Sustainable Kids’ Clothes

Sustainable Kids Clothes

I have been working on this blog post for about 4 months now. I didn’t want to publish this post without testing out the brands I recommended, but I’m hoping it was worth the wait!

When I made a commitment to learning more about sustainability and making some changes in my home, one of the first things that came up was kids’ clothes. In the past, we have bought most of Amalia’s clothes for school at Old Navy and Carter’s because the prices are insane and I don’t feel bad when she gets them filthy at daycare.

And although I still buy pieces from there from time to time, I’m trying to focus on filling more of the holes in her wardrobe with clothing made by eco-friendly, ethical, and/or sustainable brands. I asked my Instagram followers for some of their favorite brands and found that a lot of them either were really expensive or just not our style. We like really comfy, easy-to-wear (mostly) separates that are colorful, patterned, happy.

Whenever I try to buy Amalia anything muted or plain, she refuses to wear it. Bring on the rainbows and polka dots in our house! After months of trying out some new-to-us brands, these are the sustainable kids’ clothes brands that have passed the Dzafic girls test.

Joules
I put Joules first because Amalia’s dress (sold out) pictured above is from this brand. I discovered it through Mac & Mia boxes (RIP) and loved everything that we’ve gotten from sweaters to dresses to leggings. They make cute and colorful kids’ clothing that isn’t too dressy or too casual. It’s the perfect in-between and the style is on point with what both Amalia and I love. They are famous for their rainboots, although we haven’t personally tried them. You can read about their dedication to being “responsibly Joules” here. They also sell their products on Amazon and Bloomingdales.

Hatley
We became Hatley fans last year when Amalia got a pair of their organic cotton PJs as a gift. We love the PJs because they’re really thick cotton and last wash after wash. Last week I bought Amalia this Hatley unicorn raincoat from Amazon which she is very into because the unicorns change color when they get wet. You can also buy their products on Amazon and Nordstrom. And read more about their social and environmental awareness here.

Mini Boden
This British brand is super cute and colorful and basically right up our alley. We only have a few shirts so far but they’re all really good quality and very sweet. And I know Amalia would love this apple winter coat! You can also find a great selection of their products at Nordstrom. Read more about their sustainability practices here.

H&M Conscious Collection
I feel so conflicted in sharing this because I know H&M has historically been one of the biggest offenders when it comes to environmental and social issues, but their conscious collection seems like a good start to rectifying that. I would hope that the brand moves in this direction with their entire line but I don’t think that’s realistic. That said, their organic and sustainable kids line is really wonderful and really affordable. Amalia lived in the onesies when she was first born and we still love their basics like 5-packs of tees ($29) and jersey leggings.

Monica & Andy
I have seen this brand around and always wanted to try it but never did until Amalia got two organic cotton dresses for a birthday gift from a friend. She loves the dresses because they’re patterned and comfy. We are definitely going to be buying more from this brand. You can read more about them here.

Hanna Andersson
I grew up wearing Hanna Andersson which makes it even more fun for me to dress Amalia in the brand. I recommend waiting for their (fairly regular) sales before purchasing because the prices can be a little high for my taste. Currently, the entire site is 40% off including sale items so now is a good time to shop. We love their PJs (both sleepers and long johns) and buy matching sets for Amalia and her tiny uncle (aka my 1.5-year-old half brother) for every holiday. The striped night-night sleeper (only $24 right now!) has been our go-to since she was a little baby. We currently have them in 3 colors.

While putting together this post last night, I also bought this flannel plaid dress for holiday festivities. It was on sale!

Moon & Back by Hanna Andersson
I didn’t know this existed until yesterday so I can’t attest personally to the quality but I was excited to see that HA has a more affordable line available on Amazon. If anyone has tried this, let me know how it is. From what I can see it’s basics for babies/toddlers including onesies, leggings, and PJs. The look reminds me of Burt’s Bees Baby which we loved when Amalia was little.

