Why Organic Clothes Matter For Your Baby

A good reminder: “Children are not little adults”

A few words from UpChoose on why organic clothing matters  

 Today we’re happy to share a great blog post from our friends and partners at UpChoose on “Why Organic Clothes Matter For Your Baby.”  They remind us that children and their skin are not just small versions of the adult equivalent.  Consequently, choosing organic clothing (like Finn + Emma’s!) for your little one isn’t about being trendy or snobby or elitist.  It’s about respecting baby’s super-sensitive skin and keeping toxic chemicals away from it.  It’s about safety and health.  Read on! 

Why Organic Clothes Matter For Your Baby

by UpChoose

Website: www.upchoose.com

IG: @upchoose

Babies and infants are much more sensitive to what we put on their skin than adults. Here’s how we can make the cutest and safest options accessible to all.

Photo credit:Heidi Lovens

For new and expecting parents, few things look as adorable as a cute baby outfit. It beautifully wraps the little one like a warm lasting hug. But one thing that still gets little attention is the quality of the clothes we put on our babies’ sensitive skin. The baby clothes we usually find in retail stores or online have often been treated with industrial chemicals that may be harmful (even when you read 100% cotton).

Since the 1950s these chemicals have become more widespread. Today, they are used in millions of consumer products including food, clothes, cosmetics, cleaning products, and toys. The majority of these have never been tested for safety and have been linked them to the rise of noncommunicable diseases in infants over the past three decades — including asthma, obesity, learning disabilities, autism and diabetes.

Babies Are Most Vulnerable To Toxic Chemicals

Babies and infants are especially sensitive to toxic chemicals. The impact is greater in early development — during pregnancy and early childhood — because:

• They experience greater exposure: relative to their body size and given their more permeable skin, infants absorb much more of their environment than adults. This is exacerbated by their behaviors as they constantly put things in their mouth and explore their environment.
• They are more vulnerable: as their bodies and brains are still developing, they are less able than adults to naturally break down or eliminate chemicals absorbed into the body. Their developmental process is delicate and can be easily disrupted.

Photo credit: Corrina V.

The US National Academy of Sciences (NAS) famously summed up this heightened sensitivity of children to toxic chemicals in a 1993 report by concluding that “children are not little adults”. 

“Children are not little adults” — US National Academy of Sciences

Baby Skin Is More Permeable Than Adult Skin

A large part of what children absorb in their body happens through the skin (the rest is food, liquid and air — gastrointestinal and respiratory absorption). Our skin is our largest organ. It protects us, helps regulate our body temperature, and plays many other essential functions. It also absorbs a lot of what we put on it.

Babies have thinner and more permeable skin than adults. While it has the same number of layers — three — each layer is thinner for a baby. The epidermis layer — the one tasked with protecting our body — is three to five times thinner than an adult’s and is made up of smaller cells.

As a result, it is less resistant than adult skin and substances that come in to contact with baby skin are more easily absorbed and penetrate into deeper skin layers.

How To Choose Clothes That Respect Your Baby’s Skin

Awareness about organic food has been growing among parents in recent years. However, the message about the impact of chemically-treated baby clothes didn’t spread as fast despite the potential long term health consequences on infants. In recent years, scientists found widespread useof potentially harmful chemicals in children clothing.

The baby and children clothes we find in retail stores or online are usually made of cotton, polyester (and other synthetic fibers), or a combination of the two. Conventional, non-organic cotton is often considered the “world’s dirtiest crop” as it uses about 16% of the world’s insecticides and 7% of pesticides. Polyester and other synthetic fibers, on the other hand, are derived from petroleum and treated with thousands of potentially harmful chemicals during production.

The best and safest alternative for your baby today is to choose clothes made of organic cotton that is certified to organic standards across the entire manufacturing process. Organic cotton is grown naturally and sustainably, without herbicides, pesticides or any other harmful chemicals. Choosing organic means limiting your baby’s exposure to potentially harmful chemicals found in non-organic clothing.

Looking for a kind, 100% organic clothing option for your baby/toddler? Shop Finn + Emma's baby apparel here!

Organic Is Still A Hard Choice For Most Parents

Despite the clear benefits, it remains unrealistic to expect most parents to switch to organic baby clothes. First, shopping for a newborn is often confusing, if not insane. Thousands of baby products on the market create almost endless choices. Parents can’t possibly do in-depth research and make well-informed choices on every single issue. Even after hours of googling and reading blogs, they end up compromising.

In addition, baby clothes made of organic cotton are harder to find (today only 0.5% of global cotton production is organic). When available, they are usually significantly more expensive. Most people cannot afford them or justify spending the price as babies grow fast and clothes will only be used a few times. And often, moms get clothes from loved ones as hand-me-downs or gifts and have little control over what fabrics are picked.

Making The Cutest And Safest Options Easily Available To All

UpChoose was started to help solve this. Our mission is to help moms make mindful choices starting with baby clothing. We do that by organizing smarter behaviors.

Our baby wardrobe solution offers moms all the essential baby clothing in one easy set, delivered to their door at each phase of their baby’s growth. Moms pick the size they need and style they prefer (currently choosing between Classic and Playful style) and receive a selection of adorable, premium organic baby clothing essentials curated from partner brands. All the clothes are 100% made of organic cotton and certified by the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS), the world’s leading processing standard for textiles made from organic fibers.

When their baby is ready for the next size, they return the clothes and earn credit towards the next size. Because of the return system, we can offer both new and preloved sets, and charge each customer significantly less (on average about 40% less than retail value of organic clothes). Moms keep getting adorable, healthful clothes as their baby grows while avoiding unnecessary spending and reducing clutter and waste.

An UpChoose Baby Set is also a great gift for a family member or loved ones, or to add to a baby registry. Because it’s a program that grows with the baby, friends and family can contribute at any stage and help make the switch to healthy alternatives sustainable over time.

Photo credit: Lauren A.

With UpChoose you can:

1. Take the guesswork out:Get all the essentials in one place and save time to focus on what matters most.
2. Get the best fabrics:Choose your style and receive adorable 100% organic clothes that respect your baby’s skin.
3. Save money:Pay less for organic clothing and earn credit when you return them. Avoid having money sleeping in your closet.​
4. Reduce clutter and waste.Babies grow fast! Pioneer a new model of preloved clothing and help protect the planet. It feels good.

Looking for organic baby clothes in bulk? Check out our wholesale section and become part of the Finn & Emma family.

You can learn more about UpChoose at www.upchoose.com and follow them on Instagram @upchoose.