Tag: organic

Pottery Barn Kids eco-friendly finds

Published on by Vanessa GregoriaLeave a comment

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:

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Organic Baby and Kids Clothes

Published on by Vanessa Gregoria1 Comment

Something that was very important to me when I was preparing for my daughter was buying organic baby clothes, produced with GMO-free, pesticide-free materials and free of chemical processing. I resisted the urge to buy every cute baby outfit I saw and stick to safer and more eco-friendly brands that I felt more comfortable with.

So why do I prefer organic clothing for my baby? Well for a start something I found with most organic brands is that they can tell you where the fabric is from, where the clothes are made and how they are processed. This transparency is something that you will not get from big department stores or many brands. They can’t tell you anything and will just repeat the same old line that it meets ‘Australian standards’. Unfortunately, these standards don’t cover harmful substances or meet standards covered under OEKO-TEX certification. Many of these organic brands are covered under Global Organic Textile Standard or  OEKO-TEX. If they are not I’d be asking a few more questions.

Babies skin is a lot thinner than ours and can easier absorb harmful chemicals. I feel better knowing that the clothes I am buying for her wouldn’t have anything harmful chemicals and dyes. Cotton is heavily sprayed with pesticides and synthetic fabrics are made with petrochemicals, plastics and other substances. Then the fabrics need to manufactured into clothes, so finishing chemicals and flame retardants may be added. The Australian Standard states that Children’s nightwear and limited daywear (for sizes 00 to 14)  must have fire hazard information label. This means they have been chemically treated or are a snug fit. If not buying organic it’s always best to check that snug fit is the reason for low fire danger. For more information on this subject check out the links below.

Not all organic baby clothes are created equal so it’s always best to check out their website or ask a few more questions before you commit to purchasing. Below are some questions that I like to ask.

Tips for buying organic on a budget:

  • Sign up to baby boutique and favourite brand websites for sales and vip events
  • Take advantage of Instore sales and Outlet stores
  • Gift registry for stores or websites
  • Buy basics in bulk to take advantages or sales and free shipping
  • Web search favourite brands and style until you find sale/free shipping
  • David Jones Gift vouchers
  • Only buy what you need!
  • Invest in organic pyjamas (to avoid flame retardants)

Below are some organic brands available to buy in Australia. Although there are heaps great brands, many you may only find online or in baby boutiques. You can find a few brands in David Jones, such as Purebaby, Huxbaby and Naturebaby. The only brand that I am aware of that has physical stores and outlets is Purebaby. H&M also have their Conscious range, which uses organic cotton. Target and Best & Less also have an organic baby range (note you get what you pay for). Although buying in-store can be easier sometimes, some of these other brands have quite unique prints and have quite good quality materials that continue to look new after many washes.

My favourites are Purebaby, Sapling Child and Joey Jelly Bean. All of which haven’t faded over time and stretch well for growing babies. H& M is good for basics and washes well. Best & Less was probably my least favourite in terms of fabric longevity and shape.

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