Garnet Hill Kids
I didn’t know GH had a kids line until I did a partnership with them last month. Their organic cotton leggings fit really well and are the perfect thickness. It definitely isn’t cheap so we’ll buy some more stuff when it goes on sale and report back. But I’m a brand fan in general so it’s fun to see that they make cute stuff for kiddos. Read more about the brand here.

Lamaze Organic
I discovered this brand after a friend of mine posted photos of her kids in their $11 organic cotton lemon PJs that she bought on Amazon. We scooped up the same pair and found the quality to be great, especially for the price. We followed up with a 4-pack of leggings for $14 and also liked them a lot. Based on the research I’ve done, it’s rare to find a company dedicated to sustainability that is so affordable so this excites me a lot. Read about their commitment to “quality and caring” here.

Alternative Apparel
They don’t make Amalia’s size so we can’t personally test it out but I’ve bought a few of their adult products and really love what this brand is doing. They don’t have a ton of youth options but what they do have are classic basics in a lot of colors. If you have older children, please try this out and let me know how it is for the kid stuff. Read about their commitment to social and environmental responsibility here.

Patagonia
Obviously Patagonia had to be on this list. I think their tiny fleeces and vests are just so cute! But it is for sure pricey so we have bought her one coat each fall/winter and keep it at that. This fleece jacket is at the top of our list this year.

Out of all the brands out there making sustainable/organic/eco-friendly/responsible clothing for kids, these are our favorite brands so far. If you have a brand that you love that isn’t on our list, let me know what it is so we can test it out… but keep in mind our love for pattern and color!

And just a reminder for any new followers who have kids, check out the Lemon Stripes Mamas Facebook group. It’s a great (private) group where moms give and get parenting advice from a very non-judgemental group!

Photo by Julia Dags.

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Comments

  1. Liz Stitt said:

    I just bought my daughter some basic long sleeve shirts from Target and realized the tag says they’re made out of recycled water bottles! Not sure what other measures you used to compile the brands on the list and I haven’t done any research into Target’s details, but I thought it was a cool concept and on the right track for sure!

    10.14.19 · Reply
    • Danielle B said:

      This sounds awesome I want to look into that!!

      10.14.19 · Reply
  2. Jennie said:

    My second son was born three weeks early, and we weren’t anticipating needing newborn sized, so I scrambled and bought some of the Moon and Back line on Amazon. I love it! The jammies seem just as thick as the regular Hannas, and they’ve held up well in the wash.

    10.14.19 · Reply
    • Julia said:

      So good to know. Will keep it on our list for baby number 2!

      10.14.19 · Reply
  3. Jessica said:

    This is so incredibly helpful and something I’ve been curious about for a while. Thank you for taking the care and time to post it!

    10.14.19 · Reply
  4. Krys said:

    Tea Collection too!

    10.14.19 · Reply
    • Julia said:

      I’ve never heard of it but just looked it up and I love how it looks. We’ll give it a try, thanks for the rec!

      10.14.19 · Reply
  5. Katherine said:

    Agreed! Moon & Back is same quality as regular Hanna (and arrives in 2 days vs. Hanna is more around 10 business days). Hanna outlets have great sales too!

    10.14.19 · Reply
    • Julia said:

      I will have to try it then. I’ve never seen a Hanna outlet but will definitely stop in if I see one.

      10.14.19 · Reply
  6. Lauren said:

    Art & Eden has colorful, animal print clothes made from organic cotton and a portion of sales go to various wildlife organizations. I’ve also found some beautiful organic cotton clothes on Etsy (JennyBeths dresses, HelloLittlePinecone, and KinderSprouts are a few ships I love) and I like buying from there because not only are the clothes unique but you’re supporting small, women/mom run stores! Love this post!

