How to Spot Green Products for your Nursery
Making the decision to use eco-friendly baby products for your nursery is not only responsible to the environment, it is the best and safest choice you can make for your new baby. As cumbersome as it may seem, finding eco-friendly baby products for your nursery has actually become easier to find and less expensive. Manufacturers understand the importance of responsible forest management and we see many brands that now utilize sustainable wood sources and materials in their product manufacturing.
As a consumer, what do you look for to ensure eco-friendly products are safe and good to the environment? It’s simply not enough to see a green recycling label and assume that all is well in the Green World. 'Organic' is a very general term and doesn't define your expectations of quality and safety. Especially if you are willing to spend a little more to have natural and safe items in your nursery, you want to know what you're getting and where it comes from.
What to Expect from Green Manufacturers
The top 3 attributes to look for in an eco-friendly baby product are in the: (1) Materials, (2) Paint/Finishes, and (3) Certifications. For this topic, we will be focusing on baby cribs and crib mattresses since preparing your little one's sleep space is the most integral part of preparing the nursery.
When you're looking at the product specifications, find out what material it is made of and if the wood or material is from a sustainable source. Products from sustainable sources help protect the environment, encourage regeneration and more. But most importantly to you, specifications should state that the material is free from chemicals and toxins that are very bad for your baby. You can find many brands that have adopted using sustainable sources for their products like:
Ubabub,
Babyletto,
DaVinci,
Stokke
and more.
Another important material source that you should look for is Certified Organic Cotton for your crib mattress. There has been much debate as to the harmful effects of preservatives and pesticides in crib mattresses and if you want to go the extra mile and ensure your baby sleeps safely, take a look at organic crib mattresses from brands such as, Pure Harmony and Naturepedic.
Another big item to look out for is the paint or finish applied to your nursery furniture. Most regular paints and finishes contain Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) that emit harmful gases long after they have dried. Most of us do not notice the health risks associated with being exposed to these VOCs, but a newborn baby who is extremely sensitive to their surroundings can experience adverse effects to VOC exposure. Even in small amounts, VOCs can cause headaches, irritation, and allergy like symptoms, whereas the effects of high concentrations can be much worse. The solution is to look for brands that use low or no VOCs paint/finishes.
And the third big indication that helps confirm the green manufacturer’s eco-friendly credibility is GREENGUARD and FSC Certifications. The GREENGUARD certification means that the product has been screened for more than 10,000 VOCs and must meet stringent chemical emission requirements. Examples of brands that are GREENGUARD certified are Baby Appleseed, Naturepedic mattresses, Natart and more.
FSC certifications are enforced by the Forest Stewardship Council in efforts to encourage responsible forest management in an organized fashion. FSC certifications let the consumer know that the product is harvested from sustainable forests that help combat global deforestation, global warming and illegal logging. FSC’s mission addresses sustainable forestry in an economical, social, and political fashion. So if you’re looking for an eco-friendly brand that has taken this principle to heart and in their business operations, Spot on Square baby furniture collections are produced in an FSC certified factory along with partnering with conscientious manufacturers.
We at Simply Baby Furniture are so proud of our Green Manufacturers as they are paving the way for responsible, eco-friendly operations that should state a precedence for all manufacturers. Making every effort to keep our children safe from harmful toxins and being good to the environment are two principles that should be on the forefront of all juvenile manufacturers. You can learn more about our green manufacturers in this infographic, that highlights their eco-friendly attributes and why it is beneficial to your baby's safety.
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