You know that if you teach kids something early on, they will get so used to it by the time they grow up; it will become second nature. I was happy to see my son looking for a recycling bin when he needed to throw away a paper plate at a birthday party. Still, there are many ways to be green with your kids, aside from recycling. So I looked at some “green” products for your kids that are good for them and good for the earth. Since this year is the 40th anniversary of the first Earth Day (on April 22), it’s a great time to start making changes in your life and their lives too. So here’s my Green Guide for Baby. CafeYak.com received no compensation from the companies listed.
Toys
Remixed Celebri-duck
Kids love playing with rubber ducks in the water – a perfect way to extend bath time and the most common toy. Have you ever seen celebri-ducks? A genius idea – rubber ducks with celebrity faces – anything from Charlie Chaplin to Elvis, from Shakespeare to Barack Obama. Kids will certainly have fun with these but adults will enjoy them as fun collectibles. Celebrity rubber ducks were voted one of the top 100 gifts by Entertainment Weekly. This company keeps innovation alive with a new “green duck” made from environmentally friendly recycled (and recyclable) material. “A few years back, I was watching the senate congressional hearings on everything that is wrong with children’s toys and a senator held up a rubber duck that had higher than acceptable levels of lead and phthalates in them. I thought that we could do better and we spent the last year working on this project.”, says Craig Wolfe, president of CelebriDucks. And so the green duck was born. It’s sort of a remixed duck, taking a classic rubber duck and “remixing” it green. It is suitable for children of all ages and meets every safety standard worldwide. Moreover, you can now teach your child about recycling during fun bath time. The company even set up a www.GreenGram.net website where people can send a Green Gram – a gift of the Green rubber duck, a bar of this amazing green natural soap, and a personalized note on recycled paper to anyone in the country. “Our ultimate goal is also to see these Green ducks used by many non-profits as a way to raise funds for their organization”, says Wolfe. Who wouldn’t love a rubber duckie boasting “Green is the new yellow”?
The Earth Friends
Do you like watching your kids play with toys that are free of harmful chemicals, and are instead made of organic and recycled materials? Then try the Earth Friends. I find these truly amazing. Made in the US from organic cotton, hemp and cotton blend, these dolls also wear organic and recycled cotton clothing. And best of all, they can teach your little ones about giving back to the environment. Each Earth Friend comes with a tree planting kit in their backpack. This simple and beautiful idea came from two moms in California who decided to put their love for the earth and style to good use starting the company in 1998. “The Earth Friends help parents around the world have fun and educate their kids about respect for Nature”, says Deborah Kettner. There are nine dolls so far and each one has a fun unique story, including astrological signs. You can find more about the Earth Friends on their website, www.TheEarthFriends.com.
Bathing & Changing
Cheeky Baby Butter
This shea butter baby cream works wonders for baby’s chapped skin. The editor of Southern Living just last year raved about the effectiveness of this cheeky baby butter in clearing her sons eczema. Produced by BABYBEARSHOP Organics, it’s part of their 100% natural, certified organic skin care line for mama and baby. This cream also works well for mom’s stretch marks. The oils, including sunflower, lavender, rose and chamomile make this a wonderful scent too. Buy it here: babybearshop.com
baby face
Check out this line of organic baby/kids bath and grooming products from San Diego Natural Soap Company – lotions, soaps, body washes, shampoos, hair detanglers and even bottom balm (what a great name!). All the products are made of organic and natural ingredients, including lots of oils and botanical extracts. Your little one will quickly get used to treating the world nicely when he is treated so well! Their Lavender Bar Soap is something everyone in your family can enjoy. It includes lavender, coconut, olive, palm kernel and soy oils and smells delicious. In this day and age when there are so many questionable additives in beauty products, it’s refreshing to know that all Babyface products are free of parabens, petrochemicals, phtalate, mineral oil and toxins. Find baby face products here: www.sandiegosoap.com/
Mrs Meyer’s Clean Day
Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Day is an eco-friendly line of home products and now just added a line of baby care products. It was created by Monica Nassif and the name is to honor the old fashioned values and good sense of her mother Thelma Meyer. All the products in the line are earth friendly and gently on the skin. Baby personal care products – a diaper balm, lip & cheek balm, shampoo, lotion and the two newest items an SPF 30 and bubble bath – feature a nice sweet smelling Baby Blossom scent. Celebrities like Ellen DeGeneres, Halle Berry and Marcia Cross love these products and you will definitely enjoy the sweet scents, natural ingredients and cute packaging.
