1.  Nature Baby Organic Wool and Cotton Clothes From New Zealand

As you can imagine, we get sent a lot of baby clothes to review.  I usually don’t get too excited about the clothes we are sent, but as soon as I opened the package from Nature Baby, I was in love.

Nature Baby is a family business specialising in products which nurture both you, your baby and nature. Established in 1998 in New Zealand it began as quest for innovative products for our own family, we then found, that like us – many other parents wanted their children to grow up in a beautiful, non-toxic world.

I especially love the Lambskin booties, and I so wish they would fit my adult feet!  We were also sent an organic cotton long sleeve bodysuit, organic cotton drawstring pants, and an organic knotted beanie hat. Everything is of super high quality and super soft. These organic baby clothes will make your baby even harder to resist snuggling with as they are so sweet and cuddly.

Another wonderful thing I discovered about Nature Baby is they do make clothing for older children (three- to seven-years-old).  I especially like the wool thermals, which would be perfect for our fall camping and winter skiing trips.

Would you buy this product?  YES!  Ranging in price from $9.95 (beanie) to $29.95 (booties), I think Nature Baby is priced right for the quality.  Of course, shipping items from the other side of the world does leave a heavier carbon footprint, but if you skimp somewhere else, perhaps you can balance it out.

2.  HABA-Fantasy Land Building Blocks

As you know, I love Haba toys for their quality and safety standards.  Every product I discover by the company is unique and adored by my children.  These are the kind of toys that you keep for the next generation, and most of them grow with your child.

Haba’s Jigsaw Blocks Fantasy Land are festively decorated and inspire castle building. Each block is unique.

Pile up these “Fantasy Land Jigsaw Blocks” and be amazed! The shapes and designs are sure to dazzle even the youngest stackers. One piece with a mirror, one with a cat, and more with stars, swirls, and polka dots! Made of beech wood, acrylic with some foil coating. 40 pieces. Ages 2 and up.

Would I buy this product? No.  This is the first time that I have said I would not buy a Haba toy.  It’s not the quality that is of concern, but the price. These beechwood blocks cost $47.48, which I think is too steep for what you get.  The blocks are small, and although 40 sounds like a large number, I had to count our set to verify as it seemed like a small collection.  These blocks are a great addition to any standard unit wood block set, but personally I would not be able to justify the expense.

3. Cooking Light First Foods: Baby Steps to a Lifetime of Healthy Eating

I’ve always been a fan, although not a subscriber, of Cooking Light magazine.   Now they have come out with a cookbook for baby’s first foods.  This aesthetically pleasing book is filled with great information and recipes.  In fact, I would not limit the recipes to baby, but I would feed them to the whole family.

The movement toward making baby food, considering the quality of food given to young children, and being mindful of the impact this has on the world and a child’s future health more than a trend-it’s a way of life. Chapters follow the natural development of baby – from weaning to exploring new textures, to trying new foods and creating healthy food habits. Carolyn Williams, registered dietician and mummy to a growing toddler, developed each recipe and shares her expert advice in the pages of “First Foods”. Each recipe – from baby’s first tastes of Blueberry-Banana Yogurt or Lentils with Sweet Potatoes to a toddler’s meal of Cheese Broccoli and Potatoes or Butternut Squash and Spinach Lasagne to snacks such as Banana Pops and Avocado Yogurt Dip is dietician created “Cooking Light” Test Kitchen tested, and baby approved. A special panel of babies and toddlers tasted each recipe, giving these dishes road-tested appeal.

I do find it funny to think of babies lining up to taste these recipes.

Of course, being the opinionated breastfeeding advocate mom that I am, I scrutinized the information on weaning carefully.  The book largely sticks to the American Academy of Pediatrics’ advice for introducing solids (four to six months), and it does emphasis that breast milk (or formula) is still baby’s main food at this age.  It also advices that after six months of breastfeeding, baby needs “additional iron and zinc”.  I am relieved that there is no advice on telling moms at what age they should complete weaning.

