I spotted this ultrasleek-looking stroller by Micralite over at the Today’s Moms Book Bash and Diaper Drive that I attended on Friday morning. It was one of many different giveaways at the fun event! (more details on the stroller to come)
Tag: infants
Bumkins Natural Collection
Last week, I talked a bit about the significance of organic cotton, and how the softness and natural aspects make them so great for baby and kid products. Perhaps some of my favorite baby staples that we still use on a day-to-day basis are our Bumkins organic burpcloths, bibs and washtowels. In the abundance of bibs, towels and other baby textiles that we own, the organic terry bibs and cloths, with their pastel-colored satin and cotton trim on this collection make the Bumkin products quite distinctive.
The quality of Bumkin products, in general, have always stood out to me; however, among all of our other baby textiles, the Organic Collection truly stand out because of the soft and plush feel. I try to stay away from loud patterns, especially when the boy was an infant. It always seemed like most bibs were mini-billboards with their cute sayings and characters, so I loved the neutral color of Bumkins bibs, particularly the chin bibs which look like a collar/halfbib. The were small, but did the trick for mealtimes when we were dressed up or out and about. Soft and functional, all the bibs and burpcloths are thick enough to absorb whatever comes our way. The bibs feature a velcro closure that can withstand even the strongest bib-resistant babe.
From gentle newborn spongebaths to toddler repurposing—even after digging in the dirt at the park—the washcloths continue to serve us well at bathtime and for general cleanups. Because of their natural color and distinctive feel, it never fails, I instinctively pull the Bumkin Organics before any of our other washcloth. The Bumkin burpcloths (which we’ve repourposed as small towels) and washcloths are definitely a mainstay in our kiddie arsenal.
In addition to various other great kiddie products, Bumkin has a penchant for gorgeous packaging, so be sure to check out their giftsets if you’re on the market for baby gifts!
Goodies
And just for Next Kid Thing readers, just enter Nextkid09 for free shipping with any $50.00 order. The coupon expires 4/30/09 and applies to ground shipping only.
BornFree unveils Eco-Friendly recyclable bottles
BornFree products just got a little greener: the company now offers a new line of Eco-Friendly Recyclable bottles. Back in December, I had the opportunity to participate in a panel of moms to weigh in on one of the brands that I consider synonymous with eco-friendliness and BPA-free baby products.
BornFree gained popularity in the mom community just a few short years ago as the research and BPA findings in baby bottles 
became more rampant. As with any tried and true product, I saw moms in my circle of friends and family spread the word about BornFree and soon, many families replaced their existing bottles with BornFree products.
So, what exactly is the Eco-Friendly bottle? Essentially, the Eco-Friendly Recyclable bottle is the same as the original bottle, but in addition to being Pthalate, PVC and BPA-free, the bottles can be recycled when you no longer have use for them. When you’re done with the bottles, you can just send them back to BornFree for recycling into their other products lines. Ingenious!
There’s no place like home
As Dorothy infamously chanted, There’s no place like home…there’s no place like home. Earth Day is a perfect reminder of just that sentiment! Little Chickie Wear’s earth-loving onesie features a life long message that even the littlest tree hugger should live by.
Designed by Gwen of Gwen Designs, this fun line of eco-friendly onesies, t-shirts and hats are all printed on 100% organic cotton. The cuteness is endless.
Silikids giveaway winner
Thank you everyone for participating in the Silikids giveaway! The winner, picked at random via Random.org, is comment #4 from Elizabeth. I’ll send you an email later today, Elizabeth.
Everyone else, please don’t forget the other great giveaways going on this week —>
And tomorrow, I’ll have a pretty cool giveaway in honor of Earth Day!
Why choose organic cotton for babies and kids?
Of all the materials out there, organic cotton has to be one of my favorites. On laundry day, in a sea of freshly laundered t-shirts, without even looking, I know exactly when I’ve pulled out my favorite organic cotton Quicksilver t-shirt to be folded—there’s that much difference in softness! But besides the super soft texture, many companies and manufacturers are adding and increasing organic cotton options to their existing lines. In some cases, new companies are emerging altogether because of this trend that’s here to stay.