OGbaby Moisture Oil (Fragrance Free) by Trillium Organics
This line of healthy organic bath products was started by Charmaine Leah, an organic esthetician, activist for safe cosmetics and a host of a popular video beauty blog, glamology.com. She is already a great resource of green beauty tips and DIY beauty recipes, plus her products are sold at mintandberry.com – an online eco beauty boutique she started herself. OGBaby Moisture Oil is a nice choice for baby skin, since it includes sunflower oil which is a nice skin barrier and works wonders for the immune system. A much safer alternative to your standard over-the-counter lotion. As with all lotions, this oil works best when applied right after bath, to lock in the moisture. There are a few nice options for baby massage also with chamomile and lavender herbal extracts on mintandberry.com.
The Wee line
This all natural line from Indigo Wild includes products for both body and home. Their baby line found at most retail stores nationwide including Whole Foods, has an array of baby bath products. From a shea butter body lotion and aromatherapy mist to shea butter salve and moisturizing goat’s milk soap. The Wee line is scented with top shelf pure essential oils in Lullaby Lavender which is both gentle and soothing for your baby’s skin. All Wee line products are handmade with 100% toxin free ingredients that you can actually pronounce. You may want to try some of these for yourself! Since it’s 100% pure essential oils with no synthetics, you can be happy with what you are putting on your baby. I think the Wee body lotion is their best with soft aloe vera extract, chamomile, mango butter and a number of other amazing natural ingredients. You can find more information at indigowild.com
Namely Newborn Bath Towels
Namely Newborns have a huge selection of baby products but we were blown away by the amazingly cute organic baby bath towels. The towels are perfectly soft for a baby, yet, unlike most baby bath towels, they are large – your 4-year old might fit too! Made of organic cotton, they are plush like nice hotel towels and double-layered. Who says your baby shouldn’t experience luxury early on? The colors are bright and fun – purple hippos, greens and yellows. Check out this purple hippo towel or more on the site: namelynewborns.com.
Smartipants
In this economy in particular, a one-size fits all reusable diaper is a no-brainer. You can actually save up to $3000 of cash you would have spent on disposables until your baby is potty-trained (I would save even more as my potty-training is stalled). Did you know that the average baby will use about 7,000 diapers until then? So Smartipants sounds like a perfect solution. It’s a reusable cloth diaper with an insert that washes itself out in the laundry. Smartipants comes from a mom of four who had her share of potty training. She had originally invented the world’s first one-size pocket diaper, (Wonderoos) later sold to a British company. She then brought her diaper-making experience to LA helping develop an industry-praised one-size-fits-all reusable diaper – SMARTIPANTS. Making cloth diapering is easy and affordable, as well as environmentally friendly and all production takes place in the US. The shell is waterproof, made of breathable fibers and available in seven colors, the elastic prevents spills and takes heavy usage and frequent laundry. Yet, Smartipants is a super-soft and comfortable diaper, keeping baby’s skin dry and rash-free. This diaper features adjustable snaps vs. Velcro, so they last longer, in fact the company guarantees them for 2 years as your baby grows from newborn to toddler (7-35 lbs.). You can buy Smartipants online here: www.smartipants.com. I think it’s a smart solution. You are only adding two extra loads of laundry a week and saving the earth from the disposable diaper waste and all the plastic and chemicals needed to produce them. So the Smartipants tagline makes perfect sense: “Gentle on your baby, gentle on the planet.” Find out more at their Facebook page.
Knickernappies
Knickernappies cloth diaper was a winner of the 2009 Best Products Award from iParenting Media and is a favorite of many parents. It was created by parents – Heather and Shannon – who discovered cloth diapers when their daughter Camille developed a rash and cloth diapers were their solution. Knickernappies one size diapers fit babies 8 to 40 pounds and go through four adjustments – Small, Medium Short, Medium, and Large. With the purchase of every diaper you get two inserts (made in the US) – either LoopyDo inserts or microfiber inserts. Knickernappies have baby bellies in mind with a scooped tummy panel and topstitching for best fit. The elastic is a gentle Lastin (no red marks on baby’s legs and waist) and it lasts long. All elastic and snaps are guaranteed for two years. Best of all, babies stay dry and comfortable and there is no extra waste from disposable diapers. Check out some cute designs and more about Knickernappies on their site: knickernappies.com.
