A sustainable lifestyle is a habit, a way of living. It starts with small, baby steps, followed by incremental changes over time that bring about the big shift eventually. And like any habit, it’s easier when you start early.
With the growth of plastics and chemicals of all kinds, we are swamped with adulteration in all that we consume. From our food to our daily-use essentials, chemical-laden products are everywhere. And food, toys, personal care, and clothes for kids, adorable though they may look, are not spared either!
While we try to ensure they eat clean food and breathe clean air, we sometimes overlook that what toddlers wear is just as important.
It is estimated over 8000 synthetic chemicals are used in the fashion manufacturing process. This includes carcinogens and hormone disruptors, flame retardants, AZO dyes, chromium, and formaldehyde, which can cause skin irritation and aggravate allergies. And then there are the microplastics, about which you can read more in one of our earlier stories.
All this is bad news for everyone but especially so for babies and kids who have delicate immune systems and are more prone to respiratory problems. Parents have to navigate through this landscape to pick products that do not harm their kids.
The good news is that there are now safe alternatives for most things. We have written earlier about how to choose toys for your kids that are non-toxic and safe. When it comes to clothing, there are plenty of options in fabrics like bamboo and organic cotton to choose from! Intrigued? Read on.
What is Sustainable Clothing For Children?
It is clothing in fabrics that are made of fibres and plants grown and manufactured responsibly. It is clothing that does not use nasty chemicals in the dyeing, printing, and other production processes. That means clothing and manufacturing practices that do not aggravate land pollution by adding clothes that don’t biodegrade to the landfills nor cause water pollution from the chemical run-offs from factories into the waterways or leaching into groundwater. It is functional clothing that is made to last and can be re-sold or re-used. Finally, sustainable clothing is clothing that is gentle on your baby’s young skin and doesn’t cause itches, rashes, allergies, or respiratory problems.
“Finally, sustainable clothing is clothing that is gentle on your baby’s young skin and doesn’t cause itches, rashes, allergies, or respiratory problems.”
Sustainable clothing is also clothing that can reduce water consumption, the use of pesticides, and energy consumption. It can also be clothing is handmade because ‘making’ reduces the carbon footprint of your clothes, uses lesser resources, gives you more autonomy, reduces wastage and hence is a great way to reduce your impact on the environment. Lastly and most importantly, it is clothing that is meant to be worn and loved for a long time.
Easy Steps Towards a Sustainable Wardrobe
There is now a host of innovative fabrics that are produced through sustainable and earth-friendly methods and are good for your baby’s skin. Organic cotton and bamboo are the most popular choices. Bamboo even has natural antibacterial properties.
Making the shift to a sustainable wardrobe for your kids is a simple two-step process.
- Buy, either new or second-hand, only what you need from the many homegrown labels that are making sustainable clothing for kids. Also, know that there is no stigma in wearing pre-loved clothes. There is, in fact, a certain charm to wearing an older sibling’s or cousin’s hand-me-downs!
- Pass on, donate, or rent clothes that your child has outgrown, to help extend the lifecycle of the clothes.
You can also explore more about incorporating sustainability in your life as a mom-to-be or a new mom here.
Here are some more ideas to set you off on this wonderful journey of raising your precious bundle of joy, safely and sustainably.
1. Shop from Sustainable Brands
We have curated a list of some of our favourite homegrown brands of children’s clothing created by entrepreneurs who aim to fashion a new generation of responsible citizens for whom the planet comes first.
- Nigh Nigh: A sleepwear and bed-linen brand, made entirely of 100% BCI cotton fabric which requires 14% less water consumption, Nigh Nigh is serious about caring for the planet. The product ranges are in soft colours and feature cute motifs. Started by two childhood friends, young mothers themselves, they bring their own experiences to bear on their labe
Source: Nigh Nigh
- Masilo: This is a conscious baby brand that offers products made in GOTS-certified highest quality organic cotton. From a toddler’s first bed to something for their first swim and more, there is much to choose from. We particularly loved their thoughtfully assembled gift sets and swaddle bundles, all in muted, soothing colour tones and prints. Masilo has ideas for personalised gifts, birthday favours, and more, so do check them out!
Source: Masilo
- Greendigo: Greendigo offers clothing and accessories for babies and kids up to 12 years of age. All products are made in GOTS-certified organic cotton. Not only does this women-led label focus on designing its products thoughtfully, but its commitment to the planet is also obvious in its emphasis on sustainability in all its processes, from adopting fair trade practices in manufacturing to plastic-free packaging. The impact calculator for each purchase is a good reminder of the power that each of us has to make a difference!
