Inhabitots

July 30, 2008

Bamboo belly bands

by Neelam Misra

Belly Be Mine, Belly band, Bamboo Belly Band, Eco Bella band, Eco belly band, maternity clothes, organic maternity clothes, eco maternity, sustainable maternity clothes, green maternity

A Bella band is every pregnant woman’s best friend for keeping unbuttoned pants cleverly and discreetly concealed during those awkward ‘in-between’ stages of one’s pregnancy. Baby Be Mine maternity offers Belly bands (which bare a striking resemblance to the aforementioned Bella bands), made of bamboo. Please note - these are not Bella bands, but Belly bands.

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July 29, 2008

Fleurville Re-Run Messenger Bag

by Abigail Doan and Neelam Misra

Fleurville re-run messenger bag, eco tote, eco bag, green bag, eco diaper bag, green diaper bag, sustainable style, eco fashion

Let’s face it folks, there is an ever-increasing demand for truly functional green gear for today’s busy families on the go. Couple that with deep concern over the planet that we are passing on to the next generation, and it’s enough to really keep you awake at night - besides the obvious parenting demands! Enter Fleurville’s eco-fabulous line of recycled plastic bottle fabric totes and packs that keep (on average) ten 600ml plastic water bottles out of the landfill! We love their Spring 2008 floral prints and clean graphic contours. These spacious and lightweight totes and shoulder bags function equally well as diaper bags or simple on-the-go carryalls. Fleurville makes parenting a breeze by sending the right message to little ones looking on from their strollers as inheritors of the planet.

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July 28, 2008

OBECALP: Sweet Little Cherry Flavored Lies

by Desmond Williams

OBECALP, Placebo pills, sweet little cherry flavored lies

Your mother lied to you, and you lie to your kid. Parents lie all the time – especially when it comes to booboos. Have you ever said, “Let me use my magic to make the pain disappear,” or “I’ll blow on it and it’ll stop hurting.” How about, “Let me kiss it and make it feel better.” Lies, lies, lies, but every parent will attest that these little white lies work.

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July 27, 2008

SIGG vs Klean Kanteen: Which is the Better Metal Bottle?

by Desmond Williams

Buying a tap water equivalent someone has slapped a fancy label on and packaged in a plastic bottle is both economically and ecologically unsound; we all know this. But it’s summer, and with myriad outdoor play dates, we understand how vital it is to keep our kids hydrated. So at some point we opt to purchase a reusable water bottle that meets this need - one that recent press has told us should not be a Nalgene (or other) bottle made of plastic.

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July 26, 2008

Sculpted Twig Crayons Bring New Life to Drawings

by Beth Shea

eco kids, eco toy, eco-friendly art supplies, eco-friendly kids toys, eco-friendly twig crayons, green kids toys, Inntrax twig crayons, play

Move over Crayola - something fresher and greener has arrived! Thanks to some resourceful, eco-savvy design innovation from Inntrax Twig Crayons, children can now shelve their old boxes of petroleum-based crayons and wield an assortment of colorful stray twigs which have been given a second life as budding artist’s tools. It’s good to know that we are finally out of the woods when it comes to non-toxic and eco-friendly art supplies for our doodling little ones!

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July 25, 2008

5 Eco Friendly Reasons to Choose Cloth Diapers

by Andrea McMann

baby care, cloth diapers, eco friendly diapers, environmentally friend nursery, green parenting, organic cotton diapers

Mention the word ‘cloth diaper’ to a modern, harried urbanite and you are likely to be met with a look of shock and horror. When I tell my friends about cloth diapering, the response is usually, “But isn’t that SOOO messy and time consuming? All that laundering and poop scraping?” Despite a prejudice in our culture towards the quick-fix disposable, cloth diapers are really the only green choice when it comes to diapering. Not only are cloth diapers healthier, more economical and eco-friendly than their plastic cousins — but their ease of use and convenience has significantly improved over the last decade. Here are five great reasons to go cloth:

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July 24, 2008

Eco Cute Clothing for Tots by Kate Quinn Organics

by Hannah

organic baby wear, kate quinn eco organics, organic children's clothes, baby clothes, eco baby, green baby, organic bunting, organic onesie, organic kids clothes

Buying clothes for a baby is a totally fun experience - whether shopping in stores or online, it’s fairly easy to obtain a variety of sweet little outfits for both girls and boys. However, the discerning, environmentally conscious parent may have a more challenging time. When searching for organic onesies and outfits, surely we have the right to choose style and substance when it comes to our little ones and their budding green wardrobes? Look no further for adorable eco-cuteness as Kate Quinn Organics has you and your baby covered!