Clothing
Spunky Stork Onesies and Tees
The Spunky Stork is in a popular category – organic onesies and tees. Each item is hand silk-screened and the messaging is smart and funny – “Whine Connoisseur”, “In case of emergency call 1-800-grandma” and Moody with a moody face of course. You can also find long sleeve items and unique custom products. Spunky Stork also makes the onesie called “Love Planet Earth” that they donate $1 of each sale to the Healthy Child Healthy World Organization. Check out more at: spunkystork.com
Organic Cotton Sleepsack Swaddle
Most Moms I know use HALO sleepsacks ever since the “back to sleep” campaign has started. In case you don’t know, studies show that putting the babies on their back to sleep has dramatically reduced the number of SIDS cases. Of course, they need plenty of tummy time but sleeping on their backs until 12 months, without any objects in the crib, is the healthiest way to sleep for for you baby. Little ones are used to the comfort of the mother’s womb, so swaddling reminds them of this comfort place and helps them drift to sleep. A great new product from HALO is the Sleepsack swaddle – a combination of a sleepsack and a swaddling blanket in one. Baby is tightly wrapped and not woken up by the usual startle reflex. Now this wonderful product is 100% organic cotton, free of dyes, chemicals or preservatives.
First Step Organics – !00% cotton onesies and tees
Not just baby clothes; these are the beginning of a healthier future! Thanks to First Step Organic your baby will be stylish, and their clothes will neither harm them nor the environment. Super cute onesies and tees are all made from 100% organic cotton which eliminates the use of pesticides and other harmful chemicals. Priced at $19.50-$23, this sustainable collection for 0-12 month old babies can be found at www.firststeporganic.com. You can get free shipping on orders over $75. When picking up an outfit for your baby, definitely look for healthier and sustainable 100% organic cotton. With names like Funny Alien, Colorful Hands and Cuddly Bear, these First Step Organics onesies are hard to resist.
UV Skinz
When I first bought a pair of shorts and shirt by UV Skinz at Costco, my son loved the comfort of running in these in the sun and water. I was excited about the extra benefits this kind of clothing provides. UV Skinz makes UV protective swim clothing for kids and adults (6 months to 4XL) which are a great alternative to sunscreen (but still apply sunscreen to non-covered areas). It’s fun and fashionable sun protection at the rate of UPF rating of 50+, which blocks over 98% of the sun’s harmful UVA and UVB rays (whereas most sunscreens don’t even touch the UVA rays). And they are chemical free. The company was started by Rhonda Sparks after her husband lost his battle with skin cancer at the age of 32 (they thought of the idea together). Most people don’t realize that over 1.3 million cases of skin cancer will be diagnosed this year; 1 in 5 Americans. Some cases of child’s sunburn show up later in the adult life. Rhonda wants to help change these statistics by raising awareness about the need for proper sun protection. “It was this experience and being left to raise our three young boys on my own that gave me the determination to help bring products to the market that can help families live sun safe, while never forgetting how important it is to LIVE and HAVE FUN outdoors! We are in our fourth year of business and have seen a steady growth each year.”, she says. You can buy UV Skinz at stores such as Nordstroms, Brookstone, Sharper Image, CWDkids, Costco, and many other smaller boutiques across the nation. You can also find more info at www.uvskinz.com.
Bambeenie
Bambeanie hat is incredibly soft and covers your little one’s head completely. Good for every season, it’s lined in soft and silky bamboo jersey. It can be washed in cold water, line dry. At just $20, it’s a great value for something that will last long. Satsuma Designs in Seattle, Wash, makes a lot of other products, including a very popular Bamboo velour/organic cotton car seat cover. Satsuma Designs supports the work of St. Joseph’s Baby Corner in Seattle where they provide essential care to babies in need and are “changing the world one diaper at a time.”
