The Ultimate Guide to Sustainable Baby Clothes

In addition to better quality materials, sustainable baby clothes and the companies that make them are helping create a better future for your little bubs. Use this guide to feel good about the clothing choices you make for all members of the family.

Babies and kids can be rough on clothing, which is enough reason to invest in quality pieces that last through childhood adventures. However, there are even more important reasons to source sustainable baby clothes for your little ones.

Sustainable fashion companies are aware and mindful of their social, environmental, and economic impact. Sustainable fashion refers to the garments, manufacturing process, company activities, and stakeholder actions and how these factors aim for carbon neutrality. Sustainability encompasses the entire lifecycle of textiles, from how it's produced, used, and disposed of.

With the rise of fast fashion, sustainable fashion is the only way to prevent waste, environmental destruction, and exploitation of workers in the clothing industry. Making sustainable choices regarding baby clothes is one way to make a difference. 

There used to be seasonal fashion lines, and now it seems there are new (and temporary) styles popping up every week—for babies and adults alike.

Here are just some of the harmful effects of fast fashion:

• Depletion of non-renewable resources
• Water pollution
• Increasing CO2 in the atmosphere from transporting products
• Microplastics in the ocean
• Worker exploitation in developing countries
• Potential skin irritation from fabrics
• And more

The introduction of fast fashion means consumers cycle through their clothing and goods faster, and most of these short-lived items will end up in landfills. Instead of shopping at a fast fashion retailer, choosing sustainable baby clothes for your little bubs is better for them and the environment.

You can't put a price tag on sustainability. Budget-conscious shoppers may lean toward a lower price tag, but sustainable baby clothing offers plenty more advantages to your little one and the world where they will grow up.

Purchasing baby clothes from an eco-conscious company makes you feel good about your choices. It provides a host of benefits to your little one, which can include:

• Safer fabrics that are better for a baby's skin
• Long-lasting materials that can be passed down to other little bubs
• Supporting ethical, fair-trade, cruelty-free, or eco-friendly fashion
• Reduced carbon dioxide and greenhouse gas emissions
• Reduced waste generation

Many positives come from buying sustainable baby clothing; it can be one of the first environmentally-friendly acts you and your little bubs engage in together.

Unless you already know the quality of a particular baby clothing company, do your research—and read consumer reviews. Sustainable clothing is meant to last and should be made with quality construction and materials that withstand even the most active little ones.

If you want to practice sustainability when shopping for baby clothing, consider bypassing what's trendy for what's timeless. Selecting items that will be just as adorable five years from now will ensure that the little bubs who receives an outfit as a hand-me-down looks just as cute.

At Nest Designs, we make every garment with sustainability and quality in mind. Our designs and patterns are evergreen and gender-neutral, so they stand the test of time. 

Fabrics like cotton, hemp, and bamboo are ideal for the sustainable shopper. Make sure you know the fabric of a garment before purchasing it to ensure it aligns with your values.

Nest Designs uses materials in our clothing so you can rest easy, knowing your baby is comfortable and safe. Two of the most sustainable fabric materials we use are bamboo and cotton. 

• Bamboo is ideal for babies because it is breathable, moisture-wicking, thermal regulating, and fast drying. It's naturally antibacterial and hypoallergenic. Bamboo grows rapidly and can regenerate after being harvested, which is why it is so sustainable. 
• Cotton is comfortable and gentle on babies' skin because it is hypoallergenic. We use GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard) Certified Organic Cotton, which has no toxic chemicals or GMOs. It is sustainably processed with natural production methods and uses less water and energy. The GOTS-certified organic cotton is Nest Designs' most sustainable fabric. 

Learn more about our fabrics, view our certifications, and find out which premium materials we use and why on our website.

Certifications indicate which standards a particular fabric meets for production and quality. Here are some of the credentials you should be aware of if you are trying to shop sustainably:

• OEKO TEX indicates that a particular material was produced safely without harmful chemicals.
• Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) ensures the organic status of a material and that its production complies with environmental standards.
• ECO CERT verifies environmentally friendly practices and organic standards.
• Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) confirms that the forests where fabric is sourced are managed responsibly.

There are multiple ways to acquire baby clothing sustainably. Buying new isn't the only option. Shopping at second-hand stores reduces waste and overproduction and helps extend the life cycle of existing garments. If you are handy with a sewing machine, you can upcycle textiles and other clothing to make a new baby outfit. Instead of shopping, swap baby and kids' clothing with your friends and family.

To sum up, here are some of our top tips for purchasing sustainable baby clothing:

1. Research baby clothing brands to learn about their sustainability efforts.
2. Choose ethically sourced, renewable fabrics, and have certifications that indicate the material quality or standards. Bamboo, hemp, organic cotton, and Tencel are some of the more sustainable fabrics out there. Spend time and get to know fabric features before you buy them. 
3. Buy timeless, well-constructed outfits that can be used for your little bubs now and any other little ones in the future.

At Nest Designs, we make premium baby clothing responsibly. We constantly examine our business practices to see where we can reduce our impact and make more sustainable choices for our consumers, manufacturers, and the environment.

We prioritize sustainability because we want children to grow up with an optimistic future. Choosing sustainable baby clothing is one way we can all impact the world for the better.