Growing Up Green
Bessie Nestoras -- Gifts and Dec, 9/15/2010 4:56:31 AM
When it comes to green and organic products for baby and kids, it’s all about the safety of the child first.
Green products are quickly becoming a part of the mainstream as more and more people are concerned about the environment. But green baby products are not only environmentally friendly, they're considered safer for the children. And that is a primary concern for parents.
"I THINK ORGANICS BENEFIT the baby. When I go to trade shows, I have people tell me their baby sleeps better because they sleep in our clothes. If someone has a healthy baby, you may not see the benefits, but you do see it in a child with eczema or allergies. It makes me believe that organic cotton helps the children," says Shivani Gupta, CEO, Sama Baby. Sama Baby creates a line of baby clothes made from 100 percent organic cotton. But the company doesn't stop there. "We don't use bleach or chemical softeners. We do no extra processing. Ours is a pure garment," Gupta explains. And that is something that shoppers should pay attention to. "You can go to Target and get organic onesies, but what they do to the garment after that is not organic," she warns.
KEEPING BABY, AND THE PLANET, SAFE
Nowadays, with parents worried about BPA, phthalates, PVC and lead in their children's toys and accessories, more companies are responding to these concerns by avoiding those materials. And while someone may buy a BPA-free product for the safety of the child, they're doing something good for the planet, even though that wasn't their original intention.
"The first factor is always for the baby first, but they're seeing the added benefit after that. We're an organic product. Some people believe organic cottons benefit the baby, some don't. But it still benefits the planet," explains Shivani Gupta.
However Joshua Title, owner of Cate & Levi, does find that people are looking for green products for both themselves and their children.
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Quinton giraffe is handmade in India of woolen felt. Bholu is a climate neutral company. $45. Bholu. 310.897.1020. www.bholu.com Reader service #888; Apple bodysuit is made from 100 percent organic cotton. 0-6 mos. $24.95. The Baby Bunch. 877.456.2229. www.babybunch.com Reader service #887; Green Toys Tugboat is made in the USA from 100 percent recycled plastic milk containers and has no BPA, PVC, phthalates or external coatings. $12.99. My First Green Toys. 415.839.9971. www.greentoys.com Reader service #881; Little Packrats backpack is made from PVC-free material. Made in America. $30. CBH Studio. 978.449.0222. www.cbhstudio.com Reader service #880; Dog plush toy is made from reclaimed wool and non-dyed wool stuffing. $79. Cate & Levi Collection. 416.662.9392. www.cateandlevi.com Reader service #885 | ||
"Parents are both going green and concerned for their kids. This company came about because, as a relatively new parent, I couldn't find the kinds of products we were looking for, so we decided to start our own line," he says. Cate & Levi produces one-of-a-kind toys, clothing and accessories for children; they are handmade using reclaimed wool and wool batting from a sheep farm in Canada.
"Many parents have turned away from using plastic bottles and are now using glass bottles, as well as pacifiers that are made from natural rubbers," Title adds, explaining how people are becoming more concerned with what they are giving to their baby. "We'll see more of that because the market will demand it," adds Gupta. And even if the environment isn't in the forefront of their mind when making their purchase, in the end they are helping both the baby and the planet.
BABY FIRST
 Frog Pod bath toy scoop attaches to the bathtub wall. BPA-, phthalate- and PVC-free. $34.99. Boon. 480.456.0224. www.booninc.com Reader service #882 |
 The Makalu collection includes organic cotton bodysuits, tshirts, leggings and more. $5– $36. Kalencom. 504.943.0123. www.kalencom.com Reader service #883 |
Most people when shopping for gifts and accessories aren't that concerned about green products for themselves, but are more worried about the well-being of the child.
"People had gotten a scare a couple of years ago with the tainted products out of China and now they're looking for safety," says Joshua Title.
"People were not concerned about the planet, they were concerned about the kids," agrees David Brooks, owner of Appalachian Spring, a store in Washington, DC, with several locations in the DC area, as well as one in Richmond, VA, that sells handcrafted goods from the U.S.A. and Canada. This made people even more aware of what they were buying for their children. Soon after, when shopping a trade show you noticed more and more vendors making a point of letting buyers know that their products were green and safe. And that interest continues to grow, especially for children's products.
"People had gotten a scare a couple of years ago with the tainted products out of China and now they're looking for safety," says Joshua Title
"When looking for products for their kids, [parents] are talking about green more. We find they are more interested in the kids green products than the other green products in the store," says Brooks.
"Parents are more concerned for their children. What we're hearing is that they'll buy organic food and clothes for the kids, but not for themselves. But if they can further the lifestyle for themselves, they would, but the kids come first," adds Shivani Gupta.
GOOD GREEN DESIGN
People expect more when it comes to organic. Now that the majority is learning about it, they want to provide that for their children. But at the same time they want better design in an organic product,"
Green products have long suffered from a bad image.
They were not thought to be high in design and had the stigma of looking colorless and bland. But that is changing. A growing number of vendors are offering a stylish and colorful selection of products that is also environmentally friendly.
"There's a need [for]and a lack of products that don't look like oatmeal," says Joshual Title, whose selection of baby and kids accessories is stylish and colorful. "It was important to use vibrant contrasting colors because that's important to child development," he explains.
"People expect more when it comes to organic. Now that the majority is learning about it, they want to provide that for their children. But at the same time they want better design in an organic product," adds Gupta.
STILL GROWING
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Denim collection is made from organic cotton. Call for prices. Sama Baby. 888.847.SAMA. www.samababy.com Reader service #886 |
Vintage Alphabet collection includes a plate, two sippy cups, a fork and spoon, and a placemat. $9-$10. o.r.e. 562.961.3300. www.oreoriginals.com Reader service #884 |
While the green category has entered the mainstream, it is still growing and for now remains a mainly niche product. But mass market stores are certainly beginning to explore this category and add it to their product lines.
"I see it entering the mainstream in stores like Babies "R" Us and Target where people register," says Shivani Gupta. "Mass market is definitely getting into it," agrees Joshua Title. But according to store owner David Brooks, not everyone has embraced it yet.
However that doesn't mean that people aren't looking for it at all. Parents are more concerned about the health and well-being of their children and they are more careful as to what they buy for them. As a specialty store, you can offer customers a better selection of organic and green goods that they can feel good about buying.
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