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July 23, 2008

A Knú Take on Sustainable Furniture for Kids

by Abigail Doan

Though creating a green nursery or playroom can typically be a real expenditure for families with growing needs, there are some rather cost-effective and stylish options for designer households that abide by form + function fabulousness. Kid-friendly tables and chairs by Knú are a great choice for parents who do not want to compromise their design tastes for practicality. Knú’s eco-mod tables and chairs will set you up in enviro-friendly, color-coordinated style via the knú-est standards for play that is meant to last and last - while looking great, too!

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July 22, 2008

Choosing Thinkbaby Bottles is a No Brainer

by Beth Shea

Think Baby Bottles

As a euphoric yet sleep deprived new parent, the last thing you will want to do is spend precious brainpower deciding which baby bottles are best for your little bundle of joy. Your head should be spinning in bliss over the new life you’ve created, not with worry over the toxins you need to avoid to keep your baby safe and pure. It’s a good thing that the great, eco-savvy and family-oriented minds behind thinkbaby have done all of the thinking for you!

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July 21, 2008

FAUNA Organic Cotton Kids Tees

by Abigail Doan

Organic Cotton, organic cotton children’s t-shirts, eco fauna, ross menuez, areaware

If you have been hunting high and low for some eco-chic threads for your little ones, look no further as Fauna graphic tees are perhaps the most unique and eco-friendly designs out there. These adorably rockin’ tees are printed here in NYC with water-based inks and dyes on organic cotton. Multi-talented designer Ross Menuez has created this rather ‘wild’ collection as part of the Fauna series for the designer collective, Areaware

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July 20, 2008

INKE Recycled Vintage Wallpaper Kits

by Abigail Doan

DIY Recycled Wallpaper Kits, reclaimed wallpaper, reused wall decorations, green interior design, green wallpaper, eco-friendly decorations

Inhabitots parents love any opportunity to repurpose great design materials, so we were totally excited to come across these super-stylish INKE wallpaper kits made from vintage stock. Recycling that migrates across your child’s bedroom or playroom walls as a herd of elephants, giraffes, crocodiles, ostriches, monkeys, rhinos and lions could not be cuter! Dutch designer Inke Heiland has created an ‘old-as-new’ way for families to cultivate their wild side. What a great way to let loose and go green at home!

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July 19, 2008

DIY KID DESIGN: Let the kids redecorate your house

by Desmond Williams

Photo from NYTimes, DIY KID DESIGN, Let the kids redecorate your house

Some kids possess an innate eye for design. They line up their Hot Wheels cars in order of size and hue, insist on wearing mismatched Converse All Stars to fashionable effect, and prefer vintage over store-bought. But would I turn over the proverbial keys to the castle so that my son could have a go at decorating our apartment? No way.

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July 17, 2008

Healthy Green Maple Teether by Camden Rose

by Beth Shea

baby, Camden Rose, Camden Rose Maple Teether, eco baby, eco friendly nursery, green nursery, nontoxic teething solutions, wooden toys

I think my baby girl may have been a puppy in a past life. I find myself saying, “Don’t put that in your mouth,” and “Don’t chew on that,” at least a hundred times a day. Between her crib railing, the arms of the sofa, her now tattered book collection, and my neck, my daughter has left her mark on practically every surface of our household. Tiny tooth punctures and jagged tears betray her trail throughout our home. Looking for my baby? I just need to follow the remnants of the ravaged fashion magazine, or look under the dining chair with the gnawed leg. I had a tall order to fill to find a teething ring that would satiate my teething fiend, but the Maple Teether by Camden Rose ended up being the perfect safe, stylish & savory solution.

