Eco-friendly products natural fit for infant, youth industry

By Lisa Casinger -- Kids Today, 6/1/2007 12:00:00 AM

Green goods are popping up across all industries as more consumers demand products that are made organically or from sustainable or reclaimed woods or are manufactured in an environmentally friendly manner. The juvenile/youth industry is no different.

Consumers who may not have considered green products before often turn their attention to them once they become parents in an effort to provide healthier alternatives for their children. Parents are buying everything from organic lotions, bath soaps, foods and detergents to cribs and beds made from sustainable woods. Eco-friendly toys, bedding, mattresses, clothing and more also are on the market.

City of Industry, Calif.-based Baby Appleseed manufactures infant furniture and works in partnership with the American Forests, the nation's oldest nonprofit citizens' conservation organization. The organization is a leader in planting trees for environmental restoration, a pioneer in the science and practice of urban forestry and a primary communicator of the benefits of trees and forests.

With the purchase of each Baby Appleseed crib, consumers can choose from one of four reforestation projects where 10 trees are planted in their child's behalf. To date the company has planted 13,021 trees.

Pixel Pieces' philosophy is: Eat organic. Sleep organic. The Los Angeles-based company says it combines good design with good social decisions and that going green doesn't have to be a sacrifice.

The retailer offers gift packs, bedding, clothing and furniture, accessories and more, and it recently debuted its own line of organic products, Pixel Organics. The line of crib mattresses, mattress pads, wool comforters and bedding is chemical free and is made with 100% organic cotton, 100% California organic wool, 100% chemical-free rubber and is packaged in 100% recycled content. The fabrics are printed with low impact dye/print processes approved by the Organic Trade Association.

Barry Cik, a chief engineer at G.E.M. Testing & Engineering Labs, Cleveland, Ohio, has more than 25 years of experience in environmental engineering. He became a technical consultant for Naturepedic, makers of organic juvenile/youth mattresses, a few years ago when shopping for crib mattresses for his first grandchild.

"Organic products are becoming more popular because the use of potentially harmful and even toxic chemicals in consumer products is reaching the tipping point," Cik said. "A current example of that is polyurethane foam. The American Association of State Fire Marshals characterizes it as 'solid gasoline' and has recently asked the EPA to classify it as a hazardous material. Why would anyone want to put a baby on this for 10-14 hours a day? To make the point stronger, one chemical commonly used to keep polyurethane foam from burning has recently been banned in California, but most mattresses in use today still contain this chemical."

Los Angeles-based Pure Beginnings offers a complete line of baby clothing, bedding and accessories made from 100% pure organic cotton and a personal care line that is void of harmful chemicals or irritants and uses natural essential oils and essences.

The challenge for many makers of green products is educating consumers.

"The biggest challenge in marketing organic is that most consumers are (still) in denial that potentially harmful chemicals are permitted by the government to be sold," Cik said. "Try telling the average consumer that about 30% of vinyl is a chemical that gets released to the air around it and that this chemical has been demonstrated to cause hormonal/reproductive damage to baby boys and is a known animal carcinogen and suspected human carcinogen, and more. The average consumer would think you're an environmental extremist for even talking like that."

Patti Pao, CEO of the Pao Principle, a New York retail consulting firm says the green movement is "100% being driven by consumer demand."

"As with most trends, it started with the young (e.g. tweens and under 18) and with the affluent; both markets who increasingly demanded to know the history behind the products they were buying and consuming," Pao said. "Now the trend has turned into a way of life as it is increasingly being adopted by the middle market."

Pao doesn't think consumers are quite yet willing to pay higher prices for green products but says "the green product movement will ultimately become a mandatory product attribute — a cost of entry into the market."

Other companies that offer green products in the juvenile/youth industry include Hosung NY, which recently launched its My Natural plush toy collection at Target stores nationwide.

The company bowed its organic toy line, MiYim, in 2005 at the Juvenile Product Manufacturers Association show in Orlando. The plush line is crafted with hypo-allergenic, chemical free cottons and uses the industry's first natural dye process: pure water wash.

Eugene, Ore.-based Pacific Rim Woodworking has been making hand-crafted, solid maple furniture using Pacific Coast Maple grown in managed forests in Washington and Oregon since 1981. Each piece is hand-rubbed with a proprietary finish that includes tung and linseed oil.

The Western Maple used in Pacific Rim Woodworking's furniture is harvested as a secondary item during softwood harvests. The company donates the scraps to local schools and community centers for woodshop projects or to low-income families for heat during the winter. The sawdust is recycled into compost at a local lawn and garden center.

Greg Zochowski, owner and co-founder of Pacific Rim Woodworking, agrees with Pao on the demographics of green consumers.

"They're typically 30- plus-year-olds with kids," Zochowski said. "They're driving the market for green products."

About 50% of Pacific Rim Woodworking's products are from its original line; Arts & Crafts designs are one of the mainstays and the 4-in-1 classic bed has been a consistent seller.

Zochowski said one of the challenges with manufacturing in general, not just green product, is that federal safety regulations are always changing.

