6 Environmentally Friendly Products for Children
The transition to parenthood makes many people question their consumer choices and begin to seek to minimise their impact on the environment. After all no one has invested more interest in the future of the world than the parents of a new-born!
In general, the more that you can re-use items that you already own, the more ecologically friendly you will be! You should always keep in mind the mantra ‘Reduce, Re-use and Re-Cycle!’
If you have to buy new items, look for ones that are likely to last and could act as hand-me-downs. For other items that you have to buy you should keep in mind their environmental impact and the amount of packaging that they have.
For those interested in being eco-friendly we have found some of the best products on sale now for your baby!
- Eco Nappies
Nearly 3 billion nappies are thrown away every year in the UK and about 90% end up in landfill sites where they decompose very slowly. Many parents choose to buy eco-friendly nappies which are made with plant-based plastics. These nappies are non-petroleum based and are compostable and although they have been found not to break down under landfill conditions, there are other options to compost them. One of our favourites are the Beaming Baby Bio-Degradable Nappies. Over 77% bio-degradable, including the packaging, these nappies are 53% more biodegradable than standard disposable nappies making them the most biodegradable disposable nappy currently available in the UK. With 54% less chemicals than standard disposable nappies, they are perfect for babies with eczema or sensitive skin.
- Re-useable nappies
Some parents choose to go the extra mile and buy washable nappies. These have many advantages including that they are likely to be much cheaper than disposables and much kinder to the environment as your baby will use approximately 6,000 nappies before toilet training and disposable nappies take 200-500 years to decompose. One of our favourites are the Bambino Mio Miosoft Reusable nappies. They use super absorbent fabrics rather than chemical gels found in disposable nappies and are one size which means they'll fit from birth to potty training.
- Baby wipes
The amount of baby wipes that you will throw away over the next few years doesn’t bear thinking about so why not make a conscious effort to choose eco-friendlier wipes. Some of the best we have found include Earth Friendly Baby Eco Baby Wipes which are 100% biodegradable and are free from any nasties like SLS or Parabens. Or alternatively Natracare Baby Wipes are soft and strong, certified organic and 100% cotton infused with camomile, apricot and sweet almond oils as well as natural plant extracts.
- Bath time
There is also a range of products out there to make your bath time as eco-friendly as possible. Beaming Baby’s Certified Organic Baby Care Shampoo & Bodywash is an award-winning kind to sensitive skin wash. Moreover, it has a 100% recycled plastic bottle that can be recycled yet again and 10% of Beaming Baby’s profits go to charity!
- Nappy Cream
Another award-winning product Weleda’s Nappy Change Cream is completely natural and naturally protects and cares for delicate skin in your baby's nappy area. It can be bought from Boots and boasts a 5-star rating on their website. Weleda is committed to protecting and respecting our environment and its biodiversity, by treating and remunerating employees and communities fairly. So not only are you buying a fantastic product, you are also assisting in protecting our environment for future generations.
- Baby food
Over 20% of baby food sold in the UK is now organic meaning that there are many brands available to you and your child including Baby Organix which offer a range of organic baby food using ingredients that you would find in your own kitchen without any processed sugars, salt, thickeners, processing aids and unnecessary fillers.
What are your favourite eco-friendly products? Let us know!