Kids

May 5, 2008

BPA-Free Camelbak Plastic Water Bottle


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Bisphenol-A (BPA) has been in the news a lot lately, as governments are finally admitting this hormone disruptor is bad for humans, particularly children. Senators Charles Schumer and Diane Feinstein have just introduced a bill to ban BPA in all children's products, and the US House of Representatives is investigating the FDA's claims that BPA is safe for human consumption. Canada declared BPA a "dangerous substance".

When I first learned about BPA, I immediately switched my family's water bottles to Klean Kanteens, including sippy cups. Now, Camelbak has created a BPA-Free version of their Better Water Bottle.  This plastic bottle is dishwasher safe (top shelf), lightweight, durable, BPA-free, pthalate-free, and made of a new Triton material.  It has a standard cap, so it will fit backpacking water filters that require this for attachment, like mine.  Now I really can toss the Nalgene bottles and go camping without lugging heavy stainless steel bottles around.

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December 5, 2007

Kikkerland Piggy LED Flashlight

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Speaking of rechargeable flashlights, how about this Piggy LED Rechargeable Flashlight from Kikkerland for the kids on your list? Give the piggy a squeeze to charge it! Oink!

Available at Kikkerland Piggy.

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November 29, 2007

Astrotot: Organic with a Sense of Humor

ATFOSH-BS-ON-PH.jpgGone are the days when organic cotton meant hippy dippy. There are A LOT of folks using organic cotton for their baby clothes these days. So a parent can be discerning.

Astrotot now makes an organic line of baby clothes and kids t-shirts with a sense of humor. According to the press release for the new organic baby gear,

Astrotot prides itself on providing uniquely funny, insightful and expressive infant and toddler gift wear while supporting sustainable cotton farming practices and ecologically responsible printing methods....All designs are printed in-house using a revolutionary eco-friendly digital printing process and packaged in distinctive gift boxes made of recycled cardboard.

ATWEDG-BS-ON-PH.jpgWe haven't seen the shirts in-person, but on the website they look to be high quality. And "I Have a Wedgie" and "Fo'Shizzle" are pretty darn funny.

Be sure to select from the organic line, if that's what you're after; other shirts are sweat-shop-free American Apparel, but not organic.

Now through December 15th, Astrotot is offering free shipping on orders over $40.

At Astrotot.

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November 26, 2007

Arabella Miller Kids T-Shirts - Now Shipping to U.S.!

Good news, organic t-shirt fans. Alison at Arabella Miller just wrote to let us know she is now shipping her adorable organic cotton kids t-shirts to the U.S.

We blogged about Arabella Miller's fun graphic kids t-shirts last month. As you'll recall, they're so organic (cotton, ink, etc.) that they're soil-certified. And, just as importantly, they're (almost) as cute as the sweet little muffin you're going to put in them. At the time, we lamented that they were only available in the U.K. Well, it's a global world. Yippee!

We especially like the new long-sleeve t-shirts, pictured here, which have a cool, retro baseball shirt look. Nice.

Shipping to the U.S. costs seven pounds. Not a bad deal when you consider that overnight domestic FedEx is about the same.

Available at Arabella Miller.

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November 1, 2007

Blirt Kids Shirts and Pants Available at Barneys

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Kathleen Tracy from Blirt just wrote to let us know that starting today Barneys New York (and Chicago and Los Angeles) will be carrying Blirt's infant and toddler shirts and pants.

We're big fans of Blirt's wordplay designs - available in t-shirts and longsleeve t's - designed to introduce kids to the playfulness of the English language. (Check out our Blirt t-shirt review from last May.)

And, we like it that Blirt shirts are made of 100% organic cotton, using non-toxic dyes and are water-base silk-screened (a more environmentally friendly process). According to Tracy, the decision to go organic wasn't part of the original business plan until Blirt ran into some delays sourcing the shirts:

During the delays, we learned about conventional cotton farming and were dismayed to find that it is actually one of agriculture’s most environmentally destructive activities. So the decision to go organic was really a no-brainer.

We're glad to hear it, and glad to hear that that Barneys will be carrying Blirt's kids shirts and pants. Sounds like there's a market for "organic without the crunch" baby wear. Hallelujah!

Available at Blirt and in-store at Barneys.

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Preserve Jr. Recycled Toothbrush by Recycline Supports the National Wildlife Federation

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Now that your little ghosts and goblins have devoured their Halloween candy, let's take a look at an eco-friendly toothbrush.

If your little cookie is too smart to be wooed by bubblegum flavored toothpaste and a Dora the Explorer toothbrush, check out the Preserve Jr. recycled plastic toothbrush by Recycline.

The toothbrush handle is made of 100% recycled plastics, including at least 25% recycled Stonyfield Farm yogurt cups. The ergonomic, pea pod shaped handle makes it easy to grip. The nylon bristles are soft and gentle on kids' teeth and gums.

Each brush features a fun fact about one of three endangered animals: the Karner Blue Butterfly, the Utah Prairie Dog or the Grizzly Bear. And a portion of the proceeds from each toothbrush sale supports the National Wildlife Federation's efforts to protect endangered species.

As if good dental hygiene isn't a reward in itself.

Available at Preserve Jr. Recycled Toothbrush.

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October 31, 2007

More Eco-Friendly Halloween Tips

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Here's a link to more eco-friendly Halloween tips from Mother Earth Living. I like the idea for a solar-powered jack-o-lantern.

More at Mother Earth Living.

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October 30, 2007

Planning an Eco-Friendly Halloween

GreenPumpkin-m.jpgProps to Ask Umbra and NatureMoms for offering suggestions on how to plan an eco-friendly Halloween.

