Safe Baby Clothes, Buying Baby Clothes on Budget
Two weeks ago I talked about the benefits of wearing natural fiber clothing and some of the chemicals that go into conventional clothing. If you want to check out that blog post please go here. In short, we looked at the "superpowers" of wool and linen fibers and the benefits of it for your skin. Cotton too is beneficial but it is a crop with very high pesticide use, therefore it's best to stick with organic cotton. Additionally, clothing that is labeled OEKO-TEX Standard is produced at a certain minimum standard of sustainability and safety, and therefore natural clothing with this label is safe. But regarding baby clothes where do we even start? Obviously, we want our little newborns and toddlers to have the absolute safest things in every regard, but what is actually safe?
Note: This blog post contains affiliate links, which means I make a small commission at no extra cost to you. See my full disclosure here.
Safe Clothing Brands
I first became aware of the hazards in baby clothes while watching Birgdet Teylor's Built to Birth YouTube channel video on 6 Toxic Baby Products. Although this information can be super overwhelming and discouraging I recommend that anything you watch on toxins in your home and safety hazards just remember that any progress you make is good progress and is benefiting the health of your family. We can't make everything perfect, so don't put it on yourself to try.
Colored Organics - Best Overall
One of the companies that strive to create safe clothes for babies is Colored Organics. Colored Organics is probably my favorite baby clothes company of all time because not only are their clothes made with organic cotton, but they are cute and versatile. They have clothes ranging from newborn to six-year-old children and even have some items for moms. They also have pretty neutral colors that can be paired with other clothing pieces. There are so many items on their site you have a lot to choose from, plus they rotate their clothing selection seasonally, so you can get some really cute items for the upcoming season. The only downside is their products can run a little bit expensive. Fortunately, you can buy a lot of their items on sale towards the end of the season or wait for holiday sales. Also, if you sign up for their email list you can save 15% on your first order.
Moon and Back - Best for Price
Probably my favorite alternative to Colored Organics is Moon and Back on Amazon. Their items are OEKO-TEX Standard and 100% Organic cotton. This is my go-to brand for pants, t-shirts, and any of the basics. Their items are such wonderful quality and I have never been disappointed by them. Furthermore, their items seem neutral enough to pair with a lot of different things, although most of the time I just purchase their items in white so that they work for baby number two. They don't have as wide of a selection as Colored Organics, however, they have quite a big selection. I do notice that their stuff seems to run a hair small, so keep that in mind if you are cloth diapering and ordering onesies or rompers. Best yet, they are super affordable in comparison to some of the other companies!
Honest Baby - Cheapest Option
Another baby clothing brand that makes clothing out of organic cotton is Honest Baby Amazon. This is a good alternative to Moon and Back if you are looking for something even cheaper. Their items aren't OEKO-TEX Standard from what I can tell, however, they are made with 100% organic cotton. Honest Baby has several different styles to choose from, almost as many as Colored Organics, and they have a lot of bulk options to save money. Honest Baby also has some items for mama so that is a plus as well! Their items are not as well made as Moon and Back and sometimes the edges of the items are left unfinished. I believe this is a style choice, but it's not always preferable for baby or children's items that are going to be played in. I definitely like their clothing but I would only buy something from Honest Baby if I couldn't buy it from Moon and Back because I feel confident in the OEKO-TEX labeling that Moon and Back has. Otherwise, Honest Baby is a very affordable alternative to organic natural clothing that is safe for your baby!
Burts Bees Baby - Easiest to Find Everywhere
You may be surprised to hear this, but Burts Bees actually has a product line for babies that includes clothing, it's called Burts Bees Baby. Although I am not a huge fan of Burt's Bees Baby's skin products, I absolutely love their clothes! Burt's Bees has a very wide selection and is very affordable. Plus, you can find their items in almost any store, so you don't have to go online to buy something. I also really like that they have so much variety in patterns and colors unlike some of the companies. They also rotate their selection seasonally so you almost always can find something you are looking for.
Owlivia - Another Great Alternative
Another clothing brand I absolutely love is Owlivia Amazon. They have really cute baby onesies, nightgowns, pajamas, and hats in sweet neutral prints that are 100% organic cotton. I received a couple of baby rompers in newborn size and absolutely loved the quality! The only thing I dislike about this brand is some of the patterns on the fabric actually cause the fabric to not be as soft. So whereas the solid colors and some of the more muted prints are super soft, some of the prints make the fabric a little rougher. There's not a lot of consistency with which will be soft and which won't so that is a little bit tricky. But otherwise, they definitely have some cute options that are great for your little ones.
O2 Baby - Quality Alternative
Now the brand O2 Baby on Amazon is another one of my favorites and would probably beat Moon and Back on quality if they had a larger selection. Their items are so premium soft and made so well. They feel like the types of items that will last forever. Also, they're made with 100% organic cotton and come in some really pretty solid colors. I also love their kimono gowns since they are button-down (my favorite type of baby nightgown) and the button folds up over the baby's feet to keep them warm! Most of their items only go up till 6 months so that is pretty disappointing but from newborn until 6 months they have some of the best organic options.
