Got a green dilemma? Ask me! I'll be answering a new question each week.
I’m a mommy-to-be. Is it better for the environment to buy new, organic baby clothes or to purchase used clothes. —Elizabeth Freyman
Both choices you present are environmentally sound, but used clothes top the green list. If you consider the entire life cycle of an item from production to disposal, it’s always best to reuse or recycle by buying secondhand. When you do buy new, however (and who can resist at least a few fresh items for a brand-new baby?) buying certified organic natural fibers—cotton, wool and/or linen—supports growing methods that will keep the planet healthier for all our children.
Conventional cotton, in particular, is a very dirty crop. It ranks third in pesticide use in the U.S., after corn and soy. If every American chose one organic instead of a non-organic cotton T-shirt, we’d keep 250,000 tons of chemicals out of our air, water, and soil.
For a baby’s sensitive skin, I also recommend seeking clothing without dye or water- or moth-resistant treatments that may contain formaldehyde and the Teflon-type chemicals that have been linked to developmental problems in infants.
Before your baby shower, make it clear that you prefer certified organic wool and cotton clothes or polyester outerwear made from recycled plastic bottles.
Search for local organic apparel in your area at Co-Op America’s green pages and the Organic Trade Association’s organic pages.
Great green baby one-stop-shop sites include Ecobaby Organics, Kid Bean, and Garden Kids. Patagonia also makes great baby polyester outerwear from recycled plastic bottles.
Mindy Pennybacker regularly answers readers' green-living questions. She is also editor of GreenerPenny.com and author of Do One Green Thing: Saving the Earth Through Simple, Everyday Choices.
From: Annie Scott | 10/29/11 at 11:47 pm
Buy organic! but only as much as you can afford. I'd lean towards biodegradable diapers instead if cost is an issue for two reasons: You're going to use 9 zillion diapers in the next few years, and you're going to be very surprised by the people coming out of the woodwork who will just GIVE you their baby clothes. When you think about it, infant clothes don't get much wear and tear and can be recycled from baby to baby to baby. Once a child is 2-3 years old, the supply of free clothes kind of dries up because kids are wearing them out ...