Would I buy this book? No.  I really think feeding a baby is simple, and I don’t think you need to cook special meals if your family already eats whole foods that are not laden with spices.  I do think this cookbook would be a great resource for parents that are unsure about  how to feed their baby without resorting to baby food jars.  I just never felt that anxious about introducing solids.

4.  Zubels Organics Eco-Friendly Hand Knit Cotton Rattle Characters

After criticizing Zubels in a previous 5 Green Products post for not using organic cotton, the company sent me samples of their newly introduced organic line.

Our Organics collection uses 100% certified organic Cotton yarns.  Organic cotton is grown without the use of harmful pesticides and is better for the environment.   Zubels organic cotton is certified organic by the Global Organic Textile Standards (GOTS) organization.  Each Zubels from our Organics collection is knit using 100% organic cotton and stuffed with a soft poly fiber fill making them snugably soft.

How are you Eco Friendly?

Zubels is an eco-friendly product for several reasons.

1)    Zubels uses 100% cotton yarn.  Cotton is a natural fiber and a renewable resource.

2)    Zubels has minimal packaging.  By not packaging our product with excessive and needless packaging there is less waste of resources and less waste for the landfill.

3)    Zubels uses eco-friendly low-impact dyes.

Our samples were sent wrapped in plastic bags with no indication if it is biodegrable.

Would I buy this product? Maybe.  I think they are affordable at $15, and I am pleased Zubels is using organic cotton.  My hesitancy is because these toys just don’t speak to my aesthetic, but I can see a child would enjoy them.  I also think many of the characters are stereotypical, like a cheerleader dressed in pink with blue eyes and blonde pigtails.

5.  Marie Veronique Organics Kid Safe Screen and Anti-Aging Day Serum

Whenever I encounter a new organic beauty line, the first place I check to see if their claims are truly trustworthy is the Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep Cosmetic Database.  I am happy to report Marie Veronique Organics (MVO) holds true to their motto of “Intelligent Ingredients” with low hazard scores of one to three by EWG.

No toxins. Not ever. At MVO what we put in our products is as important as what we don’t. You won’t find toxins, petroleum-based products, nanoparticles, or anything else that’s potentially harmful. We don’t need those ingredients to make your skin look and feel younger.

Sustaining the planet. It’s probably no surprise that our entire company is dedicated to sustainability. Wherever possible we use natural, organic and fair trade ingredients, packaged in 100% recyclable materials. And we source them as close to our Berkeley headquarters as possible to keep our footprint super small.

To make the planet a better place, we donate 10% of our profits to The Acumen Fund, dedicated to creating better opportunities for women and children in Third World countries.

We were sent the Kid Safe Screen, SPF 25 by MVO to try, which we love!

No harmful chemicals, nanoparticles, parabens, petroleum products, fillers, waxes or fragrances.

100% Vegan

Active ingredient: 19% non-nano zinc oxide

Camellia sinensis (green and white tea), non-nano zinc oxide, capric/capryllic triglycerides (fractionated coconut oil), Helianthus annuus (sunflower oil), Persea americana (avocado oil), MVO butter, vegetable glycerin, potassium sorbate, xantham gum, allantoin, Polyaminopropyl biguanide (Cosmocil CQ), glycine soja lecithin, rosemary oleoresin, Cananga odorata (ylang ylang) essential oil, iron oxides

I really like that the kids’ sunscreen is a safe pump, which my sensitive son prefers. He has some sensory issues when it comes to his skin, so finding a sunscreen he will tolerate is always a challenge. Fortunately, he likes MVO!

Would you buy these products? Yes. The sunscreen is a bit expensive at $25, but I think my children are worth it.

Disclosure:  The products described above were sent to us as free samples, unless noted differently in the review.  Prior assurances as to the nature of the reviews, whether positive or negative, were not given.  No financial payments were accepted in exchange for the reviews.  The reviews reflect our honest, authentic opinions.