Organic Swaddleme by Kiddopotamus

Any parent of a newborn understands the crucial concept of ‘swaddling’. Small babies like to be wrapped up like little burritos, because it harkens back to the snug and cozy fit that they experienced in the womb. You can swaddle your baby in any blanket or long piece of fabric, but swaddling is definitely made a whole lot easier with an organic velcro-laden contraption called the ‘Swaddleme’ by Kiddopotamus.

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BACK-TO-SCHOOL: Adorable EcoZoo Backpacks

Sending your little one(s) off to playgroup or the first day of school can be quite the major milestone. Brand new surroundings and encounters surely hold lots of promise, but it is also good to know that you have a trusty friend at your side helping you navigate the unknown. Enter EcoZoo backpacks and their super-cute menagerie of toteable critters. Having an eco friendly pal like this perched on your back is a great way to carry your goods as well as feel snuggled up while setting off on life’s little adventures.

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Plan Toys: A Friendly Green Toy-Maker

One of my son’s absolute favorite toys is a adorable green alligator pull-toy that ‘clackety-clacks’ when in motion. It was a gift from a dear friend, and when I did some research on Plan Toys, the company that produces this darling toy, I was elated to see that they have an extremely active eco-agenda. If you have been searching for a truly green toy-maker and a fun new friend to tag along behind your little one, Plan Toys is great company to invite into your household.

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Behind the Baby Brand: H A P P Y B A B Y Food™

There’s a surefire way of making your little one the happiest baby on the block. It doesn’t involve swaddling or shushing, and it can be found in biodegradable packaging stamped with a smiling child, a rising sun, and a bowl of honest-to-goodness yum. The celebratory HAPPYBABY Food™ logo boldly communicates its intensions: Party in your tummy? Heck, yes!

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Custom Eco-Textile Design? Yes, You Can!

Though from time to time I may look like a walking mannequin from a Salvation Army store window, my wife and her friends fancy themselves worthy candidates for New York Magazine’s ‘Look Book’ page – that is, when they’re feeling dressy.

Take for example, an ensemble worn to one of our recent dinner parties (really a rollicking kid-friendly affair punctuated with referee calls from parents comfortably seated on ergonomic furniture). After changing out of her pirate outfit (it was also a costume event for the kids), a friend donned a stunning dress from Tucker. The cut and flow of the dress was outstanding, and the abrupt way in which it stopped mid-thigh hinted at a bit of sass.

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Little Chickie Wear’s Organic Cotton Collection

What thoughts come to mind when you watch your baby sleep? “What a little angel?” “I have the cutest baby in the universe!” “He’s finally asleep!” Designer Gwen Gardner asked the question, “What’s inside of you?” while watching her daughter take a nap. Her answer came as a poem entitled, “Inside Me,” which she placed on a onesie. It reigns as the bestseller in her 100% organic cotton baby clothing line, Little Chickie Wear, which features fanciful designs and playful expressions.

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Getting Started with Cloth Diapers

As a continuation of our ongoing series on cloth diapering, we thought that we would share some simple tips for new (perhaps sleep-deprived) parents on getting started with cloth diapers at home. If you’ve made the decision to use cloth diapers, and you have all the supplies you need, it’s time to get started! Have no fear, the following tips will help you on your way to cloth diapering with true ease!

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9 Cloth Diapering Must-Haves

In our ongoing efforts to try to make cloth diapering a breeze, we have put together some simple guidelines for essential items that might make the diapering process a bit more eco friendly and manageable. Hooray, if you have decided that cloth diapers are right for you! Now it’s time to get busy and stock up on the basic nursery items that you’ll need to make the diapering process easy and fool-proof for everyone involved!

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Finding the Right Cloth Diaper for You

Let’s face it, we are all trying to do the right thing these days, both as parents and as environmentally conscious consumers. For some, disposable diapers is the best route to go, for others – cloth diapers are the obvious choice. We are certainly not about preaching ‘the diapering gospel’ here at Inhabitots, but for those of you who opt for cloth and are confused about which cloth diaper to buy, here you go!

I have had the opportunity to test several different types of cloth diapers, and I have put together the following list of benefits and drawbacks of each of these options, along with my personal brand choice for each category.

