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Sustainable trends are springing up in response to making the world eco-friendlier
Photo by Emma Bauso from Pexels
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Many industries are taking advantage of these sustainability trends, and the baby industry is one of them. Today’s sustainable parents want the best for their children. In addition, child care can be hard work: changing diapers, feeding, clothing, and investing in things like toys, car seats, etc. can collectively take a toll. Staying committed to a sustainable lifestyle as a new parent can be hard.
Here are 8 trends that can help make parenting more sustainable for parents who want to be eco-friendly.
1. Sustainable Materials
“Single-use and plastic products are no longer preferred by most parents today,” says Jasmine Tafoya, a lifestyle blogger. “In addition, brands are looking into ways to make single-use and plastic obsolete.”
One of the brands leading the charge is VEOCEL, an eco-fiber that’s made from renewable material wood. When it comes to baby products, this eco-fiber can be used to make things like sanitary products to eco-friendly wipes. For example, baby wipes made with VEOCEL can be gentle on the skin yet durable throughout its use. Once VEOCEL is used, its fibers can be put back into the environment since they’re biodegradable and compostable.
2. Reusable Baby Wipes
Believe it or not, you’ll use baby wipes to clean up baby messes (especially when diaper-changing). However, using traditional baby wipes will not only tug at your wallet, but they’ll also take a toll on the environment.
Luckily, there are many reusable wipes on the market that are not only much better at cleaning up baby messes, but you can also choose how you want them. One option is to buy them new. Another option is to cut up an old towel into wipe-shaped pieces. No matter which option you go with, you’ll get plenty of baby wipes when you’re able to reuse them instead of throwing them away after one use.
3. Subscriptions For Baby Clothing
Nowadays, people are using subscriptions to “try before you buy,” or rent.
If you want to reduce unnecessary clothing waste, then check out some baby-clothes subscription services like Rent-a-Romper or Upchoose, which let you order a pack of clothing based on your child’s size. Once your baby outgrows the clothing, you can exchange them for a larger size.
4. Second-Hand Clothing
If baby-clothing subscriptions aren’t your thing, you can always head over to your local thrift store and get more baby clothes there. In fact, you’ll be surprised to see how much second-hand clothing that you’ll find that are great bargains.
Another way to get second-hand clothing is to ask your family, friends, or neighbors if they have any clothing that they’re looking to get rid of.
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5. Reusable Bottles
Just as there are reusable wipes, there are also reusable bottles. Instead of opting for plastic-made bottles, which can be harmful to the environment when thrown away, reusable bottles last for a longer time to where you won’t want to get rid of them.
6. Sustainable Gear
“Sustainable gear can also be a part of child care,” says Jane Jordan, a business writer. “When you buy gear for a baby, know that less is more. That means finding products that will last for more than just a few months. For example, you can invest in a car seat that will last until your child reaches 10 years old. You can also invest in sustainable toys like wooden blocks, which last for a long time physically and play-wise.”
7. Low-Waste Lifestyle
The low-waste lifestyle consists of doing all the above trends discussed so far. From using second-hand items to opting for high-quality products that last for a long time, this lifestyle can be achieved, even if you’re not a parent to children.
8. Tech Products
Finally, sustainable parents can’t go wrong with technology. Smart devices can be used to help conserve time, energy, and waste. For example, the Lumi sleep kit can monitor your baby’s sleep, and even alert you when it’s time for a diaper change.
Ultimately, sustainability is up to parents. When you take these trends into account, they’re fairly easy to adapt in the parenting scene. By being more sustainable, you can easily be an eco-friendlier parent.
Elizabeth Hines is a writer and editor at Ox Essays. As a content writer, she writes articles about the latest tech and marketing trends, innovations, and strategies.