You might have noticed that Singleparentopia.com now also offers personalised advice on green baby options (healthy & eco-friendly). The initial reaction that I often get when discussing this topic with parents is the perceived high expense of such baby products. But is this really the case?
A simplistic look at the issue would seem to confirm that they are indeed costlier than the conventional ones. Green baby options, be it care products, clothes or furniture, contain ingredients that are more expensive and processes to produce them are lengthier than e.g. for products containing synthetic chemicals. In addition, the manufacturers might be small businesses, hence the higher cost of production.
There are, however, long-term cost benefits of an investment in green baby products. Green clothes or furniture, for example, are made of higher quality materials and last longer. They can also be resold at a higher value than conventional products. Not to mention the potential savings in terms of long-term health expenses.
Does that mean that only those well-off can afford them?
Not at all!
Green baby products are for every budget. There are just some principles to abide by:
Less is more: Before buying any item, think carefully whether your baby really needs it. We tend to exaggerate with the amount of things bought for children, especially newborns. Buy less but better quality!
Some things can wait: You would be surprised how short the “must have” newborn items list is. Get in touch if you need assistance with it.
Buy used or borrow: An important part of green products’ eco-friendliness is thinking about their environmental impact. Buy used or borrow as much as possible in order to reduce the amount of waste. The only exception are baby car seats where safety should come first so make sure that you are aware of any recalls on a product before buying used or borrowing. Check also Facebook sell and buy groups, such as Eco Baby Geneva.
Try DIY: Not everyone’s cup of tea but homemade baby care products are much cheaper that those bought in store.
Convinced 😉?
