little green baby boutique: little green babies

“it’s not easy being green” (kermit the frog)

No offense to Kermit, but I have to disagree. It is easy. You just need the right information. Luckily, the eco-friendly movement is all the rage right now so many more people are asking questions about it. Finally, it’s trendy to be conscious about the environment instead of being branded a tree hugger or granola hippy. Not that there's anything wrong with that.

The purpose of creating this blog is to educate and show that eco-friendly options are out there - you just need to know what you're looking for. To make this easier for you, we will have multi-part "little green babies" post sorting everything out. Most families begin investigating these options when they find out they are going to be parents. Terrified of contaminating our little ones; we search for all the information we can get. Basic green lingo we are all familiar with are recycle and organic and all natural -- but there is so much more. Things like clothing made from plants, toys made from corn and super-soft stuffed animals made from . . . wait for it . . . recycled plastic bottles. Do I have your attention yet?

part 1 – bamboo for clothing

Let’s start out with clothing made from plants. And no, we’re not sewing leaves together like Adam & Eve. I’m talking about bamboo! It’s not just for floors and tables anymore. The fabric is created using the pulp of a bamboo shoot that is spun into thread. The fabric is then bleached, without the use of chlorine, and dyed, without the use of harsh chemicals. The production of bamboo fabric uses a process that requires less water than conventional dyeing methods, thus has a much lower impact on the environment than conventional cotton fabrication.

better for the planet
There are significant benefits to utilizing bamboo. Bamboo plants are very quick growers and do not require fertilizers or pesticides. They also need very little water and can survive both drought or flood conditions. (Gee, I wonder if even I can keep a bamboo plant alive? But I digress.) Another benefit to bamboo is that it releases a significant amount of oxygen into the atmosphere and reduces the level of carbon dioxide in the air. With their complex root systems, they are also known to prevent soil erosion and mudslides. Now if it could only do my laundry.

better for us
Bamboo also has many advantages over traditional cotton, especially for our wee ones. Bamboo fabric is softer than cotton fabric sporting a texture similar to silk. It is naturally organic, antibacterial and hypoallergenic and quick to wick away moisture from little bodies, rather than absorb it like cotton. I don't know about you, but when my girls are sleeping, they sweat like a marathon runner near in August. Bamboo clothes can dry twice as fast as cotton clothes and can be worn all year round since they keep you 2-3 degrees cooler in summer and 2-3 degrees warmer in winter. Don't let that lightweight fabric fool you - it's heavy duty.

perfect for baby
One of our favorite bamboo clothing brands is Kicky Pants. They make their clothes with with 95% bamboo and 5% lycra to make it stretchy. Their bamboo clothing for babies and toddlers are incredibly soft and luxurious. No more "Mommy, I feel scratchy". This stuff is seriously soft. With our wicked humid Chicago summers, bamboo is a perfect choice to keep baby clothed in lightweight breathable fabric without having them sweat like athlete. And the best part is - it's naturally organic! Bet you didn't know that, did you? I was surprised to learn that myself!

These are the reasons bamboo clothing is a staple at little green baby. We carry a wide variety of bamboo clothing for babies & toddlers and now, delicious take-me-home outfits for newborns.

Don't forget to stay tuned for part 2 - biodegradable toys made from corn!