I just love hunting for homewares and home decor. I could spend hours looking in showrooms and pinning my favourite furnishings and decor. Since having my daughter I am always on the look out for pretty eco-friendly, organic or non-toxic furnishing and manchester. Brands that carry these lines are usually hard-to-find, expensive or only sell online (imported). Big retailers usually don’t carry these kinds of goods. When I have asked questions about the products they sell I usually get a blank stare and the (imaginary) Australian compliance lines. One big retailer that I have found that carries beautiful interior goods for kids, which offers eco-friendly options is Pottery Barn Kids.

Pottery Barn Kids is part of the American parent company Williams-Sonoma, along with Pottery Barn and West Elm. Over the past few years, they have opened stores across Australia. These three brands are mostly housed in the same locations. Their products vary from reasonably priced to expensive. However, I do find the quality of the furnishings are quite good compared to large Australian retailers and the website gives plenty of information on materials and certification. In saying that there a lot of terrible MDF furniture and a bit of green washing, but if you know what your looking for you can find some great products. I have noticed that many eco-friendly products lines on the American website are not offered in Australia stores. However, I was assured by a store manager that these products will make their way over in time.At the end of this post, you can find the information of different certifications that most of these products carry.

These are some of my favourite eco-friendly finds that are available in store at the moment:

Quilt Covers  and Sheets

These gorgeous quilt covers and sheets are all made of organic cotton. They come in a variety of styles, which change every season. Just be sure to check the certification on the style you prefer. Most of which have one of both of the Certified GOTS standards and Oeko-Tex® Certified. There are some organic products listed on the website that doesn’t have these certificates so always check in store or send an email to customer service when in doubt for more information.

 

Cot Sheets

These sweet bed linens are made of organic cotton, which is certified GOTS or/and Oeko-Tex. They can also be matched to their adorable quilts, bumper, cot skirt and cushion cover. Again just check with all certification, for your products preferences and add-ons.

 

Swaddle Blankets

These swaddling blankets are all made of organic cotton. Some are thicker blanks perfect for prams and others are thinner muslin cloth. Some are listed as Certified GOTS, Oeko-Tex® certified and Fair Trade USA-certified. Just be sure to check individual specifications.

 

Furniture

Currently, there are only a few furnishings in the store that carry the Greenguard Gold Certification. These items are all made of solid hard wood and won’t release nasty chemicals in your child’s bedroom. The dresser and convertible cots both come in white and grey. The chair and ottoman are filled with 100% natural latex foam surrounded by fibre.

 

Towels and floor mats

All of these bathroom towels and mats are made of organic cotton and are high quality. Although they are a bit of a splurge, they often go on sale and change in design every season.

 

Toys

Many of the toys sold in the store are free of BPA,  phthalate and lead, some are finished in non-toxic and water-based paints. Not all of the toys are free of these nasties, so you do have to be picky. Most seem to be higher quality in design, which is reflected in the pricing. They carry many wooden toys, but beware of plywoods and MDF, which may be pressed together with formaldehyde.

 

 

Certification

Certified GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standards): This product meets the gold standard of textile production – it exceeds organic fibre requirements, contains no restricted chemicals and meets strict social responsibility standards.

Oeko-Tex® Certified (non-harmful production), the definitive mark of excellence for products that are healthy for your children and healthy for the environment.

Fair Trade: This product was made using Fair Trade USA-certified materials and manufactured in a Fair Trade USA-certified factory. The nonprofit gives farmers, workers and communities in developing nations the tools they need to leverage the free market and live fair, healthy and sustainable lives.

Greenguard Gold Certification: ensures that a product has met some of the world’s most rigorous and comprehensive standards for low emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) into indoor air.