With parenthood comes great responsibility – and increasingly that sense of duty is all encompassing; what we want to do for the good of our children needs to be better for the planet generally – and as a result, the demand for clothes that are as beautiful as they are responsibly sourced is growing all the time. Livia Firth, the front runner for fashion’s sustainable potential, lists Stella Kids, Popupshop, Smalls and Yoli & Otis among her favourites but, she says, “hand me downs with friends and family are a key resource as children’s clothes fit for such a short amount of time”.
Read on for a list of the best sustainable fashion choices for children:
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Newbie
Having opened its first UK store in Richmond last week, Swedish label Newbie is a perfect mixture of traditional design elements with modern needs. Made of either 100% organic cotton or recycled materials, these clothes are luxuriously beautiful and very fairly priced – offering a colour palette that translates from season to season so you can match new purchases to old ones as they get handed on. It’s spawned something of a cult following, with the @newbielovers Instagram a source of clothes swapping and a general sustainability love-in for parents in the know. (And they are offering free monogramming on all purchases in the new Kingston store during the first weekend of December.)
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Bamford
Well known as a label for generating a #lifegoals hashtag whenever women are photographed wearing it – easily, sumptuously simple and effortlessly chic – Bamford does a fantastic job for babies too. The softest cashmere hoodies, onesies and mittens, alongside a range of organic skincare for children that is as pure and chemical free as newborn skin needs it to be, set a pretty impressive standard for your children to live up to as they grow up.
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Muddy Puddles
Natasha Ascott’s label – founded from a love of encouraging children to enjoy the great outdoors – has added a line of raincoats made from plastic bottles; all of which carry the signature Muddy Puddles colourful, durable, positive mental attitude. “To discover that 80 plastic bottles can transform into a highly technical, beautiful raincoat was a complete delight,” she said. “We are thrilled to launch our EcoSplash collection which can protect children from the elements and help protect the planet too.” Muddy Puddles has also recently contributed to the brilliant Cornwall Hugs Grenfell which is providing winter clothes (and Cornish holidays), to Grenfell victims.
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Smalls
Cat Pharo and Emma-Jane Adam, previously an art director and a marketing consultant respectively, make up a superstylish post-motherhood success story. Both mothers of three, they realised the advantage of merino wool when their mothers sent them presents from their native New Zealand when their babies were born. “It has magical powers,” Pharo told Mini Vogue. “It keeps kids warm in freezing weather, but they don’t overheat as they can in cotton.” Layer up the deliciously ice cream-coloured, durable vests and bodysuits colours in the knowledge that they are safe for your babies’ skin as well as harmless to the environment from beginning to end.
