5 Eco-friendly Gifts for Newborns and New Parents

In today's world, plastic is omnipresent. No matter how much you try to avoid it, these harmful materials and chemicals somehow still make their way in. 

Eco-friendly parents do their best as they try to generate zero waste, but it’s quite a daunting task in itself.

Parents want their children to start their life with the best and the safest products and environment. 

For parents who are concerned about the planet and the environment, sustainable and organic baby products are important as they are free of plastic and easier on the environment. 

And of course, surrounding your little munchkin with natural and chemical-free products is going to keep them safe from the harmful and hazardous effects of the dangerous chemicals and toxins. 

But take a look at the baby products in the market, and you’ll find plastic everywhere.

These plastic containing products like diapers, wipes, toys and bottles all add to the plastic we use and discard. 

So whether you are buying products for your own baby, or looking to shop for newborns arriving in the life of someone you know, be sure to keep the environment in mind as well as their health and safety.

What are Sustainable Gifts?

While buying gifts for babies can be super-fun, with their cute little clothes and tiny hats and mittens, it can also be a very tough task.

After all, there are several options available for you but so little time (and maybe even money) to explore them all. 

You also need to keep in mind that whatever you buy is safe for your baby. It should be free of all sorts of harmful chemicals, toxins and plastics.

And while these may be a bit harder to find, there are a lot of brands offering natural, organic and sustainable options.

But if you are having difficulty deciding on what to buy, or if what you have chosen is sustainable enough or not, just ask yourself the following questions.

• What is the composition of the products? 

Look for eco-friendly materials, free of chemicals and toxins, which are safe for both the baby and the planet.

• Who is the manufacturer, or maker of the gift? 

It is important to look at the manufacturer or maker. Analyze their brand and history, and determine if they are who you would like to associate with. 

• Is sustainability implemented across the entire brand and business?

Don’t be satisfied with surface-level organic products!

Try to associate with brands, who implement sustainable practices wherever they can in their business and operations. 

Whether it’s a popular brand or a small local one, look for those who genuinely care about the environment and take sustainability seriously. 

• Is the gift reusable and practical?

There are a lot of gifts new parents can do without, so why not buy some essentials that they might need in their journey as parents?

These products which are used frequently are also pretty expensive, so help out young parents wherever you can and gift them practical products or those that can be used later in life. 

5 Eco-friendly Gift Ideas

1. Organic Clothing

You can never go wrong with some adorable baby clothes. But there are some things you need to keep in mind while shopping for baby clothing. 

Unless the baby is premature, avoid going for newborn clothes as little babies tend to grow out of these clothes quickly.

Sometimes, they might not even fit in newborn sizes for more than  a week or two at most.

You might even want to avoid 0-3 month sizes as new parents are bound to get a lot of clothes as gifts in these sizes.

Instead, go for bigger sizes than newborn, 3-6 months sizes or 6-9 month sizes.

Also while buying larger sizes, do keep in mind what season it will be when the clothes you buy would be in use.

If you buy a pair of cute shorts, then make sure that the cold won't be knocking at the time when they are finally in use. 

As for the fabric, we would recommend organic cotton. 

Unlike common cotton clothing for babies, the organic ones are made of raw materials that are grown and processed without the presence and use of harmful chemicals like toxins, pesticides or synthetic fertilizers. 

Organic cotton, which we mentioned above, is grown using natural methods like crop rotation, composting, and without the use of harmful pesticides which leads to a safe, sustainable and healthy crop.

Sustainable materials when used in baby clothes not only makes them an environmentally friendly choice, but is also safe and healthy for the baby. 

Conventional cotton clothes, while being produced, emit high levels of greenhouse gases.

Globally, this happens to be a major pollution causing industry as they use large amounts of water, cause a lot of pollution and degrade the soil.

On the other hand, organic clothes ditch the hazardous chemicals and reduce the impact of their production on the environment, which makes them a lot more sustainable. 

As you do your small part towards protecting the planet, you are also protecting the newborn baby from the risks of allergies or irritations. 

Organic cotton clothes are gentle on their super sensitive skin.

They are free from harmful chemicals, pesticides, and other toxins like carcinogens, that cause short-term effects rashes, allergies or other skin problems.

There are possible long-term effects on their health also. Thus, organic clothing is much more safer and should be considered for babies.

2. Toys and Books

When it comes to toys, wooden ones are much more sustainable and safer then the plastic ones.

They contain much fewer chemicals that would harm your baby, whether in short term or long term.

Wooden toys are very popular these days, as well as easily accessible.

But while buying wooden toys make sure they are not treated heavily with chemicals protecting against fungi.

There are also bath toys. While most of them are made of plastic, look for those with natural rubber.

Considering toys are likely to end up in your baby’s mouth, natural rubber is a much safer option as compared to plastic.

A lovely option for gifts can also be wooden activity centres. These are a great option for when a baby starts to walk and makes it easier for the little one to take their first step.

Although, new parents can even use it for younger babies as an activity centre is great for stimulating a baby’s senses due to the large number of toys.

Soft toys are also very popular these days. If you want to gift a new cuddling companion to the little munchkin, soft toys made of recycled plastic is a sustainable option. 

They are eco-friendly, and reduces the amount of plastic waste on the planet. Plastic is repurposed into soft and cuddly toys instead of ending up in landfills or oceans, polluting the environment. Not to mention, babies love them!