Gunamuna and Bums & Roses - Best Bamboo
Two other safe baby clothing brands are Gunamuna and Bums & Roses. Gunamuna is labeled OEKO-TEX Standard and most of their items are made with organic bamboo. Gunamuna has some pretty cute unique items you really can't find with a lot of these alternative brands. However, much like Colored Organics, they definitely run up their price. They also don't have as wide of a selection as Colored Organics. Something I like about their items however is they are made very conveniently. All of their nighttime sleeping bags have diaper access, their rompers are easy zipper access but only at the diaper area, and they have a lot of convertible footed items so that you flip over the pant leg and have your baby's feet covered or leave them exposed. Really the designs alone are worth the extra cost, but that is up to you. Bums and Roses is another safe baby clothing company that makes children's clothes out of bamboo. They have much brighter prints with fun little graphics, so if you are looking for something more along those lines, I would suggest them. The only thing I'll say about both of these is bamboo is a type of rayon which is a semi-natural fabric. If you are curious about reading more about bamboo please refer to my previous blog post here. As a rule of thumb, I try to stick to linen, cotton, and wool, but bamboo is definitely an alternative if you find some pieces you love through these companies.
Woolino, Iksplor, and Disana - Best Wool
Almost all of the options I listed above are organic cotton clothing, which is just hard to find wool or linen clothing for children. However, there are three relatively affordable wool baby clothing options that you can get for your little one. Woolino is typically known for its sleep sacks, which can be pretty expensive, however, they also have some wool baby clothing that is pretty affordable. I like that most of their items can be purchased directly from Amazon and they are neutral enough to be paired with other items. Iksplor is a baby and children's base layer company that sells Merino wool undergarments for the family. Although these items are typically for outdoor cold weather use, they also make for good PJs and daytime garments. Their items are noted for their quality and durability and they even have an option to buy second-hand on their site. Unfortunately, their items are pretty expensive, so it is quite an investment, however, if you can pick some items up second-hand from their site or even find them on eBay their cost will definitely be worth it. Disana is probably my favorite wool brand out of the three, but really only because I can almost always find a discounted item on eBay. They are a German company and I am unsure that you can buy directly from their site here in the US. However, Green Mountain Diapers, Amazon, and Mama Owl sell Disana items on their site, so you can fish around for what you are looking for. I typically go to eBay or now ThredUp to try and find what I'm looking for since the items are typically discounted. All Disana items are made with organic Merino wool and are so soft and beautiful. You just have to be careful when you wash them, however, you can refer to my Easiest Wool Wash Routine blog post for more information on washing wool. This method will work with wool clothing as well.
Etsy - Buying Linen
Currently, I have been unable to find a baby clothing brand that sells baby clothing with 100% linen. This is such a bummer because, during the warmer season, linen is a perfect breathable option for your baby. Instead the only linen clothing I have found for babies has been on Etsy. There are definitely some cute options, however, they can run you pretty expensive. A couple of shops that sell baby items made out of linen include LaPetiteAlice, The Little Heidi, and Linen Mama Shop. You can also access my Etsy baby clothing list which has lots of linen and wool items. I have yet to purchase any linen items yet because of the cost and the fact that linen baby items are hard to find second-hand. Instead, I've put aside some of the old linen shirts that I plan on making into baby shirts and little dresses. If you happen to buy from these shops, let me know what you think!
Buying on Budget
A huge thing that most parents are probably concerned with is cost, and I don't blame you! Although I would love for all my baby's clothing to be 100% organic cotton, wool, or linen, I know that just won't happen. What I try to do, is buy the clothes that matter. What does that mean? It means the clothes she is going to be wearing the most like her daytime pants and shirts, her socks, and her sleep sacs are the one's I'm going to be the most concerned about. Yes she has one or two 100% polyester dresses that grandparents or aunts have gifted her, and yes she will wear them for pictures, but that's about it. She's not living and sleeping in them all day every day. The clothing she is going to be in all the time, those are the pieces I am going to be concerned about, and honestly, you can get away with two-night sacs and only three t-shirts and two pairs of pants even if you only do laundry once a week like I do. Obviously, that's not taking into account blowouts or super drooly days, but throw in an extra pair of pants and a shirt or two for that and you're good. Babies don't need a lot. They also don't need to be super stylish. Additionally, I buy as much as I can second-hand. We have a Once Upon a Child about thirty minutes away, so when we're in town, we stop there and look for some second-hand clothing. You'll be surprised by what you can find! Shopping on eBay and Thredup are also great options, or asking your friends for some hand-me-down clothing. You won't always get what you're looking for, but sometimes you can find some real gems. Also, second-hand clothing is safer for your baby anyway, since any toxins in dyes or in the processing phase have likely been thoroughly washed out. You can almost always find something somewhere, you just have to be willing to be flexible.
If you like this content, please share this blog post with other moms.
Thank you so much for reading till the end, your support means the world to me. Feel free to follow me on Social Media where I host more content just like this! You all are amazing and I hope you have a blessed day! Thanks!
