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We all know children go through a LOT of clothing as they grow up. In their first two years, babies outgrow seven clothing sizes – that’s a whole lot of rompers, vests and sleepsuits! The children’s clothing market is also part of the fast fashion movement, with huge amounts of clothing being produced, worn very little, then thrown away.
According to research by Oxfam, 11 million pieces of clothing end up in landfill every week in the UK. 350,000 tonnes – that’s around £140 million worth – of used but still wearable clothing is sent to landfill in the UK every year. And add to that the environmental cost of producing all that clothing – the land and water use, the greenhouse gas emissions, the carbon footprint. The manufacture and disposal of clothing has a big impact on our planet, especially when it comes to what our kids wear.
So what can we do to lessen that impact? Well, quite a lot, actually. And we’re not talking making everything by hand (although handmade children’s clothing is having a huge resurgence and is super cute to boot!). By doing a little more research into the clothes you buy AND looking for ways to extend the life of the clothes you already have, you can make a small but important difference. Here are our tips for shopping sustainably for children’s clothing…
Go for organic children’s clothing
Organic cotton is becoming more and more popular in children’s clothing lines. No chemicals are used in the growing of organic cotton – it doesn’t damage the soil, has less impact on the air and uses 88% less water and 62% less energy than conventional cotton.
It’s also a lot softer and kinder to skin than regular cotton, so great for children with eczema or sensory issues. Plus it washes well, keeps its shape and can withstand the rough and tumble of playtime.
We love this leaf print dress with ruffle hem, this cool animal print tee and this two-pack of cute shortie PJs – all responsibly made in organic cotton.
Reduce, reuse, recycle
In Scandinavia, children’s clothing is made to last through generations. Things like coats, shoes and knitwear are worn by multiple children – often these garments have labels with space for three or four different names to be written on. The culture of passing things on to friends and family after they’re outgrown is ingrained and very much part of life.
Adopt that Scandi style with your own children’s wardrobes – spend more per item, but buy less and buy to last. Look for quality, timeless pieces that you can save for smaller children or pass along to others when they’re too small. Things like leather footwear, a classic raincoat and quality knitwear will last and last.
Shop secondhand
Our final tip for sustainable kidswear – shopping secondhand. We know many parents are time poor, and scouring charity shops or car boot sales for kids’ clothing might not be how you want to spend your limited free time… but so much secondhand shopping happens online now, that you can mix your thrift shopping with your new shopping and seamlessly move between the two.
Facebook is an amazing resource for secondhand children’s clothing – if there’s a particular brand you like, have a search for groups dedicated to selling that brand. You can even arrange swaps, if you have lots of outgrown clothing and need the size up, for example. Selling sites like eBay and Depop are also popular for kidswear, and eBay in particular is great for big bundles of clothing in specific sizes.
But it’s Instagram where the best bargains can be found – there’s been a huge increase in the number of IG accounts selling secondhand children’s clothing, from parents selling off their own outgrown bits to professional businesses who source vintage garms for little ones. We love Be Diddy for awesome old school dungarees and The Scandi Shop for bright, bold prints.
Switching to sustainable kidswear is a simple way you can help protect the planet. Find more options, from items made in Europe to OEKO-TEX certified cotton pieces, on our website. Read about our fave sustainable fashion picks for women here.
