My Favourite Eco-Friendly Baby Products I’ve Found
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Looking to be a green parent? Here are my top UK eco-friendly baby products to help you on your way.
I found that having a baby – especially your first baby – has a way of making you think more deeply about your impact on the environment. I started Moral Fibres when my eldest daughter turned one, and that timing really wasn’t a coincidence.
If you are aiming to be any kind of environmentally sustainable parent, then it’s easy to be overwhelmed by the huge range of environmentally friendly baby products out there. All claim to help you live more sustainably, but what’s really worth spending your money on?
I’ve had two kids, and having navigated our way through the baby and toddler years, I know what worked and what didn’t work for us.
So to help you cut through the noise, here are my favourite green products that genuinely helped us, and might help you too – from nappies and wipes to clothes, skin care products, feeding time, and everything in between.
The Best Eco-Friendly Baby Products Right Now
Here are my top sustainable recommendations:
Reusable Nappies
If you only try one eco-friendly baby product, then I would recommend trying washable nappies.
They’re really easy to use, so convenient, work out so much cheaper, and generate a lot less waste.
See my full guide to using reusable nappies for help getting started. And if washable nappies aren’t for you, try my guide to the best eco-friendly disposable nappies.
Washable Baby Wipes
I picked up a box of Cheeky Wipes when I was pregnant with my second daughter. After the first week of using them, I immediately regretted missing out on them with my eldest!
Although the upfront cost was quite high, we saved quite a bit by not having to buy wet wipes.
My top tip is to keep a dry wipe on hand to dry your baby’s bottom after wiping with a wet wipe to avoid nappy rash.
You can also check out my guide to the best eco-friendly baby wipes if reusables aren’t for you.
Preloved Baby Clothes
Babies grow so much in their first year – going through as many as five sizes in just 12 months. As such, I always recommend embracing preloved baby clothing.
Friends or family might have baby clothes they’d like to pass on. Otherwise, places like Vinted, eBay and Facebook Marketplace are great places to look.
I also really rate Oxfam Online. Delivery is just £3.95, no matter how many items you order, and you can return any unsuitable items.
Get 10% off your first order when you sign up for the Oxfam Online mailing list.
Toy Rental Schemes
Babies don’t need many toys, but as they get a little older, it’s well worth exploring toy subscription services, like Whirli. This can help to avoid non-recyclable plastic waste.
Here you can borrow toys for as long as you like. When the toy falls out of favour (as all toys invariably do), you can then return it to Whirli and swap it for something else. It’s a sustainable and circular approach to toys that I love.
Sustainable Baby Bowls & Plates
Self-feeding is a fun but messy stage. Babies have a habit of throwing plates (at least mine did!), so you don’t want to use your best plates, but avoiding plastic ones can be hard.
Bamboo suction bowls and plates, like the ones from Bubba Bear, make for a great sustainable solution to plastic plates. They’re durable, long-lasting, and avoid the need for single-use or short-lived plastic alternatives.
I bought a similar bamboo suction bowl for my youngest’s first birthday, and it was a game-changer! I still use the bowl now – I just took the suction part off.
Organic Sunscreen
I always try to have a tube of sunscreen in my bag to slather on my kids and me. Despite living in Scotland, I’m an eternal optimist about the sun coming out!
I’m a big fan of Green People’s organic kids sunscreen. This SPF 30 lotion is suitable for the most sensitive of baby skins, yet great on adult skin too.
Looking for more suggestions? Try my guide to eco-friendly sunscreen.
Sign up for the Green People mailing list and get 20% off your first order.
Organic Nappy Cream
I struggled to find nappy rash cream that didn’t come in plastic, so instead I kept a tube of Green People Soothing Organic Baby Salve to hand.
I found this organic salve helps to sort out nappy rash, skin irritations, dry skin, and any eczema patches. A little goes a really long way.
If you’d rather avoid plastic, you can make homemade nappy rash cream.
For bathing, I’ve written a full guide to organic baby shampoo, where you can check out my top recommendations.
Eco-Friendly Cots
Shopping secondhand is the most sustainable option when it comes to buying a cot. However, if you want to buy new. then I recommend Boori (available at John Lewis)
We used this beautiful convertible cot from around the four-month mark, and I loved it.
Once your baby gets beyond the cot stage, the cot turns into an infant bed. And once your child grows out of that, it can then be turned into a two-seater sofa. AND can also be converted to a double bed.
All Boori products are Greenguard certified. This means that all Boori products have very low chemical/volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emissions.
See my Boori cot review for my full review.
Plastic-Free Snacking
Babies grow, but the one thing I’ve found that remains constant throughout childhood is that snacks equal sanity.
If you’re trying to avoid plastic by opting for plastic-free snacks, then storage tubs are essential. I’ve found that the lids on fully stainless steel tubs can be tricky to remove (not great when your baby is having a snack-based meltdown).
Instead, these metal food storage tubs from Green Tulip have silicone lids so it’s easy to get them on and off in a hurry or have your hands full.
Don’t Forget To Try Secondhand
My other top advice, if you’re expecting, is to see what you can score secondhand. Most baby gear is barely used, so ask friends and family with older kids if they have anything they’re not using anymore.
I’d also always suggest trying Freecycle, Gumtree, eBay, and charity shops for preloved bargains. So much of our baby gear has been secondhand, from our pram to clothes, to play equipment and our Moses basket. It’s almost always the most affordable option, and easily the most environmentally friendly too.
A Quick Note on Cost
Eco-friendly parenting doesn’t have to mean spending more. In many cases – like with reusable nappies and wipes – you’ll actually save money over time. They do come with an upfront cost, though, so that is something you’ll need to factor in.
I’ve also found that it’s less about buying “green” versions of everything and more about choosing fewer, better things.
It’s also worth taking the time to decide if you really need something. It’s really easy to feel like you need to buy everything when you’re expecting a baby, but there were heaps of things we didn’t buy, and we didn’t miss them. Babies need far less than we’re often led to believe by brands and influencers.
Skipping anything you don’t think you’ll use is often the most sustainable (and budget-friendly) choice you can make.
Top Tips To Avoid Feeling Overwhelmed
When trying to make sustainable choices, particularly when it comes to babies, I know only too well from experience that it’s easy to feel both overwhelmed and a bit of a failure if things don’t go as you planned.
My key advice is not to stress. No one gets it perfect. And you don’t need to. Even just one thoughtful swap, such as embracing preloved clothes, can make a huge difference. It’s also absolutely fine to take things one step at a time.
Babies come with a huge learning curve, especially when you have your first baby, so take your time and only make changes that work for you.
More Eco Kids Resources
Looking for more eco kids resources? I’ve got heaps:
- Try my guide to sustainable baby clothes to find some of the best organic and ethical clothing brands for little ones.
- I’ve also got a handy guide to ethical kids’ clothing for older kids.
- And I’ve got tons of sustainable parenting tips right this way.
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No liners are flushable, although they may be biodegradable. We started flushing ours and then realised how indestructible they were after finding one in the wash which we missed. If they don’t disintegrate they can’t be good for your plumbing or the environment!
Cheeky wipes are the greatest – I tell everyone about them even if they are not interested in washable nappies! They don’t push poo around and can be used for mucky hands, faces and adults too :) they are also perfect for cooling down hot babies on sweltering days. :)
Oh I’m with you on that! They have so many uses that I don’t think you would even have to be interested in washable nappies to love them!