Wednesday, April 30

Bath & Body • Bien Ella Stretch Mark Cream

Bien Ella Mother's Miracle Belli Butter

belli butterThere is no known magic potion for preventing stretch marks, they come from tearing at the collagen level of the skin, and some say they are hereditary, but eating a diet full of healthy fats and anti-oxidants should help along with a topical application of moisturizing creme with skin building ingredients. Bien Ella Stretch Mark Cream contains Emu Oil, which is high in Omega 3 and Omega 6 oils and is similar in lipid structure to humans, enhancing absorption and helping cell regeneration. Other ingredients are Kokum, Avocado, Cocoa, Shea and Mango Butters, along with Aloe Vera infused Soybean Oil, Seabuckthorn Oil and Vitamin E, so it is wonderfully moisturizing, keeping skin elastic.

Bien Ella was started by a mom whose son was affected by skin sensitivities. She wanted to keep things simple and created this product line with no intricate chemical compounds, no dyes, petroleum, mineral oil, lanolin, glycerin, preservatives, fillers or other additives.

Tuesday, April 29

Nursery • DucDuc Furniture

DucDuc Furniture

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Modern nursery furniture with innovative useful designs (my favorite is the Parker chalkboard playtable above), all made in the USA in the company's own manufacturing facility with a system reducing energy usage and waste. All woods are sustainably harvested from local forests. On the safety side, the company uses no MDF or particle board (which can contain formaldehyde or other chemicals) and products are Hazardous Air Pollutant (HAP) free. Cribs can be converted to toddler beds with a convertible rail, and the company offers a multitude of paint colors for wood elements and fabrics to choose from to customize furniture and fabric panels (like on the chair and crib above).

Jewelry • Brilliant Earth

Brilliant Earth Conflict-Free Jewelry



Giving jewelry for special occasions, like a birth or mother's day is traditional and a long-lasting way to show your affection. Buying jewelry that is responsibly produced is easier now with Brilliant Earth. Brilliant Earth uses precious metals from renewed sources derived from recycled jewelry or industrial products. The precious metals are reclaimed and then re-refined to produce gold and platinum of identical quality to newly mined metals. The stones are all certified conflict-free and are not associated with the damage to people and the earth conflict stones cause. They are mined in accordance with strict environmental laws protecting wildlife, water and local people.

Blankets • Nui Organics New Zealand Wool

Nui Organics New Zealand Wool Blankets

GridRibbed

Worried about wool? You shouldn't be. Wool is a renewable resource with wonderful natural properties. It is non-allergenic, the reaction some people have is due to the chemical processes conventional wool goes through. The sheep graze on pesticide free land and are not treated with sprays or dips, and blankets have not been treated with any dyes either, the colors you see are the natural colors of the sheep. Supporting producers that do not use pesticides or other chemical processes means less of these things get into our environment for the generations to come.

Monday, April 28

Toys • Plan Toys

Plan Toys made of Recycled Rubberwood

Tower PoundingShape And Sort It Out

It is getting easier to find wooden toys these days, but there are still some that are better than others. Plan Toys make some of the best, with beautifully constructed, engaging toys. They are made of recycled rubberwood, are kiln-dried without chemicals, are colored with water-based dye, and printed materials are printed with soy and water-based inks. Wood is naturally recyclable too. They are manufactured in Thailand, so they do have to be shipped overseas, but there are no safety concerns from the manufacture, as the factory is owned by the company.

Diapers & Potty Training • G Diapers

G Diapers

gBaby Shower Gift

G Diapers are the crossover diaper between cloth and disposable. You keep the outer pant and flush, compost or otherwise dispose of the inner liners. (Bonus: You can also use the "little g" pants with cloth liners!) If you are eager to reduce your diaper footprint, but have qualms about going %100 cloth, then these are are the diapers for you. The outer part of the diaper has 2 parts with an outer colorful cover and a snap-in liner. The snap-in liner is what holds the flushable part (or your cloth diaper) in place. Once you get started, using these diapers is a snap, you keep a few of them all ready to go with liners in place. Flushing the liner does require following a process of tearing the liner top to bottom and dispersing the contents in the bowl before flushing with the included swishstick (to prevent clogs). All my friends say that not having diaper-smell in the house is the best part!

Clothes • A B Sea Silk & Cotton Clothes

A B Sea 70% Silk and 30% Organic Cotton Clothing

Infant sac in sand.Hood sweater set in buoy






















Soft, cuddly, carefully designed clothing made of natural and organic fabrics. The clothes are easy to care for and soothing to babies skin. The "Sac" pictured above is perfect for bringing baby home with a slot for the seatbelt and flip-over mittens. Silk is naturally hypoallergenic and wrinkle-resistant, and will help regulate the baby's temperature. Machine wash in cold water and hang to dry (saves energy!).

