Stuff Parents Need

Easing the chaos in the nest, one find at a time.

4 Reasons to Buy Organic Clothing, and A Great New Store! (Giveaway!)

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I have talked many times over the last few years about striving to purchase more organic products for my family, and in particular, for my children.  There’s no doubt about it: buying organic and eco-friendly products, in general, can be pricey. But I believe making a few key investments is completely worth it.

The trouble is, I don’t know WHICH products to choose and which ones to pass on. It can get really overwhelming to try to research EVERY. SINGLE. THING. that will touch your baby (clothes, diapers, baby wash, toys, bottles, etc.) and honestly, there have been times when I have just decided to go with whatever is the cheapest, or whatever I can find the fastest. And any time I take either of those roads, the end result is often that I DON’T get the product that was truly the best fit for me and my family.

Buying Organic and Eco-Friendly Products on a Budget

So what to do? I want to make a good choice, but now that I have 2 kids, I have even less time to spend hours and hours researching products. This, my friends, is exactly why I am really loving Organic Treasure. This is an online eco-boutique run by Vivian, the mom of an 8 month old infant, who has decided to put her passion for and knowledge about all things eco-friendly to work for other parents who want to make great choices for their children, their homes and their gardens. She has great picks for every family, whether they can purchase an entire wardrobe of organic cotton and an entire nursery of eco-friendly toys, or if they can only buy one thing. Organic Treasure has already done the hard work for you, and each item in the boutique has been hand-selected as being truly outstanding amongst its competitors. On the site you will even find a baby registry to help make the process of preparing for your new baby easy, as well as a great registry checklist. I appreciate that it is a bit more streamlined than many of the checklists I have seen, and sticks more to the basics; what you REALLY need!

organic baby registry

At Organic Treasure, you’ll find brands such as Aden & Anais, Baby Soy, Miyim, Green Sprouts, Under the Nile and Finn + Emma. You will also find that Organic Treasure was awarded the Green America Bronze Certified Business Seal. This award comes after a rigorous certification process, and is presented to small businesses that show a clear commitment and dedication to positive social and environmental change. Vivian shows her dedication to environmental stewardship not only in the products she carries, but also in how she runs her business, right down to running on 100% wind energy and using recycled paper products and soy based non-toxic inks. Organic Treasure is truly a model for what the future could look for all businesses!

As I was perusing the site, I also read a great article that listed several reasons we should all strongly consider purchasing organic clothing. I wanted to share some of them with you today because they are really eye-opening!

reasons to buy organic cotton and organic bamboo

4 Reasons to Buy Organic Clothing

1. Bamboo is a great alternative to cotton, as it is VERY sustainable (the fastest growing plant in the world!). This product also grows easily without pesticides or fertilizers, and it is naturally antimicrobial. It is the perfect choice for people with sensitive skin! And if you have never worn it, let me tell you…it is super soft!

2. Conventional cotton is the most widely sprayed agricultural crop in the entire world. Washing the fabrics only eliminates a fraction of the toxic chemicals found in the clothing made from it. I personally have actually researched how to get pesticide residue out of clothes and the short answer is this: you can’t. 🙁

3. Organic cotton is free from these toxic chemicals. It is also not treated with formaldehyde (all conventional cotton contains this nasty chemical, which gives the cotton a smooth finish and color). This chemical is known to absorb into the skin. Yikes!  

4. As demand for organic materials increases, so will the supply! Businesses and farmers will change farming practices and switch over to more sustainable products as more people start purchasing them. We are voting with our dollars!

I found Organic Treasure to truly be a treasure trove of fantastic products and helpful information. I also love that it is run by a mom with a real passion  and desire to help other parents make great choices for their families. You will receive impeccable customer service from this company and can even reach out to Vivian with any questions you may have about which products to choose for your family. She would be delighted to help you!

Win it!: One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader will win one item of your choice from Organic Treasure with a value of up to $35!

Be sure to enter my other current giveaways, found on the sidebar of my page.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Special thanks to Vivian at Organic Treasure for partnering with Stuff Parents Need for this post. All thoughts and opinions expressed here are strictly my own, as always. 

bamboo photo credit: Stuck in Customs via photopin cc

Refreshing Styles, Organic Fabrics for Baby: Finn + Emma Review and GIVEAWAY!!!

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After checking out a local consignment sale last week, one thing became abundantly clear: if you want to dress your baby girl in pink, there is NO shortage of opportunities. There’s even quite a large selection for you if you want to dress her like a little diva or princess.

But what if you don’t? Well, your options are decidedly more limited, then. I have no problem putting my girls in pink (though I’m not so fond of diva/princess stuff). But I’d prefer that this color not dominate the closet. I imagine that I’d feel the same way about the color blue if I had a little boy. Why confine ourselves to these colors? Are we terrified that someone will think they are the opposite sex? I can tell you from experience that people will make the wrong guess no matter how much pink/blue you put your kid in. Darah’s had her ears pierced since she was 6 months old, and that didn’t stop people from guessing that she was a boy, either!

If you, like me, are always on the hunt for clothing that is a refreshing change of pace from the norm, I’ve got a delightful company to share with you today. It’s called Finn + Emma. The clothes all have such a sweet vibe that make them precious for babies, but they do not look like what you might find at a Carter’s store or even a local consignment sale. The designs are different and absolutely delightful. And if that’s not enough to get you to take a closer look, you should also know that Finn + Emma clothes are made from organic material. Hooray!

A few weeks ago I received a sweet little baby girl romper that made me squeal when I saw it. The flower detail and the slightly puffy sleeves give this outfit such a feminine feel without beating you over the head with the, “I’m a girl!” message. The soft purple is so pretty (purple happens to be my favorite color). It is going with us to the hospital in the event that our baby is large enough to fit into 0-3 months clothes from the start. As simple as it is, I think this outfit is cute enough to be a “going home” outfit contender!

Finn + Emma is the type of company that breathes new life into the baby clothing industry. Their sustainable and fair trade practices also make them the type of company I want to support as a consumer. Their clothing is also constructed out of very high quality materials, which means that it will last through several babies, and potentially even several generations!

Buy it!: The romper I received to review retails for $37.00 and can be purchased here.

Win it!: One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader will win your choice of romper for a boy or a girl from Finn + Emma!
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