Organic Baby Clothes – Pretentious Parents Or A Necessity?
Before my little sprog popped into the world, being an ‘organic mama’ was very much on the agenda.
Having written blogs for numerous natural cosmetics companies and natural health centres for years already, I was pretty clued up on the benefits of living green and equally, the detriment of the being exposed to the chemicals that are so prevalent in non-natural products. Because of this, my own routine was pretty healthy, from using natural shampoo and makeup to only buying organic fruit and veg whenever possible, but when my partner suggested that all of our baby’s clothes had to be organic too, I wondered if this was a step too far.
However, given what I already knew about the pollution of new-borns purely through the use of cosmetics that mum uses during pregnancy and whilst breastfeeding I was well aware of how sensitive these fresh-baked bubbas are and so I wasn’t about to dismiss this suggestion out of hand.
Organic baby clothes – a legitimate necessity or an over-priced scam for pretentious parents?
At first, I have to say that despite my insider knowledge, I was leaning towards to latter. But after delving into some research, I discovered that just as with so much else I’ve looked into, there is a scary truth behind the cotton industry, not the mention synthetic materials. Soon enough, my baby ‘want’ list went up a new level – organic baby clothes became a must for me.
Switching to organic baby clothes doesn’t have to break the bank! Thanks to increased awareness, going organic is gaining popularity, so we’re now seeing really affordable (and cute!) organic options in high-street shops like H&M and John Lewis.
Don’t worry, I’m 100% aware how twatty requesting only organic baby clothes as gifts sounds; I admit that it took me a while to feel OK insisting on it, but the more read, the more certain I became that choosing organic when it comes to clothes is almost as important as choosing organic cosmetics, for yourself and for your baby. I hope that by the end of this blog, you’ll agree.
Why Choose Organic Baby Clothes?
Chemical Free
Let’s start with the basics: choosing organic is always going to mean less chemicals and this is without a doubt true for organic baby clothes too.
Bamboo Suit by Zubu Baby
Non-organic Cotton farming accounts for a whopping 25% of insecticides and 10% of pesticides used worldwide – that’s an awful lot of chemicals (most of which are known carcinogens and the cause of many other issues, from allergies to hormonal imbalances) coating what we’re soon going to be bundling our babies up in.
And the chemicals don’t stop there! Once harvested, raw cotton requires a helluva lot of processing before it becomes wearable, and that processing includes many, many more chemicals including bleach and fire retardant, which has been attributed to developmental delays and is found in over 80% of children’s non-organic clothes, toys and bedding.
Now that you’re suitably horrified by what is considered the norm, you’ll be pleased to hear that organic farming and processing using none of these chemicals. Yup, none. I know which I’d prefer.
Best for Delicate Skin
Have you ever felt organic cotton? It is actually much softer than the regular sort and this is something that your new-born will seriously appreciate.
Doctors have likened young babies lovely fresh skin, that has spent 9 whole months protected in the comfort of a cosy womb, to feeling like sunburnt skin upon exposure to the harsh new environment that is the world. If you’ve ever had sunburn, you’ll know that the feeling of any material on your skin is far from pleasant, so the softer the better for our little ones.
I particularly love bamboo baby clothes, due to the silky soft texture and breathability, making it perfect for delicate skin and all temperatures. Another big bonus about bamboo is that it is all organic!
Best for Allergies
Those nasty, aforementioned chemicals have a lot to answer for, and some of those things are allergies.
The Environmental Working Group performed a study where they drew umbilical blood from the cord of 10 babies and revealed a total of 287 chemicals in the group, including pesticides, perflurochemicals and flame retardants. Of the 287 chemicals found, 180 are known to cause cancer, 217 are toxic to the brain and nervous system and 208 cause birth defects and abnormal development.
Why am I talking about something to do with before the baby was born? Because a vast amount of these chemicals are found in non-organic cotton and synthetic materials and are often big allergy triggers and sometimes, even the root cause. If these chemicals affected your blood stream enough to get through to your unborn baby, they’re definitely getting through to their blood stream post-natal when exposed on a daily basis.
Aside from this, organic is generally better quality. Bamboo is actually hypoallergenic, so this is the ideal fabric for allergy babies.
Stay on budget by checking out the fantastic seasonal sales on my favourite brand websites:
I was lucky enough to be given a bunch of gorgeous baby clothes by some fantastic companies to dress my little boy in once he arrived, so I’ve tried and tested lots! There are some great summer sales on right now, so stock up!
Zubu Baby (Bamboo)
Panda & The Sparrow (Bamboo)