With parents looking to make more eco-conscious choices when it comes to raising their little ones, it's no surprise that heaps of sustainable products are popping up on the market. Both new and well-established brands are offering greener alternatives with options ranging from buggies made with recycled plastic to plant-based baby meals.
So, what trends should you be looking out for?
Trend 1: Bamboo products
When it comes to eco-friendly products, the belle of the ball, king of the ring, star of the show is…grass. Don't worry, it's not as underwhelming as it sounds. More precisely, it's bamboo, which despite its deceptively treelike appearance is officially part of the grass family. Sustainability's humble hero, bamboo can grow to full size in only four months and is a strong yet lightweight material. Not only that, but it breaks down in landfills and is naturally anti-bacterial.
With those credentials under its belt, it's no wonder everyone wants a piece, with bamboo now often found in everything from coffee cups and toothbrushes to toilet paper. Two of the leading baby brands to have embraced this grassy ecological marvel are Freestyle and Dyper.
Freestyle
Freestyle is a subscription service that provides nappies created from bamboo pulp (which are 88% biodegradable), and they're also responsible for the first net plastic negative nappy. Impressive, huh?
Dyper
Meanwhile Dyper sell bamboo baby wipes and nappies that are free from harsh chemicals, in addition to using strictly plant-based packaging.
Trend 2: Plastic-free
Bamboo isn't the only plastic-free material shaking up the sustainable space. Also worthy of your planet-saving attention? Silicone, cotton and glass, with a range of companies increasingly making use of these materials. Including:
Goodnest
Goodnest is bringing sustainability to baby bathing with its dissolvable lotions, balms and reusable silicone containers. When a bottle of baby wash runs out, it can be easily refilled by dissolving a tablet in tap water and waiting fifteen minutes, after which it's ready to go. The tablets are formulated with ingredients that are good for both babies and the planet.
Zeronto
Zero waste and zero plastic. That's the North Star for Zeronto—the go-to company for sustainable baby gift baskets that you can even customise yourself. And pick your items freely, with no eco-guilt, safe in the knowledge that they're all completely plastic free, with options ranging from organic cotton clothing to stainless steel bottles. As a finishing touch, each basket is wrapped with cloth using the ancient Japanese method of Furoshiki. Because sustainability doesn't have to be boring.
Trend 3: Products made from recycled plastic
You're probably already aware of the horrendous amount of plastic layering our oceans so we won't bang on about it. But the good news is there's a whole heap of brands doing what they can to make sure the pile doesn't grow higher. How? They're creating their products from recycled plastic, leaving us with cleaner seas and happier turtles.
LastObject
LastObject know that single-use cotton swabs are the bane of the planet, with around 500 million being used and disposed of every year. So they're doing their part to reduce this waste with the LastSwab Baby – a reusable swab with a case made from ocean-bound plastic. The swab's shape and size has been specially designed for children's ears and each one can be used up to 1000 times.
Bombi
The Bēbee stroller from Bombi uses recycled plastic bottles in its lightweight design. Bombi claims that each Bēbee keeps 56 bottles out of the ocean, something worth shouting about. Even more exciting, it folds up in under 2 seconds (and is oddly satisfying to watch– check the video out on their website).
Totsbots
What's better than a product made from recycled plastic? One that's made from recycled plastic and bamboo. Totsbots offers exactly this by creating nappies with a waterproof exterior made from plastic bottles and a soft, ultra-absorbent bamboo fibre interior. What's more, all their nappies are reusable which means less waste ending up in landfill.
Trend 4: Plant-based baby food
Sales of plant-based food are booming, with the market worth $40bn last year and expected to reach $79bn by 2028 (these numbers can be verified by the fact that every time I visit Tesco the vegan section seems to double in size). In a recent study, it was found that more than half of parents want to introduce alternative proteins into their babies' diets. There are now a plethora of baby food and formula brands offering plant-based alternatives.
Gerber
Gerber have introduced "plant-tastic": tasty meals specially designed for babies that use a variety of vegetables, grains and beans. Not only that, but they're organic and completely carbon neutral – yet another brand completely smashing it with their eco-credentials.
Else Nutrition
Most baby formula is made from cow's milk, leaving few options for parents wanting a dairy-free diet for their child. Else Nutrition has stepped in and offers an alternative to the traditional baby formula, replacing milk with almonds, buckwheat and tapioca.
Lots of other brands offer similar alternatives and no doubt plenty more will emerge each year as the plant-based trend continues to grow.
Want more to read about more hot trends fresh out the oven? Keep an eye on our blog for future reports.