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July 17, 2008

Homemade Organic Sugar Scrub for New Mamas

by Jennifer Chailt

In the days after a new baby arrives, it’s easy for the new tired mama to slip into the background. Everyone wants to lavish the new baby with attention, which is only natural, but mamas need some TLC and pampering, too. If you really want to make a new mama’s day or night, whip up a batch (or two) of this amazing, inexpensive, and great smelling homemade organic sugar scrub. And if you really want to make an impression, stay and baby-sit for an hour or more so your mama pal can take a luxurious bath, and actually enjoy soak up this new body scrub experience.

Making a sugar body scrub is very simple, and a homemade version will cost far less than the scrubs you find at specialty spa boutiques. The following is a basic organic sugar scrub recipe along with some additional ideas for making other yummy scrub flavors!

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July 16, 2008

CHOPSTICK KIDS: Encouraging mindful eating

by Desmond Williams

My wife and I go out to eat with our three-year-old toddler quite often, and our budget constraints usually dictate that we dine at restaurants where eating meals typically involves using chopsticks (Thai anyone?). As a result, my son has taken a liking to the paper-wrapped stick-like utensils, and without Chopstick Kids our dining experience - not to mention our life - would be a literal mess!

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July 15, 2008

Make your own fold-up furniture with FOLDSCHOOL!

by Emily Pilloton

Foldschool 8, Cardboard furniture, DIY furniture, kids furniture, origami furniture, foldup furniture, Nicola Enrico Stäubli, green folding furniture, foldup cardboard furniture for kids, origami cardboard furniture, eco-friendly folding cardboard kids furniture

We love DIY, open source design, especially when it’s great, green design made available to us and our families for FREE! Swiss architect Nicola Enrico Stäubli’s FoldSchool furniture does just this, bringing downloadable cardboard plans to your computer, so that you and your tots can build your own eco chairs! The downloadable FREE patterns from his website are the embodiment of great green design- all you need is a printer, some cardboard, a pair of scissors, and some childlike creativity, and you’re on your way to sitting pretty. Patterns come in three options- a stool, rocker, or chair.

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July 13, 2008

Kids Bamboo Utensils by Bambu

by Abigail Doan

Bambu Kids, Bambu Baby, bamboo utensils, bamboo kitchen, bamboo spatula, bamboo fork, bamboo knives, bamboo kids utensils, eco-friendly kitchen, kids kitchen, kids utensils

It’s not always easy to get wee ones to eat their veggies and greens, but with Bambu’s line of kid-sized utensils, there now is an enticing way to make eating stylish, fun, and eco-friendly, too! Made from certified-organically grown bamboo, Bambu’s adorable kids line is the first-of-its-kind, providing a durable and natural alternative to the usual plastics. They’re lighter and stronger than wood, heat and stain resistant, and thankfully won’t absorb food flavors.

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July 12, 2008

Solar powered toy helicopter

by Jason

We’ve all had our wooden toys when we were kids: wooden blocks, wooden animals and even wooden cars. All of these classic toys were great, but none of them were powered by the sun. And that is why we love this low-fi take on a high-tech concept: solar powered toy helicopters. These charming Scandinavian style wooden helicopters come with plastic rotor blades with compact solar panels on their tops. This allows the helicopter to collect solar energy as they sit on the windowsill, and charge up for later playtime.

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July 10, 2008

Convertible Babylon High Chair by Argington

by Abigail Doan

Argington Babylon Toddler High Chair, Convertible High Chaire, Argington Babylon Convertible High Chair, Convertible Baby to Adult, Modern Design, Sustainable Product, Eco-Friendly Nursery, Green Baby Furniture, Eco Friendly baby Furniture

Imagine children’s furniture that is totally convertible as your little one grows and adapts to new eating routines and seating arrangements. Better yet, what if Mom or Dad could use the same chair to dine with little ones around the kitchen table? Too good to be true? Argington Modern Children’s Furniture has literally raised the bar for how to raise our little ones. The adjustable Argington Babylon Toddler High Chair defines sustainable design for future generations, as good solid investment pieces prove to have lasting value and multi-functional use for the whole family!

