My Top 3 Picks for Ethical Baby Products
When I first found out I was pregnant & I started putting together a gift registry I was so overwhelmed with trying to figure out ethically made items for my little one. It seemed like everything was made of plastic with no information on who made it.
We ended up borrowing a ton from friends (thanks Brent & Jen!) & buying many things second hand but baby stuff is SO incredibly cute & I didn't want to miss out on some of the shopping fun.
Now on the other side with my almost 6 month old, I've discovered some incredible brands that use natural materials & don't exploit the people who made them.
Ecopiggy Eco Pacifier
I pretty much knew nothing about pacifiers going into my search & stumbled across Ecopiggy after typing in a million variations of "ethical" "sustainable" "pacifier" search terms. My gal loves her pacifier. I can't overstate that. I call it her BFF & watching her as she figures out how to use it herself has been one of favorite things ever.
Pros:
- Made without chemical softeners or colorants, BPA-Free, Phthalate-Free, PVC-Free & Paraben-Free. That this was even something to look for falls into the ever growing "things I didn't know I didn't know" category.
- Rubber is sustainably harvested from Malaysa after the rubber tree no longer produces sap & a replacement rubber tree is planted.
Cons:
- I've not found them at any local stores here in Austin so when the one we had was lost (yeah, yeah, rookie mistake!) I had to order another online & my little gal didn't love the replacement plastic one I picked up while we waited for it to arrive. Easy fix: buy a back up. Or two.
Purchase -> $7.49
Collective Humanity Crocheted Stuffed Bunny
Currently obsessed with how cute these stuffed animals are - not to mention that they're ethically handmade by women in Cambodia who have been rescued from sex trafficking. As you can see, my daughter Grey approves:
We named him Noel Shempsky because we watch too much Fraiser & there's just something about Noel that makes my husband crack up (which in turn cracks me up). And yes, we discuss in detail the naming of all of Grey's stuff animals. We also have twin octopi named High Top & Basil (my husband's choice) and a lamb rattle I've dubbed Willie Mae. We take it very seriously.
Pros:
- Machine Washable. I'm quickly learning how very important this is.
- Small ears that my kiddo can chew. Because she wants to chew & chew & chew!
- Helping to create jobs for women in Cambodia (more about that here)
Cons:
- I want all of the styles, but do I NEED all the styles?
Purchase -> $48
Uncle Goose Wooden Blocks
I'm pretty sure these blocks are really for me, not my daughter. I love them. At one point I had no less than 5 styles on my registry. I painstakingly trimmed down to just one, but to my delight several friends of mine discovered them on their own & because they know me so well they snagged me more sets. Our nursery is adorably adorned in Bug Blocks, Periodic Table of Element Blocks, & American Sign Language Blocks (shown below). I have my eye on the Japanese set next.
Pros:
- Handcrafted in the US from sustainable Michigan basswood
- Printed using non-toxic, mouth safe inks
- Very Instagram-able
Cons:
- Assuming this "I throw everything & watch Momma pick it up" stage continues, I'm going to get hit with these blocks & they're pretty solid
Links to purchase above via Amazon - about $37 per set
Once my gal gets big enough, we'll be mass ordering sweaters from Moesel Clothing + dresses & tops from Eden by Elgantees.
What ethical baby gear have you discovered??