Congratulations, you’re having a baby! In all your planning for diapers, baby gear, toys and clothes, it suddenly dawns on you that this can also be an opportunity to offer your child something more meaningful: a better, more giving, more sustainable future. As you’re making your registry, here are a few products that are changing the world for the better, and what could be a better gift than that?
Cuddle + Kind Dolls & Prints
The Cuddle + Kind founders wanted a way to give back, and they did just that, developing a model in which the purchase of a doll can feed ten children in need. Since September 2015, purchases have helped provide more than 8 million meals! In addition to that, the hand-knit dolls are ethically created in Peru, offering more than 750 artisans a sustainable, fair-trade income. And the dolls are beautiful, soft, cuddly and meant to be snuggled. With so many different styles and choices, there's a Cuddle + Kind for every baby. The company also sells inspirational prints for the nursery (shown above); each purchase provides five meals to children in need.
Bombas Socks
The word "bombas" comes from the Latin word for bumblebee, a creature that works with its fellow hive members to make a real difference in the world around them. Bombas, as a company, strives to achieve the same impact, donating one pair of socks for every pair of socks purchased. The company’s founders found that socks were the number-one item requested in homeless shelters, and since its foundation, the company has given away 29,262,619 of them. The Bombas mantra is “bee better,” and you have the chance to do the same by adding Bombas socks to your baby registry. Bonus: They’re adorable. You can even order a family pack pack that has matching socks for moms (or dads) and toddlers.
TOMS
TOMS isn’t a new company, but it was one of the first to offer a give-back option for shoppers, founded on the one-for-one model that donated a pair of shoes for every shoe purchased. Since its foundation in 2006, TOMS has given away more than 95 million shoes in 85 countries, and the numbers continue to grow. A new direction for the company directs a portion of proceeds to the support of physical safety, mental health and equal opportunities for all. And TOMS baby shoes? So cute you’ll wish they made them in your size. Oh, wait! They do.
Play Gym by Lovevery
This play gym is so lovely in design it may as well be a piece of art for your floor. But, more importantly, it’s designed to grow with your baby, including five developmental zones created to promote brain and motor skill development. What’s more? The Lovevery Play Gym is created using 100% baby-safe materials, with organic cotton, water-based, non-toxic finishes and sustainably harvested wood, providing an opportunity for you to give back to the earth by supporting sustainable farming practices. Even the plastic and silicone components of the gym are manufactured without BPA and phthalates. And it comes with a Lifetime Lost Parts promise.
Abby + Finn Diapers
There are so many diaper choices on the market, and knowing their use and disposability can make it difficult to justify their price. However, Abby + Finn Diapers offer a better solution, one that provides a quality product for your little one while also helping those in need, as the company donates 30 diapers for every monthly diaper box purchased. Made without chlorine, heavy metals, latex, fragrances, lotions, moisturizers, allergens, dyes or any substances known to be harmful to the environment, these diapers provide a clean alternative to traditional diapers and offer an easy way for your registry to give back. Added bonus: Abby + Finn has a subscription service, so you never have to worry about running to the store when you reach your last diaper.
Erbaviva Baby Skincare
Did you know that, on average, children are exposed to at least 27 harmful chemicals each day, through regular, everyday body care products like sunscreen, shampoo, and lotion? Erbaviva, a USDA certified-organic company, creates skincare products for babies (and everyone else!) that are free of pesticides, fertilizers and chemicals such as parabens, phthalates, sulfates, and more. Erbaviva’s handcrafted packaging is sourced through a nonprofit that collaborates with local villagers in northern Thailand to provide sustainable income and support a mobile children’s clinic. Further, Erbaviva partners with the Blinknow Foundation to help provide quality education and a safe environment for Nepali youth. And the Erbaviva products are effective, including such items as Sniffles Chest Balm for stuffy noses and Tummy Rub to sooth baby’s upset stomach. They have some great products for pregnant mamas as well!
Greentom Stroller
You don’t think about strollers being environmentally friendly, but the Greentom line of strollers is made from just over 12 pounds of recycled high-quality post-consumer plastic and 74 recycled PET bottles. And when your little one outgrows the stroller, it can be recycled and reused. It’s what they call a “true circular solution,” as it creates no waste and actually uses waste to clean up the environment by creating new products. Calling themselves the greenest stroller on planet Earth, Greentom strollers have award-winning designs, incredible functionality and customization choices, and offer a way for you to save the planet with every stroll, a must-have for the conscientious gift registry.
—Laura Holloway
featured image: Philip Walker via Pixabay
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