Organic luxury from Aravore
How sweet is this little party dress from Aravore? I recently got it for Ivy and I can’t wait for her to wear it this summer. (I am already dreaming about garden parties, bare feet, and days so hot even a dress like this feels like too much! Well…it’s now March after all!!) This dress, like all the beautiful products from Aravore, is made from fairly traded, soft organic cotton and has the sweetest crochet detailing on the sleeves and skirt. It truly feels unique in both quality and design.
Aravore also makes beautiful baby blankets, accessories and shawls made from organic merino wool. Check out their website for more products, and look out for their new Spring/Summer collection — so cute!
-Courtney
BPA-Free Snackpots from VUP baby
How cute are these little TumTum Snack Pots from VUPbaby, each with a little bug on the lid? They’re made from BPA-free plastic, are dishwasher safe and fit one inside the other for easy storage. Cute for inside lunch boxes or for storing after school snacks. Or… you can do what I just did and give them to your 2-year-old and ask her to stack and sort them. Mine sat there for nearly 20 minutes completely entertained!
-Courtney
Laikonik — paper goods with a Polish twist
We’ve reviewed the beautiful Laikonik once-a-year books before, but they have only gotten better in the meantime! How beautiful are these Polish folk art designs, screen-printed in beautiful whites or strong reds on soft grey linen? The once-a-year books have 18 pages for photos, where once a year you can insert a picture of your child. At the back of the photo is a place for a short description of important happenings that specific year. At the end of the 18 years the book will be a short but strong documentation of childhood, beautifully documenting the changes over the years and growth into adulthood.
Kasia from Laikonik made a personalised once-a-year book for Ava, and it is such a beautiful and thoughtful gift! It came with a screen-printed hemp bag to protect it, and Kasia even wrapped the book in matching screen printed wrapping paper — gorgeous.
Laikonik also offers other beautiful paper goods, like the photograms, a mini photo book that gives space to four photos and a letter, which is a wonderful gift for far-away loved ones.
xxx Esther
Cheekeyes from Ollie & Forbes
How cute is this Cheekeyes Dinosaur set? The Cheekeyes (given their name because of the pink painted cheek on every character) are handmade from eco-friendly rubber wood and come in themed sets. We have this dinosaur set, which my son LOVES, but there’s also a Rainforest theme, an Arctic theme, an Africa and a Forest theme.
They’re all available from Ollie & Forbes, a great user-friendly site offering imaginative and sustainable toys for children. I love that they have a currency coverter which converts the prices to your chosen currency — how smart!
-Courtney
ONE YEAR AGO WE WROTE ABOUT:
• Salmonella and other reasons why I am afraid to eat anything ever again….• Sparkle and Spin
Solids?
With the third baby, you sort of consider yourself an experienced mum. You think you get it, know how it’s done best, and it truly makes parenting a lot easier because you’re a lot less bothered. (Most third babies I know are very easygoing — must have something to do with the parents being more relaxed!)
However, when it’s regarding eating solids, Ava is in no way like her siblings, and I honestly am at a loss here. The thing is this: where Sara and Pim at six months would eagerly open their mouths for their first bite of solids (baby rice), baby Ava was not very keen to try at all, and the little bite that I managed to get into her mouth was not met with a lot of enthusiasm (if you want to see photos of me feeding Ava her first bites you can have a look here, the look on her face is classic). From that moment onwards, Ava has kept her mouth shut and turns her face away as soon as she sees a spoon coming her way. And don’t think I haven’t tried it all: home-cooked, not home-cooked, mix with breast-milk, have other people try, same taste for a few days, different tastes, etc. etc. She’s now 8 months old and not much has changed! The only thing that sort of works is to give her a plate, set her down for dinner with us and give her chunks of food (like broccoli, carrot, fish, or bread). She will suck on these (and analyse them, play with them, and throw them on the ground together with the plate). I wonder if this means we’re skipping the pureed food stage all together? It surely means we have a very stubborn little lady on our hands here!
xxx Esther
PS – the cute over-sized bib is from Coq-en-Pâte and made of 100% organic cotton and non-toxic ink.
Doudou Veilleuse — a Glow-in-the-dark bunny
Alessia from the newly launched eco shop, e-side, recently sent me this Doudou Veilleuse — a cute little rabbit, made from fairtrade and organic cotton, that glows in the dark! I’ll admit I was skeptical, but sure enough it works really well — looks like a normal little ‘doudou’ until the lights go out and you realise it’s glowing! Most importantly, the photoluminescent dye does not contain any harmful chemicals so it’s completely safe for babies and small children. My kids love it (I should order two more to end the arguing over who gets to take it to bed)!
Check out the e-side website for other great eco-friendly toys and products, including the Smiling Planet tableware which we love!
