5 Easy Sustainable Swaps for Babies

22 January 2024

As a parent, your desire to make the best choices for your baby often involves opting for eco-conscious and sustainable products that prioritise the environment. However, with the long list of things you need to care for a baby, it can be difficult to find eco-conscious yet practical products that suit your needs.

It's tempting to opt for quick and inexpensive products to make life with a baby easier.

However, with some small changes, you can make sustainable swaps that will have positive lasting effects on both your family and the environment and can easily integrate into your daily routine.

Among the many eco-friendly options, here's our five easy sustainable swaps for babies:

Reusable nappies & wipes
Renting baby & kids clothes
Homemade baby food
Plastic free toys
Eco friendly bath products

1. Reusable nappies and wipes

Switching to reusable nappies and wipes is a great sustainable swap you can make for your baby. Reusable nappies can help you save money, as they can be used for more than one child, and therefore help reduce waste going to landfill.

Using reusable nappies is easier than you think and with some small changes to your routine (think wet bags or nappy pails), you can make a sustainable swap that can save you money in the long run. Plus if you air dry your reusable nappies and wipes they are even more eco-friendly and a really sustainable swap.

2. Renting baby and kids' clothes

Buying new children's clothes can be expensive especially as they grow out of them so quickly, so a great alternative is renting baby clothes. Baby clothing rental sites such as Borro offer rentable kids' clothes from 0 months to 4 years old. Borro stocks a great selection of kid's clothes which include baby bodysuits, sleepsuits, dresses, trousers, and even outerwear that can be rented for as long as you need the items. When you finish with the clothes they are easy to return using the free postage label included, making renting kids’ clothes an easy and cost-effective option.

Ready-made clothing bundles are also rentable, with each clothing item coming from a sustainable kids' clothing brand that uses organic cotton or natural fibres. By renting high quality baby and kids’ clothes that will be used for more than one child, you make a sustainable swap that also reduces clothing waste.

3. Homemade baby food

Sometimes convenience wins when it comes to feeding your baby, however, nothing beats fresh homemade food. You can make feeding your baby easier by batch-cooking food and freezing portions until you need them later. Homemade food will be better for your baby, free of additives and preservatives, and will reduce packaging waste from store-bought food.

You can easily make purees at home from fruit and vegetables or you can cook a large meal that is easy to portion up and save in the fridge or freezer. If you invest in quality food storage containers you will be able to use them again and again, and transport your baby’s meals when you are out and about.

4. Plastic-free toys

Investing in good quality toys that are plastic-free benefits the environment and provides your child with toys that are fun and durable.

- Wooden animal figurines can be interesting for babies and are robust, meaning toys can be handed to future generations. Brands such as Holztiger and Osthiemer use responsibly sourced wood and eco-friendly wood stains that are safe for babies.

- Soft cotton fabric books are ideal for babies when you are on the go and are washable, and reusable.

- Silicone teethers are great for teething babies to help ease gum discomfort and are durable and safe for babies to chew on.

Plastic Free Toys

5. Eco-friendly bath products

Choosing the right products to use on your baby’s sensitive skin is important, and swapping to plastic-free products is easy. There are many great baby brands out there that avoid the use of harmful chemicals such as parabens, sulphates, and silicones.

- Child’s Farm is a great award-winning brand that is great for sensitive skin and makes efforts to protect the environment with bottles made from recycled plastic.

- Kokoso is another great brand that offers natural, and sustainable skincare products for mums and babies. The Kokoso organic baby bar soap is great thanks to its eco-packaging and gentle organic ingredients.

By swapping to eco-conscious baby bath products you will be making a sustainable choice that is safer for your baby’s delicate skin too.