So, what’s with organic cotton anyway? What makes it so special and oh so soft?
Organic cotton is the version of its conventional counterpart grown without pesticides, herbicides, insecticides, chemical fertilizers or any other chemicals, making it an ideal textile for baby and children’s products. Conventional cotton is one of the most chemically-dependent crops, sucking up 10 percent of all agricultural chemicals and 25 percent of insecticides on 3 percent of our arable land; that’s more than any other crop per unit. That adds up to 1/3 of a pound of chemicals to produce enough cotton for a t-shirt, and 3/4 of a pound for a pair of jeans. Organic cotton on the other hand, uses agricultural methods designed to help sustain the land it grows on, the people who grow and harvest it, and the planet in general. (via Treehugger)
Once again, like with other greener alternatives, organic cotton products tend to cost a bit more—for now. As the demand for organic cotton products continue to increase–and organic products in general–prices will begin to balance out. In 2006, organic fiber linens and clothing sales in the United States grew by 26 percent over the previous year, to reach $203 million, according to the Organic Trade Association’s 2007 Manufacturer Survey.
Because of its healthier composition and sustainable aspects, organic cotton is a great option for baby and kids’ products. It certainly helps that organic cotton goodies are super soft and always hard to pass up.
To read more about organic cotton and its benefits check out these resources
Gaim on organic cotton
Cleaner cotton
The difference of organic cotton
The case for organic cotton
Organic cotton fact sheet
Huggies introduces Pure & Natural Diapers
Huggies is joining the ranks of natural choices for disposable diapers with the launch of Huggies Pure & Natural diapers. The new diapers are described as a super premium diaper that includes natural, organic materials and ingredients that also take initial steps toward environmental improvements.
The new Huggies Pure & Natural diaper is hypoallergenic, latex and fragrance free and features a breathable outer cover that includes organic cotton. The liner includes natural Aloe & Vitamin E and materials from renewable sources, and the product’s outer packaging is sourced from 20 percent post-consumer recycled materials. The new diaper will be offered in 6 sizes, from newborn through size 5.
Huggies Pure & Natural diapers will be available later in April.
Goodies
Check out Huggies Pure and Natural and don’t forget to get a free sample.
If you try and/or use Huggies Pure and Natural, be sure to come back to let us know how you liked them!
Spotlight: Regal Lager, gr8x, Diaper Dékor
Regal Lager is a distributor of great baby and children’s products, many that we all know and love. The Georgia-based family run company distributes brands that offer practical, stylish, well-designed, and safe products, including Diaper Dékor, gr8x and Lascal Buggy Boards, among others.
A few weeks ago, I had the chance to attend the Big City Mom’s Biggest Baby Shower event. Clearly, I’m not pregnant, but instead, I went for this baby, this new blog here. I have never seen so many pregnant women together in one location, but better yet, it was the biggest collection of awesome baby and kid gear. It was total chaos, what with wall to wall shopping fanatics, enthusiastic city moms, food and mocktails. But, it was pretty cool to learn about so many new products, including those from Regal Lager. Coming home with bags of swag isn’t too bad either (much of which I’m giving away here on NKT!)
But one of the few items that I’m keeping deserves a review: the gr8x messenger diaper bag . You see the same brand of diaper bags hung on strollers around here, but the gr8x messenger bag diaper bag is one that I’d never seen or even heard about.
On first impression, I knew this bag was meant to be mine—it was black, durable vinyl, didn’t look too diaper bag-ish and had pockets galore. I mean, all the pockets and compartments a girl could ever want. In one of those many pockets, on the side, we discovered an insulated bottle pocket, or in our case, sippy cup holder. In addition to all the handy dandy pockets, we found that it included a waterproof changing pad in its own pouch. It also has its own adorable detachable pacifier pouch. gr8x didn’t miss a beat on this one!
