1 . Take the Community Approach
2 . Buy Only as Needed
The Smart ( and Sustainable ) Way to Buy Baby Clothes
| by Katy Lytal Ethical Infant
There ’ s no faster fashion in the world than that of babies . This thought didn ’ t cross my mind until I had kids . But then , it hit me like a ton of bricks - or more appropriately - like a laundry basket full of barely-worn onesies .
Babies can go through an entire wardrobe of clothing in a matter of months , or even weeks .
When my first child was 6 months old , I remember the overwhelming feeling of guilt as I packed away an entire bin of mostly unworn clothing … many items still with tags . It was so wasteful . It was so excessive . “ This has to change ,” I thought , “ but how ?”
Well , being ever so slightly Type A , I decided to ...
1 . Take the Community Approach
Just like parenting , the road to sustainability is one that shouldn ’ t be traveled alone . Community is the key to our success . Thankfully , community comes in many forms these days . Yes , you could take a bin of barely worn baby threads and gift them to the new mama down the street . No babies on your street ? Try posting pics of your items on local social media groups . You can even large websites that are specifically designed to connect you to communities all over the country , with the intent of selling or sharing clothes . The options to share clothing are endless . This first step towards baby clothes sanity , allows you to extend the life of a garment and build relationships in the process .
1 . Identify what was driving this excessive purchasing
2 . Determine feasible steps I could take toward sustainability
After a bit of trial and error , I was amazed at how easy it was to create a positive shift in the way I participated in the infant layette world .
I ’ ve boiled my thoughts and experience down to 6 steps you can take for the most sustainable ( and costeffective ) baby clothing experience .
2 . Buy Only as Needed
This step takes a bit of self-restraint but you will save a ton ( of both money and wasted textiles ) in the end . If you ’ re like me , you frequently ask yourself things like , “ Do my little ones have jackets for the coming rain ?” “ Do they have long pants for colder weather ?” Being prepared is good . However , when it comes to baby clothing , advanced purchasing can be quite problematic . Just like the weather , growth spurts are far unpredictable in advance .
When you think to yourself in August that it will cool down in October , and that ’ s the time
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