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July 7, 2008

Ooba Nest Collection Eco Modern Bassinet

by Abigail Doan

It’s a real comfort to know that some of the most innovative and versatile contemporary furniture pieces on the eco design front are for precious newborns and cute tots (and the parents who love and want the very best for them!) We’ve seen an explosion of green baby products from great design companies like Modern Seed, Speesees (highlighted in our Holiday Gift Guide for Kids,) and even the adult-favorite, Design Within Reach. A real stand-out as an eco modern nursery investment in this niche is Ooba and the gorgeous pieces in their Nest Collection. The Ooba bassinet looks as good as any other design piece in the rest of your home and sustainably compliments your lifestyle in the most modern and functional way.

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July 6, 2008

Blackboard-top Fundy Play Table

by Emily Pilloton

Blackboard Kids Play Table, Fundy Argington Play table, Kids Furniture, Green Childrens Furniture, Green Kids Furniture, Eco kids table, Green Childs table

Flat surfaces practically scream “draw on me!” for youngsters, and here’s a piece of furniture that encourages creativity without the hassle of scrubbing ink off your walls. The Fundy Play Table from Argington comes with a chalkboard table top or dry erase board, all packaged in a low kids-sized table in eco-friendly materials. It come sin white or orange, made from FSC wood and nontoxic finishes. And not to worry- after your tots are done drawing rainbows, store their pens and chalk in the compartment underneath the table surface.

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July 4, 2008

Yummy Organic baby food by HomemadeBaby

by Neelam Misra

Homemade baby food, Homemage prepackaged baby food, eco baby food, organic baby food, green baby food

Fresh, organic homemade baby food is, undoubtedly, the best way to nourish your growing little one.  However, it is not always possible to make your own baby food due to travel, the busy modern-parent schedule (i.e. the lack of a single spare moment in the day), or possibly no access to the necessary food-prep equipment. HomemadeBaby offers delicious and fresh organic baby food that your wee one will gobble right up, all the while helping you to feel that you did your best in providing the best alternative to puréed homemade and loving nourishment.

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July 3, 2008

Creative Color by Number Wallpaper

by Evelyn

Color by Number Wallpaper, Creative Wallpaper

Give your kids a creative outlet on a surface they’re already hankering to make their mark on — by turning your walls into their next art project. Wallpaper-By-Numbers takes a much beloved hobby of coloring by numbers to an entirely new scale, running floor to ceiling. Rolls of 20.5″ x 33′ start at $95.00 and come in a variety of bold prints with brightly pre-colored backgrounds, the adults will have just as much fun as the kids with this project.

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July 2, 2008

IGLOOPLAY Eco modern kids furniture

by Evelyn

sustainable kids furniture, Igooplay Furniture, Eco Furniture

Iglooplay’s adorable line of eco mod children’s furniture will leave you wishing they made an adult version. Based in Brooklyn, NY Iglooplay children’s furniture collection combines organic forms with practical ergonomics and a modernist sensibility that engages both children and adults. Designer Lisa Albin first conceived the collection following her first baby after finding that there was little too choose from when it came to thoughtfully designed children’s furniture. While observing the way her growing toddler interacts with the world she began to develop designs that were engaging to kids while aesthetically pleasing to adults.

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July 1, 2008

Recycled Socktopus toy!

by Emily Pilloton

Recycled Sock Octops Toy, Recycled Octopus Toy, Recycled Socktopus, Elsewares, recycled sock octopus, toys holiday, eco-friendly kids toys, green gift giving, sustainable toys for kids, green kids gifts, green kids toys

Bring some 8-legged inspiration to your soon-to-walk tots with this ridiculously cute and recycled Socktopus. A sort of contemporary marine version of the traditional Sock Monkey, Mr. Octopus is made from recycled sweaters, making each one a totally unique creature. They’re even more endearing in their resemblance of those pesky lone socks you find after every load of laundry. Handmade in the USA, they’re filled with hypoallergenic polyester and topped off with cute button eyes (making them ages 3 and up appropriate). Here’s one 8-legged friend your little one will love snuggling up to.

$20 from Elsewares

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