A child’s genuine comfort and a parent’s peace of mind guides our careful selection of the purest organic elements that form this collection: bumpers filled with organic wool, lovable blankets of breathable organic percale and supremely cozy organic fleece, all printed with certified organic dyes.

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Alabama Chanin creates an “array of limited-edition products for the individual and home. Using a mixture of new, organic and recycled materials our products are constructed with care by artisans who live and work in our local communities. All of the Alabama Chanin products lines are made-by-hand in the USA.”

A.C. has jewelry, interiors fabrics, t-shirts, home collections, a special organic series and more.

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CankerMelts not only heal canker sores in 1 to 5 days, but they help relieve the pain too. These slow natural dissolving discs adhere to the oral sore and provide anti-inflammatory pain relief.  Recently, my daughter thought she had another canker sore, although I could not confirm it by peering in her mouth. I let her try CankerMelts, and she did not complain about the sore again.  CankerMelts are not limited to canker sores, as they can be used on any sore in the mouth, such as from braces or biting one’s cheek.  It is advised not to use CankerMelts with children under six years of age, due to choking hazards.  CankerMelts are made in the USA.

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Chapter One Organics produces fun, modern and organic baby and toddler clothes from sustainable materials, including onesies, tops, bottoms, rompers, dresses, bibs and blankets. Not only do they make cute organic clothes for little ones, but their line is made by US women of who have had significant barriers to employment.  These women are trained to develop skills that enable them to earn fair wages, establish careers, learn work habits, and care for their families.  Furthermore, Chapter One Organics is an approved member of Co-op America, a national nonprofit consumer organization, promoting environmental sustainability, social justice, and economic justice.

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We feel that protecting your child, while also supporting America’s economy, are of utmost importance.We know that toys made in America are constructed with safe materials and built by fair labor practices.

One of our family’s favorite toys from Down to Earth Toys is the Lunastix Enchanted Juggling Sticks. If you have ever been to an outdoor concert, you have probably seen someone playing with Lunastix. The kid size version of the juggling sticks is fun for children to play with and master, and they are great for hand-eye coordination. Children’s (and parents’) dexterity, balance, focus, and perseverance improve as they learn to do tricks with the sticks. Let me tell you, it is not as easy as it appears.

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Recently I had a chance to chat with Susan Doris and Robbie Mahlman, co-founders of Robbie Adrian Luxury Organic baby blankets. Their company takes 100% organic, machine-washable baby blankets to a whole new level of gorgeous style and soft texture, and Halle Berry, Jennifer Lopez and Christina Aguilera are just a few of their celebrity customers. These forward-thinking entrepreneurs make sure every detail of their business is as green and sustainable as possible, and all their products completely made in the USA.

These women are also moms who are raising families and running an ethical business in a highly competitive field. They took a moment from their busy day to answer a few questions:

1. Your blankets are unique in that they combine organic, sustainable design with colorful style. Why do you think it’s taken so long for organic manufacturers to move beyond beige?

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As a new parent, I was very concerned about swaddling my newborn in synthetic, petroleum-based polyester blankets. Conventionally grown cotton baby blankets are not much better, as they are grown and produced with pesticides and chemicals. The solution: organically grown baby blankets. Unfortunately, six years ago the only organic fiber blanket I could find was a dull green color and unattractive. Today, babies can be swaddled in stylish, luxurious organic baby blankets by Robbie Adrian Luxury Organics, the perfect gift for baby.

After the recent barrage of recalls, many parents are looking for items made in the USA. Robbie Adrian Luxury Organics baby blankets are not only made in the USA, but the cotton used to make the fleece is also organically grown in the USA. The demand for non-food organic products is growing (27.5% in 2006), as people realize that it is not only the food we eat that comes into contact with our bodies. Robbie Adrian Luxury Organics are optimistic about this trend. Cofounder Susan Doris explains, "Part of our goal … is to help educate people about the impact on the environment from purchasing different fibers, and how they can really make a difference with what they buy."

Robbie Adrian Luxury Organics baby blankets are very beautiful and soft to the touch. The organically grown fleece is lined with silk, and worry-free for green parents. As cofounder Robbie Mahlman states, "Our blankets make green gorgeous." I can’t wait to give one to my new niece Tessa! All this green luxury comes at a price though, but as I have said before, sustainability is expensive in comparison to superstore shopping. The demand for cheap goods is one reason our environment is in its current condition.

What do you get for buying a sustainable company’s beautiful baby blanket? The company is honest in describing the green strengths and weakness of their product. They call this "baby steps" as they "try to run our business as sustainably as we can." The blankets are made of 100% certified organic cotton, grown in Texas, milled in South Carolina, and trimmed with natural silk. They are colored with low-impact, azo-free, non-heavy metal dyes. The company’s receipts are printed on seeded lotka paper, and all other paper products, such as hang-tags and stationary, are 100% post consumer fiber. The decorative tissue is handmade from kozo fiber. Robbie Adrian Luxury Organics uses plastic bags in packaging only when the destination expects wet weather. That is an awful lot of "baby steps," in my opinion!

There are a few areas the company identifies as needing sustainability improvement. Their labels are made from polyester fibers, because there are no US sources for woven cotton labels. The shipping boxes contain 55% recycled fiber content, rather than 100%. Furthermore, Robbie Adrian Luxury Organics would like to move from natural silk to "peace" silk. I have to admit, I had never heard of peace silk, even though I have taken many fiber arts classes. During conventional silk production, the silkworm is killed as it is boiled and the fiber unwound. Alternately, peace silk lets the moths emerge from their cocoons and complete their full life cycle before the silk fiber is removed. This product is rarely available for commercial uses.

You may not care about the life cycle of a silkworm, but Robbie Adrian Luxury Organics does, as they take "baby steps" towards combining sustainability, elegance, and beauty in their baby blankets. The company also cares about 15 pesticides used on cotton crops and their ecological impact. They care about providing green babies luxury, comfort, and health, something CEO Robbie Mahlman calls, "earth friendly elegance for discerning parents and their babies."

We have had the Child’s Cleaning Set in my preschool classroom for four years now, and it continues to be one of the most popular play items. Children often use the mop for fighting fires (perhaps they have heard the term “mop up” after local forest fires), and they use the broom to clean up sand from the sand table. Cleaning up your own messes is a natural consequence for spills, and the most effective way for children to learn responsibility. Learning life skills, such as cleaning, is also part the Montessori philosophy for early childhood education. According to Michael Olaf, an amazing source for Montessori materials,

I have heard parents exclaim in dismay that their child is “wasting time cleaning in her new Montessori school when she should be doing math!” However, math and all other intellectual work requires the ability to move carefully, to focus, to complete sequential steps, to concentrate, to make intelligent choices and to persevere in one’s work. This is exactly what is learned during practical life work. As a result of periods of time spent concentrating on such a task a child becomes calm and satisfied and, because of this inner peace, full of love for others.

Perhaps an even more important result of this work is that the child sees himself already as an important and contributing member of the group, and as an intimate friend, when he is welcome to participate in the work of the adult.

Magic Cabin’s Child’s Cleaning Set is made in the Netherlands, so no need to worry about Chinese manufactured goods with this purchase. The optional tool stand is made in the USA. With the holidays approaching, the Child’s Cleaning Set would make a great, practical gift.

To read more about the cost of sustainability, please visit our post on Green Options: Green Family Values: Why is Sustainability So Expensive?

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