Why We Choose LFGB for Babies, But FDA-Grade Silicone for Older Kids
If you’ve spent any time researching baby products, you’ve probably come across the terms FDA silicone and LFGB silicone.
At first glance, they can seem interchangeable. Both are considered food-safe. Both are widely used around the world. So why do we insist on LFGB silicone for our baby products, while we’re comfortable using FDA-grade silicone in some products designed for older children?
The answer comes down to one simple question:
How does a baby actually use their tableware?
Babies don’t just eat with their utensils, they explore them.
If you’ve ever watched a baby at mealtime, you’ll know that very little stays on the plate.
Spoons become teethers.
Straws become chew toys.
Bowls get flipped upside down.
Everything gets sucked, chewed, bitten and explored.
Babies spend long periods with silicone sitting in their mouths, often before they’ve even taken a bite of food. Their developing bodies are also more vulnerable than those of older children and adults.
Because of that, we wanted to choose the highest standard of silicone that was realistically available.
What makes LFGB different?
FDA-grade silicone meets food-contact requirements and is widely accepted as safe for everyday use.
LFGB also meets food-contact requirements, but the testing is generally more demanding.
LFGB certification includes stricter migration limits under challenging conditions, helping ensure the silicone performs well when exposed to heat, repeated washing and acidic foods. It also has sensory testing requirements, meaning it must not transfer noticeable taste or odour.
Many LFGB silicone products are also platinum-cured, which can result in a higher-purity finished material, although curing methods can vary between manufacturers.
For us, LFGB simply provides an additional level of confidence for products that babies spend so much time chewing.
Does that mean FDA silicone isn’t safe?
Not at all.
FDA-grade silicone is used in countless kitchen products, bakeware, lunchboxes and children’s products around the world.
We would never suggest that FDA-grade silicone is unsafe.
The difference is that our standard isn’t simply “safe enough.”
When we have the option to choose a material that is generally held to a more rigorous testing standard for products designed specifically for babies, that’s the option we prefer.
Why don’t we use LFGB on everything?
As children grow, the way they use products changes.
A six-year-old is much less likely to spend twenty minutes chewing the end of a spoon or using a straw as a teether.
Older children typically use their tableware for eating rather than oral exploration.
Because of that, we believe FDA-grade silicone is an appropriate choice for many products designed for older kids.
Using FDA-grade silicone in those products also helps keep them more affordable without compromising what we consider to be an appropriate level of safety for their intended age group.
It’s about using the right material for the right stage.
Every design decision we make starts with one question:
Who is this product for?
If it’s made for babies who are likely to mouth, chew and teeth on it every single day, we’ll continue choosing LFGB silicone wherever possible.
If it’s designed for older children whose interaction with silicone is much more limited, we’re comfortable using high-quality FDA-grade silicone that meets recognised food-contact standards.
Our philosophy
We don’t believe parents should have to choose between safety and affordability.
We also don’t believe every product needs the most expensive material available simply because it exists.
Instead, we choose materials based on how children actually use them.
That means investing where it matters most.
For babies, that means LFGB silicone.
For older kids, FDA-grade silicone can be an entirely appropriate choice.
good product design isn’t about using the most expensive option, it’s about making thoughtful decisions for the people who will use it.