Eco-friendly baby products that will reduce your family’s impact

baby-items

For all their amazing qualities, there’s no doubt that raising children can lead to an increase in your
environmental impact. With a newborn, you’ll have nappies, wipes and food containers to dispose of –
plus a vast amount of extra washing machine cycles to run.

And in truth, the environment may be low down on your list of priorities as a new parent – even if our collective concern for it recently reached record levels. Yet it is possible to have what you might call an eco-friendly baby.

One easy way to do this is to swap some of your everyday items for more sustainable alternatives. As with many green products, you may have to review your finances. Yet over time, you could save money and reduce your family’s environmental impact.

Read our picks of the top eco-friendly baby products below. 

Nappies

Disposable nappies are undeniably convenient and were no doubt praised as such when they first appeared on the market. But the sheer number we get through – around 3 billion each year in the UK alone – means that our convenience comes at a cost.

Reusable cloth nappies can be a viable alternative if you have the time to wash and dry them. Even just trying to stick to reusable nappies most of the time, and using disposable ones when it suits, will make a positive difference.

Toys

Toys can come at a price and quickly take over every room in your house – yet they do have important benefits for your child’s development. So rather than forgoing toys altogether, aim to collect them sustainably instead.

Second-hand toys will never be in short supply and you may have friends and family that will thank you for taking them off your hands. When buying new, try to choose sustainable materials such as wood rather than plastic.

Clothes

Like toys, children grow out of clothing incredibly quickly, so expensive fashion purchases can often feel like a waste. Trading second-hand options and hand-me-downs with family and friends can be a better option for the environment and your finances.

It’s nice to buy new clothing sometimes too, of course, so look out for pieces made from sustainable materials like organic cotton and hemp. They could be gentler on your baby’s skin too!

Baby food

While organic options are great, perhaps the greatest environmental obstacle is what your baby’s food comes in. Look out for brands that use recyclable glass jars rather than plastic tubs or pouches. Or better yet, why not make your own? 

Preparing your own baby food will give you full control over what goes in and usually works out cheaper over time. You can then store it in reusable tubs and save on waste.

Could any of these eco-friendly swaps work for you?