It's true that Toy Fair was a bit lackluster this year--with the pall of the economy hanging over the convention, the smaller exhibitors downstairs had a decidedly more desperate vibe than last year--but there were still a few notables, mostly in the categories of vehicle design and eco-consciousness.

HaPe International is a company sticking to their green guns. Their bamboo E-Racer Vehicles are more difficult to produce than wood toys, as bamboo presents challenges in sawing, filing, dyeing, and bending, but after putting years into studying how to design for bamboo and get the production methods down, the company is proud to roll the line out.

Sprig Toys' vehicles and characters all smell like fresh wood, but they're actually made from recycled wood and even plastic, adhered together with special glue made from sawdust. And there's no batteries required to power the toys' on-board lights; kinetic energy provides all the juice needed.