Growing Up Green Presents: The Green Guide – May 2010
Posted: May 10th, 2010The Green Guide is brought to you on the first Monday of each month by expert in the field Raquel, from Growing Up Green (affectionately dubbed ‘GUG’), the Australian authority on modern eco, green, environmentally friendly and fair trade options for kids.
Read previous The Green Guide posts here.
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1 - There’s a few things guaranteed to bring a smile to a girls face and somewhere on that list is a lovely piece of neck candy. In this case, the ‘Candy’ in question is a beautiful matching set of Mama + Me wooden bead necklaces in pretty dots of red, pink and green. A charming way for mums and daughters to accessorise together, these Italian made necklaces also come with a colour code guide to help you both choose outfits to match the jewellery! Find out more
2 - Know a wee lone ranger in need of a fashion uplift? This spritely – and somewhat prickly! - design from Barley and Birch will certainly put some Yeehaw! into his, or her, day. Made from 100% organic cotton, it’s part of a collection of nature inspired tees with a pop art aesthetic and an eco purpose: 15% of profits from these t-shirts are ploughed back into social causes. Find out more
3 – If you haven’t guessed, I can confirm these funky all natural rubber wellies are indeed a New Zealand design; the Kiwiana boots feature rural scenes with native animals (and a few English imports!) hand painted onto each and every one. Yes, from the country that gave the world Bungee jumping we now have gumboot art! You don’t need to be a Kiwi - like myself – to totally love them though, when it comes to kids their unique design speaks the universal language of frolicking good fun! Find out more
4 – With children around you may feel you have enough attitude in the house, but I guarantee Snooshy won’t give you as much grief! The handmade yak softie is the head honcho in the city of cool, with his edgy outfits – made from fabric castoffs, no less! – and cheeky, irreverent character, you and yours will be as smitten with him as if he were one of the family! Find out more
5 – One of the first casualties after childbirth is a woman’s favourite accessory: that super cute handbag with room enough for all your girlie joys suddenly becomes woefully inadequate in the face of nappies, bottles, wipes, spare clothes and balms! New mums need to size up, fortunately they need not sacrifice style for size. Transforming unused seatbelts into snazzy nappy bags, US brand Maggie Bags proves toting nappies is indeed a glam affair! Find out more
6 – That lovely little handbag I mentioned above, the one you’ll no longer be able to use post childbirth? Here’s one of the reasons why: change mats! Unless you plan on never leaving the house, you’ll definitely need one! For those who’d prefer to rest babies tush on something green, Thula’s biodegradable rubber mats are ideal. Easy to clean, with a super soft organic sherpa ‘Puddle Pad’, they manage to make what is commonly a messy business so much more agreeable! Find out more
7 – There’s a lot to love about a product designed to make you look good after childbirth, and while I’m sure the only heat you’ll feel post delivery is your hormonal rush, the Hot Mama Gown certainly delivers in terms of functionality. Gorgeously chic and 100% organic, the gowns have breastfeeding panels, an expandable waist and full snap back enclosure, ie it’s a hospital gown, though far prettier than its generic cousin. Find out more
8 – Would you believe switching to a waste free lunch box reduced one school’s lunch time trash by a humongous 35 bags?! At the centre of this spectacular achievement is the newly released Go Green Lunch Box, a seamless bento style system with built in compartments, lock and seal functionality and a funky insulated bag to keep it all chilled! If the thought of packing food in plastic baggies gives you a climate flush and your child’s breaking records for most containers lost, then you need to Go Green! Find out more
9 – Fancy giving baby an instant mohawk? In amongst all the cutesy kidswear, this delightful hand knitted hat is a surprising, fun antidote to the sugar overload! Alas, the cool accessory performs a double duty: it warms and protects bub’s head in sassy fashion and provides funds for the education of underprivileged Tibetan girls. Find out more
10 – These fair trade Freak-O-Bags easily win my top vote this month: funky, handmade, fair trade and infinitely useful, how could they not?! Tackling one of our biggest eco issues, aka the disposable plastic bag, with total functionality and a big dose of cool, the freaks are rife with kid appeal. Throw a few their way and you’ll have ‘em hooked on the merits of reusable bags faster than you can say school’s out! Find out more
Discover more green finds at Growing Up Green the Australian authority on modern eco options for kids.
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