Read More
Bugaboo celebrates 10 years + a giveaway
It’s hard to believe that it’s already been 10 years since this ubiquitous line of strollers began populating streets in Holland. Since then, Bugaboo has become a household name among many new parents worldwide, as well as a part of many celebrities’ baby gear aresenal. In celebration of the high-end stroller line’s 10 year anniversary, from March until July, the company is announcing various exciting offers. To find out about these offers, check out their site and sign up for their emails.
As if exciting offers aren’t enough, Bugaboo has teamed up with another brand well known to modern parents–Paul Frank.
In February, Bugaboo announced that the Cameleon can now be outfitted with the Paul Frank Special Collection. Who doesn’t love Julius the monkey? The iconic Paul Frank characters adorn the Special Collection, which includes two tailored fabric sets, two footmuffs and two blankets. Retail prices are $129.95 for the tailored fabric set; $159.95 for the footmuff; and $49.95 for the blanket.
Speaking of cool blankets, Bugaboo added Micro Fleece Blankets to their accessory collection not too long ago. The blankets come in a spectrum of colors that coordinate with the entire Bugaboo line. The Micro Fleece Blanket is super soft, weather and water repellent and ideal for a brisk spring day at the park. The blanket retails at $40
I have a Red Micro Fleece Blanket up for grabs!
Want it?
It’s easy: spread the word about the Next Kid Thing launch and comment below.
Email, Facebook,Twitter, StumbleUpon–whatever social networking site you choose.
For additional entries: share the news on more than one social networking site and comment with each additional link.
This contest ends next Tuesday, April 21 at 11:59 p.m.
Goodies: Be sure to check out their online community, Bugaboo Friends, for tips and other great info.
*******This contest is now closed***********
Silikids: review and giveaways
With all the news involving BPA lately, this company is one that shows the direction that the baby gear market is heading.
In light of the growth of environmental awareness and social consciousness, especially among new parents, many of us seek safer and much more sustainable products. Silikids, founded by two moms who, in a search for alternatives, decided to turn to silicone, one of the safest and most durable materials on earth, into a product line for children.
After recognizing the lack of hygienic, practical and non-toxic products Giuliana Schwab and Stacey Feeley founded Silikids. They have created a unique line of mom-inspired products, which are germ, mold and toxin-free, hypoallergenic and made entirely out of silicone.
Silicone is a non-porous material made from sand, which is unique for its hygienic, safe, durable and green benefits. Silicone is more frequently being used in children’s products, and is already commonly used for baby bottle nipples, pacifiers, teethers and baby spoons.
The Silikids collection currently includes:
· Siliskins-silicone sleeves for 4- and 8-oz. bottles (bottles included)
· Silibibs-soft and easy to clean bibs made entirely of silicone
· Silipads-silicone kneepads for crawlers and toddlers
I had the chance to check out these products, and I was so impressed. The quality and durability are absolutely what I look for in the products that I normally buy. The functionality and eco-friendliness are clear cut selling points, too.
With many families shying away from questionable plastic baby bottles, glass bottles are once again a popular alternative.
The Siliskin sleeves for glass baby bottles are a protective sheath that helps prevent the bottle from breaking. In addition to being functional, they’re fun and colorful, too!
The Silibibs are easy to clean bibs that are a great alternative to the flimsy plastic bibs out on the market. In addition to catching crumbs, many of those plastic bibs catch their fair share of germs if they’re not cleaned properly! These silicone bibs are a safe bet.
Even though my kid is beyond the crawling phase, I appreciate the innovation of the Silipad silicone kneepads. Bumps and bruises are part of our daily routine, but we could’ve definitely used these in the crawling days to cushion little knees from those hard surfaces.
All Silikids products are priced at less than $25.00 and are dishwasher safe, washer/dryer friendly and can be boiled for sterilization. These products which are fairly new to the market can be found at various stores and online retailers.
I have an orange pair of the Silipads and two 4 oz. sized Siliskin sleeves up for grabs.
Want to win it?
Visit the Silikids site and leave a comment with the products you’d like to try.
For additional entries: blog, tweet, stumble or share the news of the Next Kid Thing’s official launch on any social media site. Please leave a comment for each additional entries.
*****This contest is now closed******