The Oeuf Sparrow Crib is the one I’ve used for my family and my top pick for a sustainable crib. Here’s why.
Oeuf Sparrow Crib
Highlights: Our top choice for an eco-friendly, non-toxic crib that can convert to a toddler bed. Easy assembly, durable, and sustainable.
Table of Contents
Product Highlights
- Sustainably made high-quality crib with potential for conversion to toddler bed
- Made in Europe in an eco-friendly FSC certified facility by a family-run company
- Made with FSC certified solid birch and FSC certified Baltic Birch plywood
- Oeuf uses only non-toxic finishes and glues
| Country of Origin: | Made in Latvia, designed in the U.S. |
| Materials: | Birch and Baltic Birch plywood |
| Certifications: | FSC certified, Greenguard Gold |
The crib is often the most expensive item in any nursery, so I was very happy to spot an incredibly discounted secondhand Oeuf Sparrow Crib on my local marketplace. As one of my top picks for a sustainable crib, and at a fraction of the cost new, you bet I jumped on it!
Reusing a product that already exists is almost always the greenest choice. That said, take care to only buy a secondhand crib in good condition without any safety recalls or missing hardware. If the original instructions are missing, check the company’s website or contact them directly for assistance. This is what I ended up doing, and Oeuf offered excellent customer service.
See also: The best non-toxic cribs
What I like about the Oeuf Sparrow Crib
On a totally subjective note, I love the look of the Sparrow Crib. It has a simple, clean design with slim side rails and spindles that work with either a modern or traditional nursery aesthetic. And because it’s straightforward, there are no fussy bits liable to break off, making it more durable than most cribs.
The Sparrow feels very robust and you can convert it into a toddler bed with a conversion kit. The crib is Greenguard Gold certified and is made in an eco-friendly factory using FSC certified solid birch and Baltic Birch plywood without toxic glues or finishes.
The Oeuf Sparrow Crib is available in Birch, White, and Walnut. I got one in Birch and despite already being used for two babies, it only had a few minor scuffs. The crib clearly held up well to toddler teeth as well as being moved and reassembled.
The Sparrow offers three mattress positions in the U.S., Canada, and Europe (two in Australia). This means you can use the crib from day one of your baby’s life and then get the toddler conversion kit (view here) for extended use.
As a shorter person (I’m 5’6”), I love that the crib has a low overall height. This means I’m not struggling to reach in to pick up or put down a wriggly or sleepy baby. The crib also has a small overall footprint, with no splayed feet to trip over and no sleigh top taking up space. The crib measures 36 inches high, 19.5 inches deep, and 54 inches wide. It fits a standard crib mattress measuring 28 x 52 inches and 4-6 inches deep.
Putting the crib together
The Sparrow is very well made and easy to put together. That’s assuming you have the right instructions and the right hardware, though! This was the biggest issue I encountered with the crib, having purchased an older version of the current design, with some parts already assembled. This meant that the hardware I had in hand didn’t match the instructions online.
Compounding the issue, the hardware I had diligently bagged and taped to the crib for safekeeping had been rehomed in a frenzied pre-baby basement reorganization. For a while, I thought the hardware lost, which was rather distressing! Fortunately, after scrutinizing every unlabeled bag of miscellaneous screws and bolts in our house, I found some that looked… kind of right? With nothing to lose, I decided to try to assemble the crib and, voila, it only took about half an hour to figure it out and get the thing up safe and secure. Whew!
If you get the crib new, assembly might take a little longer as you’ll have to put the sides together first. Be aware too that you have to assemble this crib upside down and then flip it over. This means an extra pair of hands will be useful at some point during assembly. Extra hands also make it easier to slot in the mattress base once the crib is in position. That said, I’ve now moved the mattress base down twice, to its lowest level, and found it quite easy to do by myself.
I should also note that I was missing the plugs for the additional mattress base holes. These aren’t essential while the base is set at the top level, but are a good idea later, when you lower the base. I contacted Oeuf to ask for replacement parts and they were happy to ship these to me. Shipping to Canada was stupidly expensive, but if you’re in the U.S. or close to an Oeuf approved retailer, you’d be able to get replacement parts much more easily.
Sustainability credentials
The Oeuf Sparrow Crib is Greenguard Gold certified and made of FSC solid birch and FSC Baltic Birch plywood. Oeuf manufactures its products in an FSC certified facility in Latvia under strict European environmental standards. The socially responsible FSC facility has state-of-the-art dust collection to protect workers and the environment. The facility recycles waste through licensed facilities and reprocesses wood waste at the factory into briquettes, which are then used to heat the factory.
Oeuf uses exclusively non-toxic, water-based finishes that are free of VOC health hazards. The engineered eco-MDF panels are also made from FSC certified wood fibers. The company also uses GOTS certified organic cotton and sustainably sourced wool for other products.
Oeuf packages its products using recycled cardboard.
The downsides
Aside from the cost when bought new, there are really very few downsides to the Sparrow Crib from Oeuf. The first thing that came to my mind was just that those spindle sides make for an excellent horizontal climbing frame for a baby figuring out how to crawl in the middle of the night. Seriously. Then again, this would be an issue with most cribs and isn’t exclusive to the Sparrow.
Aside from that, the only real downside is that the crib isn’t entirely made of solid wood sourced in the U.S. or Canada. Baltic Birch plywood is still FSC certified though and very safe, and the MDF mattress board is very sturdy and made with non-toxic glues.
Final thoughts on the Oeuf Sparrow Crib
I love our Oeuf Sparrow Crib. It’s simple, sturdy, and looks great. It’s also reassuring to know that my baby isn’t sleeping somewhere that is off-gassing nasty chemicals and won’t be chewing on rails coated with potentially harmful paints, stains, or varnish.
When the time comes, I’ll be on the lookout for a secondhand Sparrow Toddler Bed Conversion Kit. Failing that, I’ll likely buy one new, as I’m confident this crib will still have many years of good use in it yet.
Oeuf Sparrow Crib [Staff tested]
Highlights: Our top choice for an eco-friendly, non-toxic crib that can convert to a toddler bed. Easy assembly, durable, and sustainable.