Nursery • Q Collection Junior Furniture

Q Collection Junior Furniture
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Unique modern designs and sustainable practices come together in this nursery furniture by Q Collection Junior. Materials are locally sourced (85% within a 100 mile radius) and certified by the FSC, and the furniture is hand-made in the USA. Indoor air-quality certified (Greenguard), with water-based, non-toxic low or no-VOC finishes. There are many other designs for changing tables, chests, stools and storage.

Nursery • Frazier & Wing Mobiles

Frazier & Wing Recycled Mobiles

These delightful mobiles are made from carefully selected images from the pages in recycled magazines. You can bring some visual interest into a corner of the nursery or place one over the changing table to keep baby entertained. These mobiles are all one of a kind and are hand made. Each one is made to order by the artist.

If you like the idea, but want a simpler look, the mobiles also come in white with a single color accent in your choice of red, coral, green, blue, brown or lavender.


Sunday, April 27

Nursery • Flor Modular Carpet

Flor Modular Carpet Tiles



I have only shown patterned examples, but you can also use one color for your entire rug. The tiles also come in different piles and textures. The tiles are very easy to install, and can cover all or just part of a room. There is nothing about the tiles that will mark your floors so
if you rent your apartment or house you can still have carpet in the nursery without worry. If you have a spill, just pick up the one tile for washing. What makes them eco-friendly is the company uses recycled materials and minimal waste in manufacturing and will take back carpet tiles for recycling once you are finished with them. You don't have to use chemical carpet cleaners. Also, you can re-use this carpet if you move or if you have a stain or other problem, you only replace the affected tile instead of a whole room full of carpet.

Nursery • Little Yolo No-VOC Paints

Yolo Colorhouse Little Yolo Sprout Collection

little Yolo Interior Paint
A great nursery choice due to the durable washable finish, and you can't go wrong with a paint that emits no VOCs into your home. The Little Yolo Sprout Collection has 6 beautiful soft colors, but if you are feeling more bold, there is no need to stick to the nursery collection since the main Yolo Colorhouse site is full of great colors to choose from and they are all non-toxic, environmentally responsible and Green Seal certified, which qualifies the use of this paint in LEED projects.

Saturday, April 26

Feeding • Kiddopotamus Bibbity

Kiddopotamus Bibbity Rinse & Roll Bib



I was introduced to this style of bib by my sister-in-law who uses nothing but this bib. It is a rubbery-like material that never stains and washes off like a charm. The giant pocket at the bottom catches just about everything that doesn't quite make it into the mouth. While the material itself is not quite "green", what makes it eco-friendly in my opinion is the durability factor. Pass it along to a friend who is expecting, or re-use it from child to child in your own home. The bib material is FDA-Compliant, made in the USA and is Phthalate, Latex, Lead, PVC, and BPA Free.



For a similar silicone option, Silikid makes the Silibib. This is a great baby company too and my only preference for the Bibbity is the pocket. Silicone is actually recyclable, but you will probably have to take it to a recycling center, as most municipalities don't accept it curbside.

Diaper Bags • Fleurville Re-Run Messenger Bag

Fleurville Re-Run Messenger Diaper Bag

Fleurville Re-Run Messenger Diaper Bag - Chocolate Bottle FlowerFleurville Re-Run Messenger Diaper Bag - Black

Diaper bags made from recycled plastic bottles, and not only that, they are PVC/Teflon-Free and good looking too. They have plenty of interior pockets, and are a great size at 13.5" wide x 11.25" tall x 4.5" deep. There is a lot of thought put into this bag with a slot for your earphone cord, and a fleece lined pocket to protect your sunglasses or other easily scratched item. Be part of the recycling process by buying things made from recycled materials!

Nursery • Kanoe Baby Hammock

Kanoe Baby Hammock in Organic Cotton

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Over and over I read about how movement is essential for baby's neurological development, but the bottom line is, I just like baby hammocks. This one is quite frankly, in my mind, perfect.

On the "eco" side, it is 100% organic cotton canvas, and no chlorine is used in the bleaching process. All dyes are low-impact, fiber reactive and contain no heavy metals. You can forgo having a crib (and all the wood etc. that comes with that) since the hammock can be lowered to a few inches off the floor and children can be taught how to safely climb out themselves when they are able. The spring is responsive to children weighing 10-30 lbs, and a heavy-duty spring is available for children 30-50 lbs.

On the features side, the hammock is completely adjustable, you can raise or lower it depending on the height of your ceiling, and you can also tilt it as recommended for acid-reflux and colic. If you have twins, you can rock two at the same time. If you want, you can install ceiling mounts in several locations throughout your home and outside, easily move the hammock, and have baby nap nearby wherever you are. If you have a small space it is quite the space saver.