"There are so many definitions of green these days because people are jumping on the bandwagon," he said. "We try to use recycled stuff as much as possible. Green is good for the environment and good for the user. I think most companies are doing it for themselves because it's safer for their employees' work environment as well."

Taos, N.M.-based Pitter Patter Collection owner Annette Stoner said she ventured into the organic product business because she's "aware of what is happening with global warming and the effects on our future generations."

The five-year-old company manufacturers infant and youth bedding and accessories and recently opened a flagship store in New Mexico.

"I feel an immediate need for organic products and it comes from all ages," Stoner said. "I have learned age has nothing to do with the demand when it comes to organics. It's the environmentally aware and those that are educated in global warming who are making the difference."

For Stoner, marketing organic products isn't a challenge, however manufacturing is. She said it is difficult to find screen printers and dye houses in the U.S. with low-impact dyes. Fortunately the company has been able to make it work.

"I think it's important that we all look at the entire manufacturing process from start to finish and how much energy and waste is being put out there and try our best to keep it as minimal as possible," she said.

Serena & Lily recently launched a paint collection of 13 wall colors and two trim colors that have no VOC's (volatile organic compounds that are emitted as gases from certain solids or liquids that may have short and/or long-term adverse health effects) and low odor, making them among the safest and least toxic paints on the market, perfect for nurseries and kids rooms.

The paints also have a matte-scrubbable finish for easy cleaning. The line includes colors like chambray, air, chocolate, juice, punch, sprout and more. There also are 4-ounce sample sizes parents can buy to try out the colors.

U.K.-based Natural Mat, a manufacturer of hand-made crib mattresses and organic bed linens using natural and organic raw materials, will introduce its products to the U.S. market this month.

Founded in 2000 by Mark Tremlett and Peter Tindall, Natural Mat began as a supplier of natural mattresses for boats and yachts. One year later, when Mark and his wife were expecting their first child, they realized a void in the category for a high-quality all-natural mattress product. The company then chose to expand its line to encompass the baby market. In addition to the coco, latex and mohair mattresses, the collection includes machine-washable 100% organic cotton bed linens and recycled packaging is used for all products in the collection.

One baby product that's never been eco-friendly is disposable diapers, the third largest source of solid waste in landfills.

Classy Kid has come up with a solution to the problem with its diaper sacks made of UV degradable plastic from its Green and Clean line of Easy Cleanup products. The bag makes it easier for diapers to break down because the UV properties enable the bag, when left in sunlight, to break down into tiny pieces.

New Orleans-based Kalencom has changed the manufacturing of its fashion-forward diaper bags to be AZO free and it no longer uses Phthalates/DEHP, DBP and BOP in its PVC (laminated) bags. This is a trend in Europe and makes Kalencom one of the first diaper bag companies to adopt this approach in the United States.

Consumers today have myriad choices when it comes to outfitting their nurseries and kids rooms and with the growing trend toward organic products and eco-friendly living, these products are sure to be in demand.

Classy Kid's Biodegradable Diaper Sacks, $2.99 for a pack of 75, have UV properties that allow the bag to break down and decompose in a matter of months rather than years. If used in conjunction with biodegradable diapers, the benefits are maximized.

BabySoy clothing is made from soybean fibers and is touted as the "vegetable cashmere". Aside from the clothes being green, the factory that produces it is green as well, using limited water and power for production. Available in sizes 0–24 months.

Pitter Patter Collections has bedding made from hemp as well as its newest line made from bamboo fabric. The natural textile is made from the pulp of the bamboo grass, which is lightweight and strong and, to some extent, antibacterial. Because bamboo is highly water absorbent, the bamboo fabric has an excellent wicking ability that pulls moisture away from the skin.

Natural Mat's mohair mat is designed to be a firmer, more supportive base. Horsetail hair, the longest and most durable natural fiber in the world, forms the core of the mat and is sandwiched between layers of organic coir for extra support. Silky mohair fleece wraps around the outside acting as a thermal insulator. The mattress is 27″ × 52″ and is encased in an unbleached, cotton herringbone cover, which is removable and machine washable, $625.

Baby Appleseed's Davenport collection, available in five finishes, features solid wood construction and the crib converts to a toddler or full bed.

Pacific Rim Woodworking offers hand-crafted, solid maple furniture made from Pacific Coast Maple grown in managed forests in Washington and Oregon. The 4-in-1 classic bunk bed system, $700, offers many configurations that extend the usefulness of the bed.

Pixel Organics' Lions, Tigers and Kittens....Oh My! crib set, $400, is a perfect compliment to the modern nursery. The quirky, slightly retro array of animals is done in rich orange and bright golds and includes a reversible comforter and bumper, fitted sheet and crib skirt. All prints are available in crib, toddler and twin sets.

Serena & Lily's eco-friendly paint line comes in 13 wall colors and two trim colors that have no VOC's and low odor. The paint is available in colors such as chambray, chocolate and sky.

Pure Beginnings organic bumper pad is filled with wool and measures 10″ × 161″, $115.99.