The Chemicals Our Kids Are Wearing – Why This Momma Chooses Organic Kids Clothes

 

The list could continue and it doesn’t get any less horrifying. And this is only listing the negatives in relation to our HEALTH.

Consider the environmental consequences, as well as the fact that most of these plants have abhorrent working conditions for their laborers who are continuously dealing with these hazardous toxins (many of the laborers are children).

As I researched this topic for my family, I became so angry that money was more important to these companies than the health and safety of so many people. How can companies, in good conscience, manufacture clothing that is literally dripping in a toxic stew, sickening our children and our environment? And while that is a good question, the reality isn’t changing and the real question is, “What can I do about it?”

The problem with organic kids clothing is, simply put, a daunting one. My laundry room sees a constant cycle of dirty clothes. And, to be brutally honest, kids are messy and sticky. Buying a pair of organic pants for $50 can be a hard thing to justify when you can ominously predict those pants will have muddy knee stains in no time. You don’t want to purchase a wardrobe for your children that won’t allow them to be children. You don’t want to hover over your children when they’re eating something red and sticky, with an invisible dollar sign hovering over that expensive organic t-shirt…

But the fact remains that how we spend our money is powerful. Choosing to be conscious of companies that exploit children, ignore safety concerns of known carcinogens, and import cheaply made clothing that will flood our landfills – this has great weight and power. We can’t change the world, but we can change ourselves and, in doing so, make a small, significant difference.

So, organic clothing? In my research and planning, I have come to the conclusion that I can’t always afford to buy ALL organic clothes for my kids. But some types of clothing are more important to keep strictly organic such as underwear, undershirts, pajamas. No compromises there because those are the articles of clothing that spend the most time directly touching our skin. Searching out other natural options, clothing that is fair trade and eco-friendly, finding companies who don’t treat their fabric with toxic chemicals, and avoiding any and all clothes that come out of China or Japan – that is a feasible and more doable option for the other clothes you need in greater quantities. Buying organic undershirts to wear underneath tops that are not organic is a great way to keep the majority of the skin touching chemical free fabric.

(Note: be sure to wash your organic clothing separately from your non-organic clothing!) 

The absolute most affordable option is H&M. They have a surprisingly large selection of organic clothing in baby and children’s sizes. Their organic clothing is made of 100% organic cotton and the patterns and colors are adorable, but trendy – just what you would expect from a hip European outfitter. Keep in mind that only some of their offerings are organic, so make sure to do some searching. Because the prices are so reasonable, these are organic clothes that you can send your kids off to sit in mud puddles without worry.

Here are some of my favorite H & M kid’s organics:

 

Hanna Andersson is another European clothing line known for it’s bright color pairings and graphic, but minimal designs. As with H&M, not all of their clothing is organic, but all of their clothing is OEKO-TEX approved. OEKO-TEX® is a worldwide consistent, independent testing and certification system for raw, semi-finished, and finished textile products at all processing levels, as well as accessory materials used. They test for harmful chemicals, contaminants, and strictly abide by Europe’s more carefully regulated laws regarding what textiles can contain.

Hanna Andersson clothing is definitely  a little more pricey, but if you shop a sale it quickly becomes more affordable. I like to stock up on their organic underwear, and my kids exclusively wear Hanna pajamas. I also make some intentional purchases of the more pricey items (such as sweaters or jackets) that I know will last.

These Hanna Andersson picks are definitely not “play in the mud” clothes:

 

“We want children to play in our clothes, not make them.” Yes, YES! This company gets it. Everything is organic and adorable and also reasonably affordable.