Ask Umbra's column
from this year focuses on green, safe, economical alternatives to Halloween candy or plastic toys:

You need something cheap that is easily available in bulk, and that is acceptable to children. What do kids want, if not silly toys and tasty candy? Pens and pencils, and tiny boxes of crayons, are a traditional, sort of academically focused item. You could also buy several boxes of fat markers and strew them about in baskets; if you combined all these drawing utensils, children of varying ages will be able to choose one they like. Small musical instruments like kazoos, mouth harps, and whistles could be fun, if they aren't made of toxic Chinese plastic. Stickers, temporary tattoos, and trading cards are small and cheap. You could look up a variety of knock-knock jokes at the library, pick 10, and print each one on 30 business card-sized papers. There, that's my big idea -- knock-knock jokes.

Last year's Halloween column, also a favorite, dished up this advice:

(M)ake a collection of things that you own and are ready to get rid of, like CDs, books, jewelry, trophies, trinkets, and the like. Put them in a treasure chest of your own devising and let the children choose one item each. Ooh, sparkly.

NatureMoms' article includes a list of eco-friendly Halloween candies, trick or treat bags, party treats, decorations, and Halloween costumes. Read more at NatureMoms.

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October 22, 2007

Arabella Miller Organic Kids T-Shirts

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Alison Rothwell just wrote in to tell us about her new company, Arabella Miller, making organic cotton t-shirts for babies and toddlers. The shirts are made of organic cotton, and even organic ink. And the designs are awesome. Check out "Puppy Love," one of our favorites, at right.

Arabella Miller
is located in the UK (and, alas, doesn't currently ship to US locations), but UK orders ship for free!

Order at Arabella Miller.

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October 10, 2007

Kee-Ka Launches New Website - Baby Bedding and More!

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Kristi at Kee-Ka wrote in last month to let us know they've launched their new website.

We're big fans of the Brooklyn-based company's organic cotton baby clothing and accessories (totally cute graphics and sooo soft!). The new site features Kee-Ka's new organic cotton crib bedding collection, hooded towels and even cute little tank tops for your pet! (We saw a sneak preview of the pet gear over the summer, and it's adorable!)

Check it out at Kee-Ka.

Read our reviews of Kee-Ka baby clothes and accessories:

Bodysuit, Bib and Burpcloth Gift Set

Organic Cotton Baby Blanket

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October 2, 2007

Klean Kanteen Sippy Cup - BPA-Free for the Whole Family

stainless-sippy-cup.jpgBPA-free drinking vessels aren't just for babies and grown-ups. Check out your toddler's sippy cups to make sure they don't contain the dangerous chemical compound found in hard plastics. (Here's how to tell.)

We first started paying attention to the risks of Bisphenol-A earlier this month when we realized the bottles we were using for our baby were made of the hard plastic associated with the chemical. We've since replaced our hard plastic baby bottles with BPA-free soft plastic bottles and recycled our old Nalgene bottles in favor of Klean Kanteen stainless steel water bottles. Next up? BPA-free stainless steel sippy cups.

The Klean Kanteen stainless steel sippy cup is safe and non-leaching, with no epoxy coating on the inside of the bottle. It comes with a non-leaching #5 polypropylene adaptor and #5 polypropylene sippy spout. (The Klean Kanteen Sippy Cup also works with the Avent Sippy Spouts - two of which are included - and is dishwasher safe. ) When your child outgrows the sippy spout, you can replace it with any other Klean Kanteen cap.

Available at Klean Kanteen.

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August 20, 2007

Green Back-to-School Supplies at Office Depot

We're sad to say it, but summer is nearly over. If you're heading back to school, you may want to think about purchasing green and eco-friendlier school supplies this year.

A number of major retailers (including Home Depot, Wal-Mart, and Amazon) have started stocking "green" merchandise for customers who prefer eco-friendly purchasing options.
nav_logo.gifOffice Depot is no exception, with a whole section of their website devoted to a green buying guide.

475224_sk_lg.jpgThe green school supplies buying guide includes tips on what products are out there, and ways in which you can minimize the environmental impact of your purchases. Suggestions include notebooks made from recycled and post-consumer recycled paper, alternative fiber paper products made from sugarcane and banana fiber, and certified AP non-toxic pencils, crayons and paints and solar powered calculators.

The Buy Green site includes a description of the criteria Office Depot utilizes for selecting greener products and a a detailed FAQ that breaks down terminology for different levels of recycled content, labeling, and certifications.

Check out Office Depot's Green School Supplies Buying Guide.

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July 30, 2007

Little Green Star: Organic Cotton Baby T's with a Message

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Victoria Holland, co-founder of Little Green Star, just wrote to tell us about the company's line of organic cotton baby t-shirts, designed to inspire and educate -- and bring a smile to your eco-conscious face.

Shirts are emblazoned with cute graphics and statements like "Water Pollution Makes Me Crabby," "My Other Stroller is a Hybrid," and "My Dad Recycles More than Your Dad."

All shirts are printed on 100% organic cotton using non-toxic water-based ink. Too cute.

Available at Little Green Star.

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June 18, 2007

Mimi the Sardine Reusable Lunch Bags

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Disposable bags are out; reusable bags are in. But you don't want to use your EZ Bag for everything. Which is why we were excited to learn about Mimi the Sardine's Lunchbugs line of cloth lunch bags.

They're made of safety tested acrylic coated fabrics that are eco-friendly, are machine washable and 100% lead-free. They're also insulated, easy to clean, and resist odors from that healthy lunch you packed (that your kid left under his desk all day).

Mimi the Sardine Lunchbugs lunch bags come in three patterns - chicks, monkeys and kitties. Having trouble deciding which you like best? Pick up one of each and let your kid pick a different one each morning.

Mimi the Sardine Lunchbugs available at ReusableBags.com.

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