My Little Pakora
An organic line of baby clothes & accessories, My Little Pakora (www.MyLittlePakora.com) combines Indian influences with organic ideals! From OmBaby onesies and Buddha Baby t-shirt, the line also offers pants, bibs, blankets and hats – for both girls and boys, aged up to 24 months. Featuring unique baby wear, as well as recipes for little ones of all ages, and a resource guide for organic living inspired by South Asian culture, My Little Pakora is truly a one-stop-shop.
thredUP
As a mom, you probably already know how fast babies and kids outgrow their clothes, which is why the swapping parties are so popular these days. A new and smart idea from a company called thredUP is a site for parents to exchange kids clothing online, sort of a Netflix for clothes. It’s a great way to eliminate the waste from the textile industry and keep your home economy afloat at the same time. Face it, most parents don’t recycle the outgrown kids’ clothes and bidding on eBay may get time consuming. Swapping parties are a nice solution, but what if you could make things faster, easier and more controlled? At kids.thredup.com/seed things are much easier. They connect you with thousands of parents nationwide, make clothing matches based on kids ages and brand preferences, facilitate exchanges and monitor quality. There’s no bidding, no auction lots, no rifling through consignment racks, and no trips to the post office. All swaps are done online, with free UPS home pick-up and delivery. You can choose a box of gently used clothes you’d like to receive.  You pay for shipping, you agree to list a box of your own child’s outgrown clothes and the box is sent to you (from another member). Then, you list a virtual box of clothes that your kid no longer wears. When someone picks your box, the UPS picks it up free. thredUP has tools in place to make sure you get a quality exchange.
Green Soul Shoes
GreenSoul Shoes is a top semi-finalist for the Forbes.com’s Boost Your Business business plan competition. Created by Alastair ONg, a former attorney turned entrepreneur, it’s a company with local artisans (in Cambodia, Vietnam, Peru) to create a 100% up-cycled sandal (entirely made out of recycled rubber tires, with no staples, glues or threads) and for each shoe sold, they give one away to a child in need. Their goal is to shoe 1 million children in five years. They have a variety of size from children’s sizes 3 to adults 13. Recycled sandals sell for $45, but thing of the ecological and charitable impact you’ll make! Find out more about this company at: www.greensoulshoes.org.
Knuetes Polartec Recycled Kids Jacket
This smart jacket was created when Saede’s parents realized there was no good Polartec clothing for the little kids, so they designed some that both Saede and her sister Casie both love wearing. The jackets are made using primariily Polartec fabrics that are made from recycled plastic bottles. It’s all locally made – fabric is made in Massachussetts from bottles recycled in the US and production is in Pennsylvania. One of my favorite items for kids are the Knuetes vests made from Polartec 300 Recycled material (water repellent, quick dry, moisture control, breathable), which are at least 89% recycled plastic bottles, that are great for any cool evening and can be worn all year. The dress is fun for little girls too! Booties and blankets are great for the youngest environmentalists. Best of all, these light jackets and vests last long and then can be passed on to many others. Check out more at Knuetes for Kids.
Sunny Sleeves
Another idea for sun prevention without sunscreen is Sunny Sleevez. Sunny Sleevez are lightweight fabric sleeves that provide instant, chemical-free 50SPF sun protection that you never have to reapply. They were originally created for babies with sensitive skins who had a reaction to sunscreen but became popular with parents of older kids too. Kids enjoy the fun designs (flames, giraffes, butterflies, farm animals), parents love the chemical free approach to sun protection. They are available in 6 sizes and can be machine washed. See more at: sunnysleevez.com.
Furniture and Bedding
Natural Mat
Organic bedding is all the rage now. Organic mattresses are great for your kids immune system. Organic bedding from Natural mat includes pure organic sheets and breathable mattress protectors. These products are all handmade by Natural Mat in the heart of the Westcountry in Devon, England. They make the sheets from luxurious soft flannelette and crisp cotton percale. They are machine washable and dryable and will provide years of service. The organic cotton crib sheets are made from crisp 100% cotton percale. They’re 100% organic, naturally fire retardant and 100% renewable. And they are super-cozy. They offer a few choices made from coir (a good breathable choice), latex (ideal for those with allergies) or mohair (their most luxurious offering), depending on your budget and your needs. Mattresses use no chemicals, no plastics, no PVC. Find more information on their site: naturalmatusa.com.
