non-toxic-organic-baby-clothing-gifts-hampers-australia-california

How unsafe is our clothing for babies? – The things you didn’t know

 Is the fabric in your baby clothes toxic?   How would you know? There is only 0.5% of the world’s fabric that is safe for our babies and not knowing this information could be putting your little one at risk.

What are the types of baby materials that are safe?  Working this out can be a bit of a minefield. Every day we are bombarded with marketing messages from different brands and this can make it really easy to be distracted. Sometimes, we may even just want to take the easy way out and buy what’s convenient. This is not always the best option though.

Here’s a list of the top 3 nasty chemicals often found in our baby fabrics.

Azo Dyes” are benzidine-based synthetic colourants which can sometimes release carcogenic properties.  They are named by the EPA as “known human carcinogens”. We definitely do not want those in our clothes, right?

Nonylphenol Ethoxylates (NPES) is a cheap surfactant that is sometimes used in the textile industry.  These hormone disrupters can end up in our water supply when we wash our baby clothes.  This can have an affect on any system in the body controlled by hormones.  It can also contribute to cancerous tumours and birth defects.

Formaldehyde is the chemical used in baby clothes to stop wrinkles.  Some popular brands of baby clothes have had concentrations of up to 18,000ppm (parts per million) in their products. The safe measurement for babies is only 20ppm. Is there formaldehyde in your babies clothes?

Plenty of other chemicals are used regularly which are not mentioned here.  Our best advice is to side with the material choices we have below, to ensure that what you are buying is completely safe for your little one.

What We Do Want In our Baby Clothes?

We want our baby to be covered in breathable fabrics such as Gauze fabric. Also known as Muslin, it is the perfect fabric for your baby. Whether you pick double or single gauze, it is light, airy and breathable. You can buy 100% GOTS certified organic muslin wraps and swaddles for your baby.

Bamboo fabric is popular for it’s softness and it’s insulating capabilities. Bamboo is also awesome for keeping baby dry. It's antibacterial properties keep your clothes odour free and smelling fresh.  Modern cloth nappies are made out of bamboo and also bamboo blankets, comforters, breast pads and menstrual pads!

Organic cotton, linen and even hemp fabrics are a good alternative to shopping mainstream because they are plastic free and means they are chemical free. These materials also hold their quality, even after many washes, and are durable, long lasting and zero-waste.

Other things to think about when shopping sustainably is to consider the tags and prints on your baby's clothes. Are they printed with non-toxic dyes? Sometimes these will exude toxins that your baby's skin can absorb.

Where Can We Find Non-toxic Baby Clothes?

On Chic Baby Clothes has a top range of organic baby clothes suited to put your mind at ease and to give your baby the best start in life.

If you are recently
pregnant or have new baby and are wanting to welcome your bundle of joy into the world wrapped in your values, then pack your hospital bag with the best from Australia's leading babywear labels.

 

Back to blog