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Eco Mod craftWork table + chair by Iglooplay

We have been devoted fans of Iglooplay’s super cute line of eco mod children’s furniture ever since we first spotted them a few years ago at our local Brooklyn Designs Show. We were both excited to see the latest additions to Iglooplay‘s sustainably crafted kid’s collection during our Mother’s Day Green Design Walking Tour at Brooklyn Designs this past May. Design-savvy parents need look no further for an ideal table and seating combo for budding designers or crafters who are looking to set up work and play space. Iglooplay’s craftWork table+chair is an inspiring solution for creative families – as smartly considered furniture like this will leave you wishing that you had a scaled-up version for your own workspace or studio.

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Recyclable Y Water Bottles by Designer Yves Béhar

There is no doubt that the basic building blocks of your little one’s nutrition are of utmost importance to today’s busy parents and fast-paced households. With so many children in the U.S. afflicted with childhood obesity and debilitating weight problems, it is of critical importance that we find healthier (creative) solutions to revising the American diet as we know it. Enter celebrity product designer, Yves Béhar, and his new Y Water beverage. Conceived as a low-calorie, vitamin-packed alternative to sugary drinks for kids, Y Water is a truly innovative way to package a healthier drink via its reusable building-block bottles. The DNA-like, interlocking food-safe bottles can be used as a toy after the organic beverage is sipped down, providing a two-for-one punch for sweet snack and playtime creativity.

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ECO NIGHTLIGHT: Moon Jar Solar Powered Lamp

As the proud mama of a nightowl newborn, I’ve suddenly found myself spending more time awake during the night than the day. Nightlights weren’t on my baby gear list, but they should have been. Not only do new moms need a guiding light for all those late-night feedings, but older toddlers and older children like to sleep with nightlights as well to keep the boogeyman at bay.

So what’s an eco-minded mom to do? Seek out solar power and energy-efficient LED lamps of course! Fortunately the two green technologies go hand-in-hand in one cute little package in this Moon Jar solar powered LED lamp.

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Easy Co-Sleeping with the Humanity Family Bed

From Humanity Organics comes the amazing co-sleeping tool, the Humanity Family Bed. Being a long-time advocate of co-sleeping, I only wish that I had known about this great sleeper when my son was born. We all co-slept, and it worked out well, but it would have been much easier with this family bed addition. The Humanity Family Bed consists of an extra thick absorbent pad that you easily place atop your bed’s mattress. There’s plenty of room for parents and baby to cuddle down for the night.

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Non Plastic Teethers for Baby’s Budding Teeth

If you are like me, you may feel rather cautious and leery about BPA, PVC, and pthalate-free plastics -  especially when it comes to baby teethers. I am frankly always worried about the next toxin of the moment, and try to play it safe by basically opting for non-plastic baby and nursery products whenever possible. Thankfully, with regards to truly eco-friendly teethers, there are a variety of desirable and affordable options available for baby’s budding teeth and your peace of mind!

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World’s Tiniest Solar Powered Car!

When one thinks of toy cars for little ones, one typically conjures up images of die-cast Matchbox race cars with broad white stripes and tail fins. But in this new era of innovative product design – where the battery-packed has been redefined, it is refreshing to find renewable energy alternatives to toy cars and trucks as we know them.

Enter the World’s Smallest Solar Racing Car – certainly too small to be a flashy Formula One kiddie vehicle or even drivable for that matter, but what this Lilliputian roadster lacks in size, it totally makes up for in power – real green zip power – not to mention full-throttle cuteness!

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‘Eco Ego’ Online Computer Game for Kids

There is no doubt that kids are spending more and more time in front of home computers these days – surfing, gaming, and tuning in to the power of virtual connectivity. Couple this with more sedentary lifestyles, childhood obesity, and pressing environmental concerns, and there is a heck of a lot that we have to be engaged with as parents. One of our readers at Inhabitat tipped us off on a new game that is meant to teach (or rather visually demonstrate) the excesses of environmental and household consumption. ‘Eco Ego’ is a quirkily animated foray into the nature of ecology, but all in all, we were amused by the game’s cute graphics and well-intended message.

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