why choose green products?
Why cloth nappies instead of disposables?
By using disposable nappies you are effectively wrapping your baby in a bunch of chemicals, plastics and adhesives. From birth to toilet training each child uses approximately 5,300 disposable nappies. Disposable nappies take hundreds of years to rot down in landfill sites as these sites do not have the correct environment for decomposition. 90% of all disposables end up in landfill so that is a huge amount of nappies every year that are just sitting there and not decomposing. It takes 200 - 400 Kg of fluff pulp and 130 kg of plastic to supply a single baby with disposables.
Advantages of cloth nappies
A study conducted at Kiel University in Germany in 2000 showed that the temperature inside disposable nappies was up to 5 deg. centigrade higher than in cloth nappies. It was suggested that for boys particularly, this could endanger future fertility as the semen-producing function is developed in the first 2 years of life, and is dependent on the testicular region being kept reasonably cool.The chemical which makes disposable nappies so efficient is called sodium polyacrylate. This is a super-absorbent powder which, when it becomes wet, swells into a gel. You can sometimes see clear crystals of sodium polyacrylate on your baby’s bottom when you change a nappy. There are many doubts over the safety of sodium polyacrylate: not least is the illusion of dryness they create which could encourage the nappy (and its contents) to be left in place for longer than advisable, in conditions which are bacterially ideal for the growth of infection.Disposable nappies also contain wood pulp which is bleached using highly toxic chemicals called dioxins. In animal studies, these have been known to cause liver damage, immune system suppression and genetic damage.
Disposable nappies are often marketed as being super absorbent but this simply means you have no way of knowing how much urine your baby is producing. In the early days, especially when you are breastfeeding, this is a really important sign and is the only way you are going to know if your baby is getting enough milk. This is also important when your baby is poorly and you want to check that they are hydrated. With cloth nappies you really can tell how much your baby is weeing.
The same goes for the child’s poo (us mums like to talk about this don’t we!). Being able to see the consistency and colour of your child’s poo is important and is sometimes the only way that you may be able to tell if they have a tummy upset. With disposables it is all drawn into the nappy and you have no way of knowing what it really looks like. Moving swiftly on.
Many people (especially those who manufacture disposables) argue that the cost of laundering cloth nappies is also damaging the environment. Compared to disposables, cloth nappies are relatively ‘green’ The waste water from washing cloth nappies is practically benign, especially if you use environmentally friendly laundry products. The waste products from disposables contains solvents, heavy metals and dioxins. The potential impact of disposing of these products is considerable.
You can also further influence the impact on the environment by your choice of washing and drying methods (download our nappy fact sheet for more information).
Children in real nappies toilet train on average six months earlier than those in disposables. The first step in toilet training is for the baby to recognise the link between bladder release and a wet nappy. With disposables they simply cannot make this link because the nappy sucks up all the moisture.
If you were given the choice of wearing scratchy paper pants or lovely soft cotton pants what would you choose? One of the things I find most satisfying as a mum is picking in Lily’s nappies when they have been drying in the sun all day. It gives you such a nice feeling to know that they are fresh and clean and they do look really cute when they are on. Sometimes I wish Lily could just run around in her nappy all day.The extra padding that you get with cloth nappies is a real bonus when your baby starts learning to walk. It gives them a nice soft landing when they fall on their bum which you won’t get with disposables.
With the right cloth nappy and wrap, you should not have problems with leakages. Ok, so a few times it may happen - that’s inevitable with any kind of nappy but on the whole they do contain everything better than disposables.
Using cloth nappies can save you around £500 per child during the time that they are in nappies. This saving can be even greater if you use birth to potty nappies and then use those nappies again for second or subsequent children.Why choose organic cotton?Cotton that is grown in conventional ways is compromised and weakened by the chemicals used in growing, processing and dying. All these things break the fibre down and create a weaker, inferior garment, that is why you get a softer, stronger, better cotton using organic methods. The softness and quality of organic cotton is truly unmatched and is one of the top reasons people choose organic cotton for their baby’s delicate skin.
Conventional cotton farming uses one quarter of the world’s pesticides. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), 20,000 deaths occur in developing countries each year from pesticide poisoning, many of these are attributed to cotton production. Due to the huge amount of pesticides and insecticides used on the land, the soil fertility is damaged. As a result, farmers are forced into buying more chemicals to encourage their cotton plants to grow - and sinking them and their families into debt. This means many of these farmers cannot afford to send their children to school.
By farming organically, cotton farmers have reported that they do not have to get into debt. Alternatives to pesticides are used - for example, Ugandan organic cotton farmers use black ants to keep the cotton pests away. Organic cotton farmers can also grow food safely on their land, which they can then use to feed themselves and their families or sell to increase their income, thus providing food security. Organic farmers also report substantially higher incomes, allowing them to educate their children and gain access to health care.
Why choose Fairtrade products?
There are now many ways in which consumers can make ethical choices in their everyday shopping and looking for the Fairtrade mark is one. At Green Mums, we ensure that we source only from manufacturers who practice ethical principals, such as guaranteeing a good wage for employees, subsidising schools or health care facilities.
Your baby’s Fairtrade clothes may cost you a few pence extra, but they may save the life of another baby in a developing country.
Why choose natural or organic toiletries?
A baby’s skin is 5 times thinner than that of an adult, making it far easier for dangerous and harmful toxins to enter their body. A report, commissioned jointly by Greenpeace Netherlands and WWF-UK even shows that unborn babies can absorb dangerous chemicals whilst in the womb.
(click here to view the report)
Many toiletries found in most households contain a damaging combination of chemicals that could effect your child’s hormone, immune or nervous system. Our skincare products use only organic or natural ingredients and do not contain any of these potentially harmful chemicals.
These are just a few common chemicals to avoid.
Sodium Lauryl Sulphate (Sulfate)
A synthetic detergent/foaming agent which is commonly used in baby wipes & bubble baths.
Sulfate can be a skin, eye and respiratory tract irritant and may damage the liver, lungs and the body’s immune system
Propylene Glycol
Found in shampoos and hand and body lotions, Propylene Glycol has been linked to widespread skin complaints and possible eye damage.
Petrochemicals (including mineral oil)
These are derived from crude oil and are found in baby oil, nappy creams, & petroleum jelly.
Petrochemicals strip the natural oils from the skin and form an oily film, blocking pores, which prohibits the release of toxins. They can also cause photosensitivity, chapping, dryness and premature ageing.
Ethyl Alcohol/Ethanol
Ethanol is used as a preservative and solvent and can cause dryness and irritation. Ethanol can increase the permeability of the skin and may enable unwanted impurities to be absorbed.
For more information on baby products and their ingredients go to www.cosmeticsdatabase.com
Why rubberwood toys?
Toys made from plastics use non renewable resources and contain potentially harmful ingredients. PVC is particularly problematic because its production releases toxic chemicals known as dioxins. Plastics and PVC are difficult to recycle meaning that it ends up in landfill sites, leaching chemicals into the soil over time.
At Green Mums we have decided to offer a lovely selection of wooden toys. Most importantly, these toys are FSC-certified and come from sustainably managed forests. Many of our toys are made from Rubberwood, which again comes from sustainable forests. Rubber wood is only used when, after 25 years of age, a tree can no longer produce latex for commercial benefit. No deforestation is involved and every part of the tree is used.
Throughout the toy production, recycling of process waste is implemented for other industries, such as chipboard for furniture and sawdust for mushroom cultivation. All of our toys are finished with non-toxic colours and lacquers.
To learn more about how you can help the environment, please have a look at our useful links