8 Must Have Eco friendly Baby Essentials

With America alone discarding over 18 billion diapers annually, the time has come for a solution to the U.S.'s constantly growing baby waste issue. Looking for genuinely nature-friendly solutions for your baby care routine is not easy. So, where should you be looking to find the items you need?

Below, we break down eight essential product categories that offer a comfortable experience for your baby while remaining sustainable. Read on to learn the following eco friendly baby essentials:

• How unique fabrics can help
• What these products do to reduce waste
• Why low-energy manufacturing may be the next steps
• Which dyes offer a more natural color
• Features that can help protect sensitive skin

Finally, discover green parenting tips, such as how 100% bamboo baby sacks from The Sleep Theory can offer you assurances regarding both your baby's comfort and your ecofriendly efforts in the wider world.

1. Environmentally Friendly Baby Apparel & Accessories

Eco-conscious businesses now develop clothing and other apparel crafted from fabrics that have undergone a far-less water-intensive processing process to minimize the amount of chemical runoff they produce. In some cases, they capture all the water they use, or the process is entirely waterless, allowing for much cleaner output.

In other cases, materials receive a color treatment from natural, plant-based dyes. These maintain stronger color vibrancy without the need for synthetic chemicals or colors. 

If you are unsure what to look for, the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) is a certification companies can receive when they produce products made from organically produced raw materials. Similarly, other accreditation processes ensure that fabrics used in these businesses hold up to the same high standards. These ensure ethical practices, environmental protection, and human rights assurances. 

2. Cloth and Biodegradable Diapering Options

Instead of buying individual diapers, you have multiple options for discarding your child's waste.

• Compostable diapers
• Reusable diapers

First of all, you can invest in compostable and disposable diapers. While these will still end up in a landfill, they use materials that tend to decompose within two months under the right conditions.Instead of staying around for up to 500 years, you can ensure that they do not impact the environment in the long term. 

With each product, check they have received high-quality testing to ensure their biodegradability does not limit how well they absorb waste or how comfortable they are for those wearing the product. You can then rest easy that you are not hurting the natural world or distressing your child.

The other option is to use reusable diapers instead. Many people make these themselves for environmental benefits and to help with costs,as they prefer to use natural baby care items that do not end up in landfills.

3. Natural Skincare & Bath Essentials

Parents wanting to look after their children's skin can enjoy natural skin care products that use botanical extracts with soothing properties. For example:

Oat extracts: An anti-inflammatory that also protects the baby's natural skin barrier

Glycerin: A gentle and natural material that traps moisture in the skin

Calendula extract: A plant extract with a legacy of use in natural healing

Panthenol: Also known as provitamin B5, this natural extract can soothe and moisturize irritated skin

You should also check that the manufacturer uses closed-loop systems that recycle water and reduce energy consumption, as these processes lower its environmental footprint and decrease resource usage.

4. Sustainable Feeding & Nursing

While many locations offer what they describe as "BPA-free plastic," these still often use chemicals that may be just as, if not more, dangerous to the health of a growing infant.

Instead, when looking for sustainable baby products, consider using a glass or silicon baby bottle, for example, to prevent many microplastics from entering the child's food and the rest of the food chain. 

5. Green Nursery Bedding & Mattresses

Look for nursery bedding that uses certified organic textiles while ensuring maximum breathability and comfort to match federal regulations for child safety. The producer should harvest the fabrics from organically-grown cotton that has seen minimal pesticide use and should use natural enzymes during the production process instead of any harsh chemicals.

In the Bay Area, you should ensure that bedding is moisture-wicking and can help to regulate babies' temperatures. These will help with sleep for a baby living in a coastal climate.

6. Eco-Friendly Toys & Learning Materials

Instead of buying toys manufactured from plastic with electronic components, aim to purchase those made from organically and ethically-sourced wood, fabrics, bamboo, or other natural materials. 

The toy should also use water-based, non-toxic paints to meet federal regulatory standards and incorporate multiple ways to play with it, to prevent the toy from receiving one play session before being ignored or discarded.

7. Theta Pouch Bamboo Sleep Sack

Very young babies need sleep sacks to remain safe when resting. The Sleep Theory has constructed a sleep sack from 100% organic bamboo fibers, ensuring it does not use harmful chemicals. Like some of the best bedding, this premium product regulates the child's temperature using bamboo's inherent properties for year-round comfort.

Like many premium items, its creators use production methods focusing on low energy usage and minimal water consumption while also incorporating extensive testing to confirm the sack is hypoallergenic. As such, you can have reassurance that both your child and the rest of the world are treated as best they can be.

8. Durable and High-Quality Diaper Bags

You should ensure that all organic baby supplies you purchase are engineered with recycled materials to minimize waste while offering durability to ensure they last longer. Both zippers and fabrics should be able to endure rigorous use, allowing you to keep them for longer and avoid further waste production.

Combining this with contents such as reusable cloth wipes or bamboo wipes, you can make your whole cleanup process much more environmentally friendly.

Ecofriendly Baby Essentials for Your Parenting Needs

The above eight items offer practical and sustainable features that can help you look for items to help your baby while ensuring you treat the environment right. Follow these responsibly sourced and eco-friendly suggestions to offer your child the most comfortable experience possible. 

The Sleep Theory excels at this with our 100% bamboo sleep sacks. Check out our shop to discover more about what we offer in terms of ecofriendly baby essentials and how our high-quality and extremely comfortable sacks can give your child a sound sleep every night.