Source: Greendigo
- Superbottoms: While diapers are a boon for new parents, disposable diapers are an environmental nightmare. Superbottoms addresses this problem with its range of eco-friendly, skin-friendly, and reusable cloth diapers. The cloth diapers are made in 100% organic cotton and each diaper can be used hundreds of times, without causing any itchiness or diaper rashes on sensitive little bums! And did we say how cost-efficient this is as you don’t have to keep buying expensive disposable diapers? Finally, with their blog, you can also join a community of people talking about baby care, pregnancy, and much more!
Source: Superbottoms
- Cocoon: Cocoon has a range of baby wear in bamboo fabric. Bamboo fabric is soft, breathable and 100% biodegradable. Besides, bamboo is a fast-replenishing plant which makes it a most sustainable alternative. The fabric used in the label’s product ranges is OEKO-TEX certified. They even offer to take back the clothes that the babies outgrow and pass them on to those who have a use for them.
Source: Cocoon
There have been several brands of conscious clothing launched in recent years. Some of the others worth checking out are Zeezeezoo, Forty Red Bangles, Nino Bambino, and Mi Dulce An’ya. We promise to come back soon with another edition of a roundup of babywear and kids’ clothing that are conscious, chic, and adorable!
2. Don’t Throw When They Outgrow
Buying pre-loved clothing or passing on the clothes that your kids outgrow is one of the most sustainable practices. Did you know that buying a pre-loved item can reduce its carbon footprint by 82%? The global second-hand apparel market is estimated at US$ 71,225.6 million in 2022 and is projected to expand at a CAGR of 14.8% from 2022 to 2032, reaching a valuation of US$ 282,748.6 million by 2032.
Jump on the pre-loved train! When your kids outgrow clothes, which they do quickly while the clothes are often still in usable condition, using pre-loved marketplaces or even swapping with your friends and family, allows you to pass the joy to another child. Below are some circular platforms that can help you sell and buy pre-loved child’s clothes:
- The Share Bear: This Mumbai-based platform allows parents to shop and sell pre-loved items for children. They promise a transparent process, and a hassle-free experience, and take care of picking up, checking the items, and shipping them. There can be no easier way to declutter your home and extend the lifecycle of products!
- PreHugged: Born during the COVID pandemic that challenged parents to find ways to keep their kids occupied, PreHugged is a platform for pre-loved clothing, books, and toys, that, additionally, offers, the option of donating the proceeds to charities.
- Uptot: This is another online marketplace that offers a seamless experience to buy and sell pre-loved children’s books, clothes, toys, furniture, and other baby gear and even nursing and feeding essentials.
All these marketplaces are helping build a circular economy of sharing and re-using, and helping parents buy things they need without burning a hole in their pockets and dispose of what they don’t any more responsibly. What’s not to love?
3. Create A Capsule Wardrobe
As they grow older, most kids know exactly what they want or don’t want, and choose their clothes. And, unlike adults, they love to repeat the same clothes, wearing them repeatedly, as the clothes get softer with multiple washes!
Creating a capsule wardrobe is about buying limited clothing that can be mixed and matched as coordinates in several ways, creating multiple outfits for your child. While there are no set rules as to how many items you need to build a capsule wardrobe for your child, depending on their age and their requirements, you can start with the following:
- Basic tees x 5
- Basic neutral-coloured trousers and/or skirts x 3
- All-in-ones (dungarees, rompers, dresses) x 3
- Seasonal wear like winterwear and monsoon gear
- A selection of accessories like hats, headbands, and socks
Mix these up to create endless outfits and your kids will never tire of wearing their same beloved clothes!
4. Make The Clothes Last Longer
Too many clothes, especially kid’s clothes because they outgrow them quickly, are prematurely thrown away. Currently, 90 % of clothes are thrown away before they need to be, and are often discarded after only 10 uses. Unfortunately, 73 % of unwanted garments end up in landfill or are incinerated. This is often a result of damage from incorrect care. Did you know that 25% of the carbon footprint of clothes comes from the way we care for them?
Caring for your kid’s clothing correctly will not only increase the longevity of the garment but reduce the risk of clothes becoming unwearable. By paying attention to care labels, air drying, and storing clothes properly, and by mending small tears or holes, we can increase their lifespan.
In one of our earlier stories, we delved deeper into raising planet-loving kids.
All It Takes Is A Little Nudge!
Globally, an estimated 92 million tonnes of textile waste is generated each year, which is equivalent to one rubbish truck full of clothes ending up in landfill sites every second. By 2030, 134 million tonnes of textile waste are expected to be discarded each year.
Admittedly, children’s clothes can be a challenge because they need to be replaced frequently as kids keep outgrowing them and they wear-and-tear more. But by choosing what to get for them, making the clothes last longer, and passing them on responsibly, we can still make a difference!
School kids are leading the movement against climate change around the world and have spearheaded several environmental campaigns, be it to save trees or ban polluting crackers. They are more aware of ecological issues than we give them credit for. A gentle nudge to get them thinking about what and how they wear early on is all that is needed to inculcate lifelong habits of buying less and wearing better!