-Courtney
Stylish soft books from Coq-en-Pâte
Cute, these fabric books from Coq-en-Pâte, don’t you think? I’m loving the fresh, bright colours and the retro look of them. And if your baby decides that chewing them is preferred to reading them (like Ava), don’t worry because all of the Coq-en-Pâte products are made out of 100% GOTS organic cotton and non-toxic inks. What is especially great is that the books are machine washable, and come in a cute cardboard envelope which makes it perfect for gift giving or sending overseas.
xxx Esther
Aarrekid — fun from Finland
Loving this eco-friendly discovery from Finland! Aarrekid is fairly new on the market and as fresh as I imagine Finland to be. The pieces are made out of great quality, natural materials and the prints are really fun, telling stories from ‘outer space and enchanting forests’. My favourite piece is the short overalls pictured — they’re made out of beautiful, black linen and are adorable because of the cut, but cool because of the colour. And, of course I couldn’t resist the owl pillow… All available through Eco Bohemia, a Finish online store full of special and unique products to discover.
xxx Esther
Retro knitwear from Mormor.nu
My mother was one of the fastest knitters in the world. She seriously race-knitted, and she could easily watch a movie at the same time. Talk about multi-tasking! She would have made a good member of the knitting team of Mormor.nu… Mormor.nu is the brainchild of Nina Brandi from Denmark, and consists of a team of local knitting grannies — some of whom have been knitting all of their lives. Nina adapted old knitting techniques to contemporary taste, and the result is absolutely darling; I just adore those sweet retro style pieces! All of the clothes are made according to fair-trade principles and of high quality, natural materials.
Available through one of our favourite webshops, Orfeo.
xxx Esther
Quality People
I am very impressed by the new label Quality People and their cute and super soft T-shirt and tops for children. The label was started by Kellie, an LA fashion designer who relocated to Paris. After having kids she decided to rethink her approch toward fashion and tried to produce clothes that make a difference. She has managed something that used to seem impossible: making organic, ethically produced clothes look good and on trend. There is not a piece of tie-dye in sight! I love the laid back, Californian style of the T-shirts, which is quite different from the style we usually see here in Paris.
I also really like Quality People’s women’s collection. Cool, relaxed, organic cashmere — sounds like music to my ears! The children’s and women’s collection are available online here in France. For the rest of the world you can find the list of boutiques here.
-Emilie
Snooshy!
Snooshy is the new style doll that is hand knit from 100% Tibetan yak wool. It’s seriously way cool. Not only because of his looks, but also because of his fashionable outfits! Made from offcuts of the fashion industry, Snooshy’s clothes are 100% recycled. And all the sets are one-of-a-kind, so you won’t know what you’re gonna get, just that it will be fun and fashionable, and fair trade made! It’s also fairly easy for bigger kids to sew clothes for their own Snooshy and start a collection like that — my daughter has a sewing machine on her wish-list for Christmas so she can start sewing clothes for her Snooshy!
Snooshy and the clothing sets are available in boy or girl varieties from the Snooshy webshop (or check the website for worldwide retailers).
xxx Esther
Cozy Christmas Blanket from Hopsan
Sometimes you just have to see and feel a product to really appreciate the quality. This blanket from Dutch eco brand Hopsan is like that. The quality of the (organic) cotton is wonderful, it’s nice and thick but still soft and supple, and the pattern is beautiful. Remember that adorable jacket I wrote about a while ago? This blanket is from that same series. And even though I think it would be wonderful for Christmas time, of course you can use it all year round (and it looks great on the couch as well!).
As a bonus it comes with an adorable hat, and is packed in Hopsan’s signature little cardboard house. What a lovely Christmas gift…
xxx Esther
Winter Water Factory
Now that the weather is gloomy and grey, I’m craving some fresh colours and fun prints to brighten things up a bit… and I’m loving these pieces from Winter Water Factory, a Brooklyn-based company specializing in beautiful and bold textile prints. All their pieces are crafted from 100% certified organic cotton and made in the USA. I just got the yellow Winterberry Dress for Ivy and it’s such a nice contrast to the dark, muted colours in the rest of her wardrobe.
-Courtney
ONE YEAR AGO WE WROTE ABOUT:
• Beautiful dress-up nightwear from Ce Que Je Voeu…• Aesop — an Aussie classic!
Acme Party Box Company
There are some really great blogs around of very talented designers who do nothing better than throw the most beautiful, picture-perfect parties. I love looking at these blogs and imagining that I too one day will be so organized that I can pull together such a feat — that I will be on time with printed invites (for once!), that the birthday cake will be made the day before (and perfect), that the table will be perfectly decorated, and that the favour bags are home sewn and filled with cute, usable objects that are earth friendly on top of it. And that I wear a pretty dress, my hair looks nice and I have some make-up on for crying out loud!
If you’re like me, and love a pretty party but are somehow too busy, un-organized, or maybe not creative enough to organize your own, I suggest you tun to Acme Party Box NOW. How cute, HOW CUTE, are these party supplies? I can’t get over it — if only I knew about them before!! Think about it — the only thing you need to do is order a box! Everything you need for a perfect party is included — the favours, the crowns, the table setting, decorations, invitations… And trust me, it’s all SO cute and thoughtfully put together, you can’t possibly not be impressed! Beautiful fabrics, Holtztiger animals for centre pieces, little jars with straws for glasses, soy wax candles for the cake, and so forth… And, unlike the many plastic party goods that end up in the trash, the Acme products can be re-used over and over again (or composted).
