We reap what we sow…so if we plant the seeds of eco-awareness in our little ones, there is a good chance that future generations will blossom into green-minded thinkers and doers. L.A.’s fabulously curated eco-boutique, The Little Seed, is a welcome patch of green and a breath of fresh air amidst the urban chaos of Los Angeles. It features all of the necessities and whimsy for our offspring to “grow up” amidst environmentally friendly wares, cool organic threads, and earth-loving philosophies.
Kids have all kinds of shoe options. From lace-ups to Velcro, sneakers to slip-ons, punky kicks to wingtips. And if I had a penny for every brightly hued pair of kiddy Crocs I’ve seen festooned with those little crocessories, I’d be a very wealthy man. It’s time for something different. It’s time for Sou·Sous. Easy to don, easy to love, look no further for a back-to-school find that no other peep-fashionista will be sporting.
In today’s tricky economy, things are getting more expensive and costly all of the time. A great way to save money for the family is by home laundering your baby’s cloth diapers. We are all for the DIY spirit when it comes to doing-it-yourself with eco-friendly methods. Granted not everyone has the time to do household chores from start to finish, but if home laundering is something you want to fit into your busy parenting schedule, consider the following helpful tips to make the most out of your green laundering experience.
The old adage, “There’s no use crying over spilled milk,” really is true for the folks at Green Toys, who recycle plastic milk containers to create sleek, functional eco-toys for tots. Parents, this is an ideal way to teach your children about sorting the recyclables from the trash, explaining that Green Toys turns used milk jugs deposited into curbside recycling receptacles into fun, interactive toys!
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.
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.
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.
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!
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.
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.
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!
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!
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
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!
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.
Recently one of our readers/commentators wondered out loud about one negative aspect of good design. “Too bad none of it is affordable,” commented Jeff. “Alas that’s why there’s IKEA.”
It certainly is true that great design tends to come at an even greater cost, but this is not always so. And Jeff’s comment immediately made me think of one whimsical, functional objet d’art that is the perfect balance of collectibilityandaffordability: Eero Aarnio’s ‘Puppy’.
Smart, sturdy, stunning, sustainable; these are all terms that can be used to describe the ecotots “high-quality, full-line of environmentally friendly, real wood modern furniture”. Yet the most novel aspect of the furniture designed by ecotots is its simplicity. So how does one go about designing a logo that says all of this?
Combining cuteness with compactness, Ecotots is a full-line of environmentally friendly wooden modern furnishings for your tot’s play spaces. Designed to flat-pack and ship efficiently, the line of tables easels and desks also assemble and disassemble quickly and without tools or hardware. Plus they’re made from 100% renewable FSC certified Smart Wood®, and come in a variety of eco-friendly, colorful UV finishes.
You’ve seen it thousands of times in playgrounds: A kid consumes a snack, stray bits of food get stuck between his upper lip and nose, and his mom – without giving it much thought – licks her thumb and wipes away the offending schmutz. Gross? Well the gals behind MomSpit are betting not.
The CASAKids Collection by Roberto Gil features sleek modern nursery and pint-sized bedroom furniture that’s solidly built, refreshingly modern, and super roomy - all must-haves for your little one’s dreamy sleeping space. The sustainable OLA! line is crafted out of Lyptus, a fast growing, IBAMA-certified, plantation grown Brazilian hardwood - smartly finished with non-toxic water based paints. To add to all this eco-friendliness and future-forward thinking, the pieces in this collection can all be shipped flat - one of the best green style features, in our opinion!
All new parents know first hand the trials and tribulations of trying to maintain a sense of order in a topsy-turvy household. Despite our best team efforts, stashes of baby gear, litterings of toys, and supplies of child-rearing essentials begin to dot the landscape formerly known as ‘adultville’. For some, this is as daunting as an unattended pile of laundry, for others it is just part of the territory. Thankfully, Q Collection Junior’s Stella Stackables provide a hip and stylish way for families to organize and artfully conceal the messiness of day-to-day living. Collect two or three modules or create a whole geometric wall assemblage. They are the perfect solution for parents who refuse to sacrifice style for comfort and storage ease.
Today’s green movement is definitely gaining ground, but sometimes it’s hard to differentiate between who’s just ‘talking the talk’, and who’s actually ‘walking the walk’ toward a sustainable lifestyle. As parents, it’s our privilege and our duty to instill eco-mindedness into our children. Green living needn’t be an alternative in their eyes if their first footsteps are taken on a genuine emerald path. Slip a pair of Simple Shoes onto their little feet, and they will stand firmly on the lifelong mission to save our precious planet.
One of the many reasons babies and toddlers are so precious and refreshing is the fact that they wear their hearts on their sleeves. Whether they are crying and stomping their feet, nuzzling into you for cuddles, or clapping with wild delight, they remind us to revel in and fully experience every moment. Clothing company, Tiny Revolutionary celebrates the authenticity of children and harnesses their powerful innocence by making them moving billboards of inspiration. Their line of Eco-Tees stylishly emblazons little tikes with messages of hope, equality, and environmentalism.
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