    10.14.19 · Reply
  7. Allegra said:

    Check out Primary! Their pieces come in so many bright hand happy colors (including some fun stripes and occasional star and heart patterns), and are super comfortable and durable. They are also pretty affordable and often have sales. The cozy hoodie is hands down one of our favorite layering pieces – they are so much warmer than a usual sweatshirt. If you want a referral code for 25% off and free shipping, let me know!

    10.14.19 · Reply
  8. Jaime said:

    Love, love, love Moon and Back by Hanna Anderson available via Amazon! I’ve give them as gifts and mom’s love them so far. They are super soft and seem great so far on my almost 22 month old! I recommend to everyone!

    10.14.19 · Reply
  9. Hester Martin said:

    I used to dress my girls in Hanna Andersson and Mini Boden! They also had some Hatley things! I will have to tell u that the HA and MB things lasted through 3 daughters because they are so well made and soft! My youngest daughter was not into some of the more girly things when she was 3-4 and up which really made me sad because they were so darn cute! I miss those days…

    10.14.19 · Reply
    • Julia said:

      Best news ever! My sister wore all of my hand-me-down HA too.

      10.15.19 · Reply
  10. Jordann said:

    We registered for moon & back/moon & back by hanna Anderson pretty much exclusively for our upcoming baby and we’re loving them all so far! Super cozy and soft, price point can’t be beat for organic cotton, and love the prints/colors. Will let you know how baby feels about them! Ha also worth checking out Kate Quinn Organics- super cute baby/kids clothes with organic cotton options and sales ALL the time

    10.15.19 · Reply
    • Julia said:

      Love love love to hear that! Will check out Kate Quinn, thanks!

      10.15.19 · Reply
  11. Sarah said:

    This is so helpful! Thank you! I’m curious how you keep Amalia’s clothes clean/get stains out since you’ve started buying more from these brands? This is something I’ve struggled with as I’ve gotten away from those brands as well but my kids’ clothes get so dirty. I get so frustrated knowing how much I spent on an outfit only to see it stained. I also know a good way to be more sustainable is to take better care of clothes so they last longer and can used for multiple kids or consigned.

    10.15.19 · Reply
    • Julia said:

      I struggle with this no matter what the brand. I’ve kind of given up hope and just do my best. We use Tide Free & Clear which does a really good job at getting out most stains and I spot clean with OxyClean when I have to. I know it’s not clean but sometimes it’s the only thing that works!

      10.15.19 · Reply
  12. Kate said:

    The most sustainable option is buying used! Many of the brands you suggested above hold up so well, that even bought second-hand they look brand new.

    10.15.19 · Reply
    • Julia said:

      Very true. I haven’t tried Thred Up or Poshmark for kids stuff yet but have only heard good things.

      10.15.19 · Reply
      • Ashley said:

        Julia – check out Around the Rosy in Westport on the Post Road. It is a fantastic children’s consignment shop!

        10.15.19 · Reply
  13. Margo said:

    until my son was about 7 I bought a lot of his clothing at second hand stores and I donated older clothing. I also traded clothing with friends that had boys older than my son. In some cases I was given boxes of clothing some of which he never wore. Of course I bought new outfits for special occasions but when kids are growing so quickly recycling seemed the best way to go from a cost and eco standpoint. In many cases my son would wear an outfit and within two weeks he had outgrown it! Thank you for this post.

    10.17.19 · Reply
    • Julia said:

      I love trading clothes with friends too. And getting hand-me-downs from family!

      10.18.19 · Reply
  14. KM said:

    Congrats on your partnership with Gymboree. How would you rate them in terms of sustainability?

    10.18.19 · Reply
    • Julia said:

      Thanks! They were bought by The Children’s Place Group which is making moves in sustainability and corporate responsibility. It’s so nice to see bigger companies like this working in the right direction.

      You can read about it here: https://corporate.childrensplace.com/responsible-sourcing/

      10.18.19 · Reply
  15. Elizabeth Fernandez said:

    Thanks for this awesome list, I personally love love frugi in the uk. Kids clothing is soft, organic and sustainable.

    5.6.20 · Reply