I think the woodland theme is my favourite…
xxx Esther
Give good Karma — the best gift of all
Did you know that each year in Australia close to $1 billion is spent on unwanted gifts that end up in storage, in the bin and ultimately in landfill? Isn’t it crazy? Such awful wastage! That’s exactly how Melbournite Ashley Rosshandler felt before setting up the Karma Currency Foundation and launched Australia’s first Online Charity Gift Voucher. It works so simply. You log onto their website to buy a tax deductible Charity Gift Voucher for say…Christmas… and email it off to the recipient. The recipient then logs onto the website and decides which charities the donation will go toward. They can choose to protect rainforests, educate minds, find cures, rescue animals, offset their carbon or support the soup kitchen down the road… whatever charity is closest to their hearts. Such a genius concept! I love it! I can’t imagine a more meaningful, empowering and memorable gift than spreading the karma!
- Sara
ONE YEAR AGO WE WROTE ABOUT:
• Cardboard box crafts• Theme Week: Win a Billy Rocker!
• How to make a bib out of an (old) kitchen towel
Cariboo Cribs
Are you familiar with Cariboo cribs yet? I find them really beautiful. Ava sleeps in the Natural Folding Crib, which is so plain and simple, really lovely. The design is contemporary and sleek, but at the same time timeless enough to blend in with every interior. What I possibly love most about this crib is that it can fold flat, so when you store it away to await future babies (or grandchildren!), it easily fits under a bed. You can also take it in the car when you’re traveling, so your baby will feel at home wherever you are.
The Cariboo cribs are hand-crafted somewhere on the South Island of New Zealand, under the undoubtedly spectacular Southern Alp mountain range, which I really hope to see some day. But for now I’m perfectly happy seeing my beautiful little baby sleep in her New Zealand crib…
xxx Esther
Hopsan, sweet eco baby clothes…
It’s an early September evening, and I’m listening to the storm raging outside. It feels more like winter than summer! Depressing, maybe, but somehow this little jacket I received for Ava makes me long for cold, winter evenings — drinking hot chocolate by the fire, cozying up to my baby…
Hopsan is a new Dutch brand with the very fine philosophy of reducing waste on this planet. They use 100% certified organic cotton, and if they use packaging at all it’s by way of a little cardboard cottage, with real doors and windows that can be decorated by the kids and re-used as a toy. Such a sweet idea! Also, the garments come with a little bag of sunflower seeds, to literally teach your children how things grow. All in all, there’s a lot of thought and care behind the little jacket next to me, which, if you’re interested, I would snatch up before it’s sold out all together…
xxx Esther
La Queue du Chat — organic children’s clothing
There’s something about cute, crisp underwear for kids. I just can’t stand old, over-washed knickers and I admit to throwing out those once-white undies that were accidentally washed with the dark load. (If only I were as picky with my own underwear, but it seems that for myself I prefer those old pieces!)
I find it quite difficult to find good quality, cool kids undies, especially for boys, but I’m loving the superman undies pictured. I love the tight fit, and I love that the superman logo is in fact made out of little red birdies, giving them that tasteful twist. So cute for my little boy! The grey girl’s set is lovely too, and in fact La Queue du Chat has many more adorable pieces, not at all just for ‘under’, and all made out of 100% organic and fair-trade cotton. Check out the collection on the website, also for points of sale…
xxx Esther
Weebits — Beautiful Knitwear for Babies
Gosh, I am a sucker for beautiful knitwear — for myself and my kids. When I discovered Weebits at Magnolia Square recently I was mesmerized by the quality, texture, colors and design and just a tiny bit peeved that they didn’t come in sizes big enough for us! Pure merino wool from New Zealand is the world’s most exclusive natural fibre and it is as scarce as cashmere. Because of its natural elasticity, lustre, resilience, density, strength, warmth and softness, it is perfect for newborns. I totally love these hoodies (pictured) but the rest of the range (especially the ponchos and loop scarves) are equally drool-worthy. The colors are just superb and produced using eco-friendly dyes. Definitely worth checking out. The good news is they ship world-wide. For more details, click here.
- Sara
Native shoes in mini sizes
I am so excited… I just discovered that Little Fashion Gallery are stocking Native shoes in mini sizes! I have long been bemoaning the fact that these cool shoes didn’t come in kids sizes and…well...here they are! The perfect summer holiday shoe in my opinion — so versatile, so robust with the utility of a Croc but really so much more style! And in such delicious colors too. Made from 100% EVA, an environmentally amphibious material that makes them ultra-comfortable and all-terrain; molding perfectly to the foot. I can’t wait to get my hands on a pair (for the kids and also for myself — I am eyeing the shell white here)!
- Sara