Amenity Organic Bedding
I absolutely adore the fresh, clean and kid-happy designs from Amenity Home dedicated to Modern organic living. This green living company offers a wide array of eco-friendly products and gifts for thoughtful modern living, including sustainable furniture, organic bedding, and organic children’s bedding, pillows and blankets, as well as wall art. Amenity Home is dedicated to the never-ending process of maintaining its harmony with the environment. The company was founded in 2004 by two mothers, Kristina and Nicole, who wanted to bring peaceful tranquility into their urban homes. You can feel their dedication in this line of organic products for the home. The kids designs are incredibly cute and you can design a perfectly earthy room (in every sense) with one strike. More at: amenityhome.com.
Spot On Square
If you are one hip mama, you will definitely appreciate the stylish and eco-friendly products from Spot On Square (www.spotonsquare.com/. There are three main collections – Roh, Eicho and Hiya, each unique yet all streamlined with organic materials and non-toxic finishes – bamboo, formaldehyde free birch and 100% recycled MDF. It’s beautiful design that is sustainable and pure. We are talking about simple lines and organic look. The Roh collection with its walnut styling elevates nursery furniture to a new level. The recyclable clear acrylic makes it a nicely open view for the baby. The Hiya shelving and rockers and fun and stylish. And the whimsical shapes in the birch and bamboo wall decor are adorable. A beautiful line of products!
Food & Eating
Bella Baby Foods
There are lots of organic foods on the market (and we profile Jack’s Harvest in another article). Bella Baby Foods is another wonderful organic frozen baby food company. Their foods can be served to infants as soon as they start solids by simply defrosting the 1.5 ounce packages under running water or bringing with you in the diaper bag. Toddlers will also enjoy the frozen Popsicle treats. Bella Baby Foods’ organic, frozen baby food is ideal for today’s busy families. It is the perfect food for an infant starting solids as well as serving as a delicious frozen Popsicle treat for a toddler! Bella Baby Foods uses organic fruits and vegetables that are independently pureed and then flash-frozen to lock in freshness, retain natural flavors, and capture vivid colors. The flash-freezing process prevents freezer burn and freezer odor. The baby foods do not contain salt, sugar, or artificial flavoring. The non-GMO foods are also wheat, gluten, and BPA free. Bella Baby Foods makes it easier for parents to recognize and clear infants of food allergies as it is 100% natural and the 1.5 ounce packets contain only pure ingredients. There are simple flavors, like banana and peach, and they are mix and match packets – try Pumpkin, Spinach and Apple, it’s yummy!. Buy these at: bellababyfoods.com.
So Easy Baby Food Kit
Making your own baby food can seem like a challenge. Not anymore with the So Easy Baby Food Kit. This all-in-one kit shows you how to prepare fresh, natural meals for your baby in less than 30 minutes a week. Since you know fresh is best for your baby, why not give it a try? This award-winning kit includes everything you need to get started – a cookbook, how-to video, freezer storage trays, and nutrition tips card; just add the fresh ingredients! The cookbook covers introducing solid food, includes over 40 recipes, hundreds of serving suggestions, and is all organized by age. There are 2 freezer trays and 2 lids, spill-proof and dishwasher safe. The how-to DVD offers step-by-step instruction – from selecting the right produce – to making baby food – to serving it. And you will learn more about nutrition from the included nutrition tip cards. The So Easy Baby Food Kit is recommended by pediatricians at PediatricPlanet.com. Parents say that when they use the So Easy system of making baby food that they feel great about what they are doing for their growing baby. Your baby will look forward to their meals too and you’ll enjoy yummy smiles from your baby right from the start.
Hygeia Breast Pump
Breast pump is one of the best accessories when you are learning to breastfeed or trying to increase your milk supply. And while you can buy a used breast pump online and get fresh supplies, nothing beats this new invention – Hygeia, a professional grade electric breast pump that has received FDA clearance to be used by multiple users. So you can now pass it to a friend, sell it or return to Hygeia for recycling and reuse. It’s getting popularity too with virtually 2 million breast pumps purchased last year. Each mom must still have her own Personal Accessory Set (PAS). This invention is great for the environment – in addition to no clogging up the landfills, this pump is also made from recyclable materials and is sustainable. The pumps also comes with a reusable lithium ion battery that is rechargeable and lasts up to four hours. Another interesting invention is a unique CARE button that allows mom to record and play back her baby’s sounds, which is great for milk let down, as are baby’s pictures. Hygeia offers one of the longest warranties in the industry – 3 years. Learn more about this “green” breast pump here: hygeiababy.com.