While saving the environment, soft toys made of recycled plastic are also safer and non-toxic.

They are composed of high-quality materials after being thoroughly tested to ensure that they meet safety standards.

Free from harmful chemicals like BPA, phthalates and lead, rest assured that your baby would be safe from any ill effects from the toys.

Such soft toys are also pretty durable. They can withstand the wear and tear that comes with being a baby’s favorite toy.

Considering how they last long, parents wouldn’t need to constantly replace these toys, which can be expensive and wasteful.

Another option that you might not have considered are board books. As babies grow older, these board books and their collection would come in handy for babies to enjoy. 

Books can not only be bought new, but also second-hand in good condition. Plus, they don’t take up much space as compared to toys and other gifts.

3. Glass Bottles and Bamboo Dinner Sets

Did you know that microplastics have been found to be consumed by babies? So, if you want to gift new parents something like bottles, sippy cups, plates and bowls, ditch plastic completely.

Instead, you can go for bamboo dinner sets.

Not only are they safe and free from hazardous chemicals and toxins, you’ll also find some that are ultimately biodegradable. They are durable, sturdy and also reusable. 

For babies, you’ll find a number of bamboo dinner sets with cute and adorable designs.

When it comes to bottles, go for glass ones. Not only are they inexpensive, but are also much more environmentally friendly as compared to plastic bottles.

Glass bottles are free of harmful chemicals and toxins, and are also much more safer for the little ones.

Microplastics are everywhere. In fact, they have even been found in the womb!

While heating plastic, it breaks down and releases chemicals we do not want in our bodies. 

And considering we consume microplastics every day, it is a great choice for our health to ditch plastic bottles and dinner sets. 

You may be worried about whether glass bottles break easily or not.

But don’t worry! You’ll find that glass bottles are incredibly durable, last for years and cannot be broken easily. 

You can try Philips Avent glass bottles that are made of borosilicate glass and devoid of BPA. Plus, they can also be disinfected.

Glass bottles are also generally resistant to heat and thermal shock. They can also be safely stored in the fridge or warmed.

4. Baby Skincare

Considering how useful personal care products are, baby skincare products are a great practical gift option.

Organic and natural skincare products ensure that the delicate and sensitive skin of babies are protected. 

As they are free of harsh chemicals, toxins and synthetic fragrances, they are more eco-friendly than traditional baby products.

Thus, there is a less risk of skin irritation and allergic reactions in babies from these products. 

Do look for natural and organic skincare products like shea butter, coconut oil, and essential oils.

These are gentle and effective ingredients that do not harm the environment or the baby’s skin. 

These are sustainable and renewable raw materials that are free of toxic chemicals and are safe for baby’s skin.

You can also consider products with olive oil as an eco-friendly skincare ingredient. It has very moisturizing and anti-inflammatory properties. 

Another commonly used ingredient you might find in these eco-friendly baby skincare is essential oil, like those of lavender, chamomile and calendula.

These are known for their soothing and calming properties and can help reduce inflammation and redness of skin.

But do keep in mind that for some babies essential oils might cause skin irritation or allergic reactions.

5. Diaper and Wipes Subscription

Diapers and wipes are must-have essentials in any newborn household. These are staple products that parents and babies can’t go without. 

Babies use a lot of diapers, and ask any parent, wouldn’t it be convenient if they just never ran out of diapers? 

Running to a shopping centre with a baby just to stock up on diapers and wipes is not an easy task.

Sometimes, parents might not even remember to buy more when the diapers run low. 

In such cases, diaper subscriptions are lifesavers.

Not only do diapers appear on your doorstep every month, you also save money by enjoying some great discounts. 

Allter’s diapers and wipes are natural and organic, and also environmentally friendly.

The diapers are made of bamboo and are clinically certified for being rash-free.

They are free of harmful chemicals and fragrances, and are super absorbent and with a wetness indicator. 

Wipes, on the other hand, are made of 99 percent water.

Containing aloe vera extracts, they are super moisturizing and free of fragrances and chemicals like parabens, phthalates, SLS, dyes etc. 

Allter diapers and wipes are gentle on baby’s skin as well as the environment. 

So, if you want to gift new parents something very useful and practical, then a diaper or diaper and wipe subscription is the way to go. 

Get a 20 percent discount off on Allter’s diaper subscription here. There is an option of 4 packs per month and 5 packs per month.

For Allter’s diaper and wipes subscription, go here. For wipes, you have the option of 3, 4 and 5 packs per month.

Conclusion

As we have seen above, the best gifts are those eco-friendly baby gifts that are free of chemicals and toxins, are credible brands that are safe, functional and durable.

Look for clothes, towels and bibs with organic cotton or other natural and sustainable fabrics.

You can go for board books, wooden toys, soft-toys made from reusable plastic or organic cotton.

If you want teethers or pacifiers, look for those made with natural rubbers. You can also look for rattlers made of organic cotton or wood. 

You can also go for glass bottles and bamboo dinner sets instead of plastic ones to reduce their consumption of microplastics.

When it comes to personal care products like diapers, wipes or skincare, go for organic and natural products that are free of hazardous chemicals and toxins.

Such products are not only sustainable and eco-friendly, but also safe for the baby’s health and skin.