Green
Friday, July 11th, 2008
You’ve turned green with eco-friendliness when it comes to anything for your newborn. But what about your skin?
Honeydew’s maternity skincare is paraben and preservative-free, and full of natural ingredients like calendula, evening primrose and oats that will get you through those precious months. Try the clean-smelling belly balm that glides on deodorant-style, or the soothing leg and foot lotion scented with a hint of mint.
It’ll suit you.
Available at honeydewskincare.com.
Tags: Beauty, Green, honeydew, Maternity, pregnancy, skincare
Posted in Beauty, Green, Maternity, UrbanBaby Picks, _NEWSLETTER_ | No Comments »
Monday, July 7th, 2008
Your houseguests were a little messy this weekend. So were the kids. OK, you contributed too.
No need to call Merry Maids just yet. TerraCycle’s new eco-friendly cleaners are non-toxic, hypo-allergenic and environmentally responsible, made with ingredients like purified water and essential oils derived from natural sources. The products, each about the size of a small soda bottle, are recyclable and have the “zero footprint seal.”
The footprint on your carpet is another story.
Available at terracycle.net.
Tags: cleaning products, eco-friendly
Posted in Green, Home Design, UrbanBaby Picks, _NEWSLETTER_ | No Comments »
Tuesday, July 1st, 2008
Your newborn has 300 Facebook friends, but the people who really care about her progress (Grandma and Grandpa, your social network-fearing sis) aren’t on the list.
Make it easier for them to keep track of their favorite baby: Kidmondo launched a new online baby journal and organizer that lets you post photos, keep an online diary and track milestones like a new tooth. If your baby book is still blank, this may be the way to finally write down the details of that first haircut.
Soon she’ll rule this cyber world, too.
Visit kidmondo.com.
Tags: technology
Posted in Green, UrbanBaby Picks, _NEWSLETTER_ | No Comments »
Monday, June 30th, 2008
When it comes to nurseries, you can either do your chocolate-brown-and-pale-blue modern Baby-reads-Dwell thing, or you can just wholeheartedly embrace the kiddie theme, with teddy bears and alphabet-block letters. But just because it’s meant for kids doesn’t mean it has to be tacky. Take, for instance, the “Lions, Tigers, and Kittens…OH MY” crib sheet set from Pixel Organics. At a sweet 220 threads-per-inch count of organic cotton (no nasty chemicals for your kid!), these sheets feel as good as they look. And with a fresh vintage-look pattern, they’ll have your friends wondering if your mom saved your baby sheets in a box in the attic.
Available at sparkability.net.
Posted in Green, Home Design | No Comments »
Tuesday, June 17th, 2008
You’ve found a rocker, bouncy seat and play mat that fit in with your furnishings. But that high chair — bright blue and plastic and junky all over — is your final battle.
Swap it for Svan’s new Anka convertible high chair, made from sustainable wood (read: no plastic junk). An adjustable seat, tray and footrest give babies 6 months and up their own little bistro for one. And if you manage to snag a reservation outside of Chez Mama, the chair folds and stores easily.
But why would you ever leave now?
Available at generationorange.com.
Tags: high chair
Posted in Food, Gear, Green, Home Design, UrbanBaby Picks, _NEWSLETTER_ | No Comments »
Tuesday, June 10th, 2008
If “environmental fashion” evokes a picture of your kid wearing a bib made of bark, think again. Earthy duds have gone designer.
For example, singer-songwriter and Grammy-nominated artist Marilyn Scott recently launched Starting Green, an organic clothing line for baby’s first year. Made in L.A. with domestically grown cotton, the collection boasts locally sourced fabric and eco-friendly manufacturers. The resulting overalls, jumpers, dresses and tree shirts are soft, sweet and simple.
It’ll help you get back to nature.
Available at startinggreen.com.
Posted in Children's Clothing, Green, UrbanBaby Picks, _NEWSLETTER_ | No Comments »
Tuesday, May 27th, 2008
There are moments in life when you need to hear those three, all-important little words: “No assembly required.” Like the next time you go furniture shopping after a humbling all-nighter spent piecing together your daughter’s dresser from 999 disparate parts.
Of course with kids’ furnishings, there are additional concerns: You want the items to be simple and stylish, preferably with rounded edges and non-toxic finishes. Eco Tots’ line, which includes an adorable, pint-size easel, coat rack and table and chairs, has all of this in spades. Plus each is made from sustainably harvested wood and — by George they’ve done it — big pieces that fit together easily and lock in place, no tools or hardware needed.
So you’re finished in a few minutes — and you don’t have to bring your Bob Vila game.
Available at ecotots.com.
Tags: furniture
Posted in Gear, Green, Home Design, UrbanBaby Picks, _NEWSLETTER_ | 2 Comments »
Thursday, May 22nd, 2008
Judging by the looks of her mashed potato tower, you may have an artiste on your hands. Too bad you chucked all the markers — sweet smelling but toxic — from the toy bin.
Eco-dough is an all-natural alternative to smelly, sticky sculpting clays. The handmade dough is gluten, dairy and soy free (for all those glue-eating kids out there) and can be revived with just a little olive oil. The gift bag comes with a bamboo rolling pin and reusable flour sack for five unscented colors like mango and lemon.
It’ll be putty in your hands.
Available at ecokids.com.
Tags: art, supplies
Posted in Green, Toys, UrbanBaby Picks, _NEWSLETTER_ | No Comments »
Monday, May 19th, 2008
Paper or plastic? By now we all know the answer is neither. But how many times have you forgotten to BYOB (bring your own bag) until it’s time to swipe the Amex?
Don’t feel guilty if you haven’t got a recyclable sac at home: Envirosax’s portable print totes (including a new kids’ line) hold an equivalent of two supermarket plastic bags, and have reinforced seams to help with the heavy lifting. And the reusable Its-las-tiks, made in New Orleans by Hurricane Katrina survivors, take the shape of its contents then springs back to a bag or pouch.
And have a clear conscience next time you hit the checkout counter.
Available at envirosax.com and whatsurbag-usa.com.
Tags: recycle
Posted in Green, UrbanBaby Picks, _NEWSLETTER_ | No Comments »
Tuesday, May 6th, 2008
All the warnings you ever heard about lead in toys come flooding back to you the minute your see your young chef sticking a Made in China play spoon in his mouth. Ever wondered why the box his cookware came in had a “Warning: Not for use with real food” sticker on it?
A safer option is Green Toys’ beautifully basic Cookware and Dining Set ($40), made from recycled milk jugs and other plastics and containing no traceable phthalates or BPA. They’re unpainted, so you needn’t worry about lead, and they’re durable and safe enough to be used to hold real food. Tea parties without fear! What a wonderful world we live in.
Available at WoodenHorseToys.com.
Tags: cookware, Green, green toys
Posted in Food, Gear, Green, Health, Safety, Toys, UrbanBaby Picks | No Comments »