From the category archives:

Grow Green Kids

Eco-friendly clothing for older kids

by Jennifer on March 2, 2010

I’ve got a few green product pet peeves, such as why doesn’t an actual green deodorant exist? I’m talking one that REALLY works! However, as a green parent, a bigger pet peeve of mine is why aren’t there any flipping eco-friendly clothing companies making clothes for kids?

And by kids, I mean kids ages 7 years to 15 years or so. For some reason unknown to me, eco-friendly clothing companies apparently believe that people come in three ages; baby, young child and adult. I have a nine year old. Do you know how hard it is to find eco-friendly clothing for a nine year old boy?! It’s seriously almost impossible.

I guess that organic and other eco-friendly clothing makers assume that ONLY babies and young kids deserve clothes that are free from chemicals. From elementary school to the teen years I suppose it’s fine to just swim in chemicals.

With this in mind, I’ve been considering where to get clothes for kids and rounded up some ideas.

Where to find green clothing for older kids

OPTIONS BEYOND ACTUAL CLOTHING COMPANIES

Look at conventional stores: I’ve had some luck checking out clothing sites for small adult or tiny teen sizes – which works for shirts but not pants. Also, I’ll look at plain old stores online (or in person) because while some don’t advertise it, you can find organic kids clothing at these places, it just takes more time to look, because they also sell traditional fabrics.

Go local: Another option is to look at local head shops and eco-shops in your town. You can visit local green stores and sometimes find decent clothing for kids.

Thrift stores – used is eco-friendly in my opinion. While used does not = chemical-free, in my opinion it’s better and greener to buy used than all new. That said, once in a while my son deserves a new piece of clothing, so below are some clothing companies I found who do offer some clothes for older kids. By older I mean 7 years +. If the clothing store doesn’t offer a decent selection for this age group, I’m not listing them. Keep on reading this post!

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EarthGroovz Spring Dresses

by Jennifer on February 27, 2010

Dreaming of spring? You can get a jump start on the season with a lovely EarthGroovz springtime dress for your little princess, such as the adorable Tossed Owls in Cream Tunic below.

EarthGroovz spring dresses

EarthGroovz carries an outstanding collection of beautiful dresses and tunics that will add some pop to your little girl’s spring wardrobe. Based in Vermont, EarthGroovz specializes in handmade, earth friendly & vegan fashion. Sustainable, natural materials are used whenever possible such as handcrafted wooden buttons and organic, unbleached cotton muslin linings on all dresses. All products are vegan and 100% cruelty free. Straps on these dresses tie at the shoulder and are fully adjustable for sizing. Keep on reading this post!

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Journey North – Green Kids Educational Project

February 21, 2010

Journey North is a year-long, free nature adventure event for youth. The major activity season for Journey North actually kicks off in February but kids can join up at any time. Through May (and beyond) there’s plenty of learning and fun to be had.

WHAT IS JOURNEY NORTH?
A North American adventure for kids that allows them [...]

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Adorable Heart Shaped Natural Teething Toy

January 21, 2010

Little Teething Toys from the very cool Little Sapling Toys make great gifts for babies and they even have one design that’s ideal for Valentine’s Day.

All Little Teething Toys, like the Little Heart Teething Toy shown above, are perfect for teething babies to grasp and chew. Each Heart is sanded satin smooth, left unfinished and [...]

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No Impact Project for Schools & Educators

January 17, 2010

If you’re into green living then you’ve most likely heard of No Impact Man. If not watch the trailer below then keep reading for info about a nice little environmental education curriculum package you can score from the No Impact Project website.

The No Impact Project website is a supplement to the film and contains plenty [...]

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New My First Green Toys

January 6, 2010

Green Toys Inc., an award-winning innovator in safe, environmentally responsible toys, and a favorite toy company here at Growing A Green Family, just announced their brand new line of toys for little ones as young as six months old.

The new line, called My First Green Toys, will include seven new products made locally in California, [...]

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Happy first day of winter – 35 ways to enjoy nature in winter

December 21, 2009

Green living to me, when you have kids especially, is a lot about learning to appreciate nature. Fact – kids who don’t love nature, who don’t have awesome nature experiences won’t care enough about nature to preserve it. In the winter it’s hard to make time to get outside. You’ve got to bundle up, fit [...]

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Green Holiday Gifts for Crafty Kids

December 16, 2009

You can still score gifts with online shipping in time for Christmas at many venues for a few more days – which means you have enough time to pick up a super slick eco-arts & craft gift for the little artist in your house.
Oompa Art Supplies: The best reason to shop at Oompa is because [...]

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Homemade Holiday Gift – Thrift Store Dress-Up Costume Kit

December 16, 2009

Most little ones I’ve met LOVE to dress up and pretend they’re someone else. I spent entire days as a kid doing this (and making my sister, poor girl, join in). If you’re still trying to think of a last minute gift for a special little one in your world then a DIY thrift store [...]

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Better Green Education Choices for Youth

December 11, 2009

Public schools are not the best choice if you’re looking to raise green kids. Not that we can only blame schools. How we act as parents matters more in my opinion, because our kids mimic our behaviors, but schools do play a role in green living. Most public schools don’t live up to their green [...]

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