Home Free Cookies and cakes
Some 12 million Americans have food allergies and 3 million of them are children under 18. When I learned my son was allergic to peanuts, I quickly realized how hard it is to find products that don’t have peanut ingredients or are processed in a peanut facility. This is why we donate 50% of all purchases made at the CafeYak.com Shop to the Food Allergy Institute doing research on food allergies. So when I learned about Home Free Cookies and cakes I was really excited. These are organic cookies made from whole grain and free of common food allergens including peanuts, tree nuts, dairy and eggs. They also taste great, which is often a challenge for food allergy products. They were created by Jill Robbins, a clinical psychologist and author of Allergen Free Baking. She turned to baking when her son was diagnosed with severe food allergies. Jill’s goal was to create delicious, wholesome treats that her son, and everyone with or without food allergies, can enjoy. Today, her company makes a variety of cookies and coffee cakes in a dedicated baking facility, where it conducts allergen testing on ingredients and random product batches to ensure that each product is free of common food allergens. You can buy HomeFree cookies at the company’s website: homefreetreats.com or find a store location near you including Whole Foods.
Lunchbots
LunchBots are stainless steel lunch and snack containers that are healthier than plastic and better for the environment. The company makes them in a variety of sizes and bright fun colors. Some have nice dividers, in a sort of a bento-style. Cheerios and Carrots, Pretzels and Cheese – whatever your snack of choice, it fits nicely and is easy to pack in the diaper bag. You can always carry your lunch in it too – a nice way to pack a plastic-free and waste-free lunch. All containers are dishwasher safe. You can find a lunchbot here: www.lunchbots.com. Since many school-age kids will enjoy these fun containers, the site offers a special school fundraiser – parents buy lunchbots are regular price and school gets a discount, the difference goes towards any selected school needs.
CuteSip
Stainless steel bottles are definitely a must have over the plastic ones and summer time is right around the corner, so you will always be sporting a water bottle and so will your kids. There are many on the market but most have paint that peels quickly. Enter CuteSip – the ONLY painted stainless steel bottle that is dishwasher safe. They also uniquely offer adaptors for babies (silicon nipple) and toddlers in the spill-proof sippy adaptor to the stainless steel bottle. There are fun designs for both mom and baby. This smart product was invented by Ghazaleh Coulter who loved the longevity and convenience of a stanless steel bottle but needed a healthy solution for her toddlers. So she developed the CuteSip bottles and sippy cups that weigh less than 5 ounces and are contoured for little hands. Stainless steel is naturally free of harmfum toxins and beverages stay cooler longer. Unlike other stainless steel bottles, these have lead-free paint that is not toxic and won’t wash off after a few cycles. If you haven’t switched to stainless steel, you definitely should, and of all the options out there CuteSip has huge advantages. Who knows better than a mother? This mom of two (soon to be three) certainly does. For more information and to purchase CuteSip, visit www.CuteSip.com.
ReUsies Sandwich bags
Do you always put your sandwiches in a paper bag or do you wrap them in plastic or place in a plastic bag? How much non-recyclable waste does it add up to? Something to think about as we moms always have food with us. ReUsies is a great solution for you then – it’s a line of reusable snack and sandwich bags. They eliminate the plastic bags and are not bulky, so it’s easy to carry with you to soccer games or place in lunch boxes. ReUsies are 100% cotton lined with leak resistant nylon free of lead, phtalate and BPA. And they are super stylish with cute patterns that kids and adults love. Find out more on their website: www.ReUsies.com.
Dandelion ReUsables
Plastic was once the staple in most baby products. Not anymore now that we know about its effects on the environment and our health. One alternative is environmentally-safe “bioplastics”. Dandelion Earth-Friendly Goods, is at the forefront of this revolution with its new line of ReUsable children’s tableware made from corn-based bioplastic (PLA) that is affordable, safe and eco-friendly. We particularly like their ReUsables (plates, bowls, utensils), but they also make toys, diaper bags, rattles and teethers. Find out more at dandelionforbaby.com.
