed and kept regenerating, with no net loss of forest over time.
What is the watercolor made of?
It's bound with natural plant gums, not synthetic acrylic — peach tree resin (used in watercolor for over 1,500 years) and gum arabic, the classic watercolor binder — with mineral pigments. Every color conforms to ASTM D-4236 and is LHAMA-compliant.
Is the watercolor non-toxic and safe?
Yes — COI uses non-toxic, safe-ingredient watercolor that conforms to ASTM D-4236 and is LHAMA-compliant, designed for ages 6 to 99.
Every sustainability claim here is one we can stand behind — FSC® Mix paper, natural-gum-bound watercolor tested to ASTM D-4236, hand-woven reusable baskets, and low-waste design.
Shop the watercolor kits