Bath & Body • Least Likely To Breed Creams

Tough Titties Nipple Rub, Bad Ass Booty Balm, Roid Rage for Hemorrhoids, and Va-J-J Jelly



All of these creams will come in handy at some point, yes (unfortunately) all of them. They contain all-natural remedies, and high quality ingredients. Besides that, you will crack a smile every time you use them, at least I do. Some of the products contain lanolin or beeswax and the Booty Balm contains emu oil, so if you are a strict vegan these aren't for you. The ingredients are all-natural, and tried and true remedies for the trouble at hand, or elsewhere. If you have heard the reports alleging lavender and tea tree oil may not be the best ingredients for boys, never fear, they're not here.

Friday, April 25

Sunscreen • Trukid Sunny Days Lotion and Face Stick

Trukid Sunscreen Products: Lotion and Face Stick

Sunny Days™ SPF 30+ Natural Mineral SunscreenSunny Days™ SPF 30+ Natural Mineral Sunscreen Water Resistant Face Stick

I try to use hats and natural shade as the best protection against too much sun, but there are times when I use sunscreen in limited amounts. I have found this sunscreen for kids to have the least number of ingredients I couldn't identify. The Environmental Working Group's Cosmetic Safety Database lists the Face Stick as one of the ones with the least number of concerns. It is a natural mineral sunscreen meaning the protection starts right away, there is no need to wait for 30 minutes before heading out. You will have to reapply every 80 minutes for full protection all day.
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Feeding • Bambu Organic Bamboo Baby Utensils

Bambu Baby Utensils made from Organic Bamboo

Baby Fork and Spoon, 2 Sets - Click Image to CloseBaby Fork and Spoon, 2 Sets

Economical and Sustainable, if you are looking for a non-metal, non-plastic set for mealtime and baby's attempts at self-feeding, this set is perfect. The package actually comes with 2 sets of forks and spoons. A Spork is also available. These utensils are 100% organic bamboo, and are finished with a food-safe oil. Bambu's products are made in China, but the company claims to support workers with health and safety measures and has third-party auditing.

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Diapers & Potty Training • Organic Training Pants

Little Beetle "Learners" Training Pants



Soft organic cotton with 2 layers of absorbent velour, with a 3rd layer in the "wet" zone. These training pants are stylish and colorful. They have no waterproofing layer so you can use them with a wool cover for extra protection if desired. If you are practicing E.C. (Elimination Communication) with your young one, these pants come in a size small that will fit 1-2 year olds up to 24 pounds. The company's diaper line is made in a fair-wage US facility, while the Learners are made in a regularly inspected facility in India.

Imse Vimse Organic "Bumpy" Training Pants


Organic Velour Potty Training Package
If you are interested in a training pant with a waterproof layer built in, try these Imse Vimse Bumpy Pants made with organic cotton and a layer of PUL. The small size in these pants will also work with a E.C. program.
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Nursery • Pixel Organics Crib Sets

Pixel Organics Crib Sets


Charming, engaging crib sets. I think all the designs will go with modern decor as shown above, or in a more traditional setting. I am especially fond of the blue "Supercharged" set above. I just love the retro inspiration that looks totally modern. There is one more set not pictured available, which is more gender neutral, if you are waiting to find out the sex. Can't go wrong with a 100% organic cotton, made in the USA crib set, when looking to go the green route with your nursery. The bumper padding is made from REFILL, which is spun recycled beverage bottles. If you aren't buying recycled, you aren't recycling! Check out Pixel Organics other items, like organic clothing and crib mattresses.
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Carriers • ERGO Organic Baby Carrier

ERGO Organic Baby Carrier

organic chocolate carrierorganic forest green carrier


One of the best baby carriers, now made with organic fabric!  If you are practicing Attachment Parenting, or if you just want a convenient way to get around with your baby, this carrier is comfortable for both you and your child.  Provides a lot of support so that baby-wearing does not put all of the strain across your shoulders.  Keep your child close while still accomplishing necessary tasks in your house or out and about.  The movement you generate helps with development and keeps you connected.
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Clothes • Kate Quinn Organics

Kate Quinn Organic Clothing



Colorful, organic, stylish.  There is absolutely no reason to compromise on style to raise an organic child.  I can't say enough about the darling designs this company makes.  The clothing is also certified Fair Trade.  Look around the website and you are sure to find a retailer near you.  If not, the website lists some online retailers as well.  If you can, remember to off-set your shipping with some carbon offsets.  One organization we like to support is The Nature Conservancy with their Climate Change Voluntary Carbon Offset Program
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