Subscribe Now!

Events Calendar

Online Product Catalogs

Manufacturers Directory

Product Update Pages

eBabyShop newsletter

Baby Shop Flipbook

Organic Baby Products are Here to Stay

As if parents don't have enough to worry about. Recent news of toxic chemicals in baby bottles, lead paint in children's toys, and cancer-causing preservatives in baby formula, clothing, lotions, and shampoos has left many weary about the safety of the very products marketed as being "mild" or "gentle" enough for baby's use.

Parents are educating and informing themselves about what to look for and what to avoid. They are taking the time to research ingredients, manufacturing processes, read consumer and safety reports, and making an active decision to opt for naturally-made, non-toxic, and organic products whenever possible. According to a study by the Organic Trade Association, we can only expect buyers' interest in organic products to increase, with every day use of organic products being widely accepted and routine in households by 2025 [1]. So what are the key things to know about organic versus conventional baby products?

Conventional vs. Organic Baby Clothing
A common fabric in baby clothes, conventional cotton is heavily farmed with chemical pesticides and fertilizers, accounting for 10% of pesticide use and 23% of agricultural insecticides sales around the world [2]. What's alarming about all this is that most of these chemicals are highly toxic. In fact, The Environmental Protection Agency considers seven of the top 15 pesticides used on cotton in 2000 in the United States as "possible," "likely," "probable," or "known" human carcinogens (cancer-causing agents) [3].

These chemicals can act as irritants to baby's skin, are easily absorbed and stored in fat tissue, can aggravate or contribute to skin conditions such as eczema or psoriasis, and potentially increase a baby's risk of developing more serious diseases such as cancer.

Although washing garments before use can help with removing much of the chemicals, there is evidence that some may remain in the fabric for many washes, leaching out slowly and contaminating the entire laundry load when washed.

Eco-friendly and sustainable, organic cotton is made without the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides. By using bio-organisms and natural farming techniques, farmers do not need to rely on harsh chemicals and genetically modified organisms to farm healthy crops. Furthermore, organic farming methods ensure soil preservation and fertility, allowing for sustainable farming for many years to come.

Conventional vs. Organic Baby Toys
Having been around for decades, wooden toys are making a large comeback with parents. Recent reports of the dangers of polyethylene plastic (commonly used to make many toys, teethers and training cups) leaching harmful byproducts such as Bisphenol-A (BPA) and lead paint found in common toy brands is increasing popularity for organic baby toys.

Several recent studies have shown that leaching chemicals such as PBA and phthalates can mimic estrogen in the body, resulting in an increased risk of breast and gynecological cancers later in life. In April of 2008, the U.S. National Institutes of Health released a report that concludes that there is some concern that fetuses, infants and children exposed to BPA may be at increased risk for early-onset puberty and prostate and breast cancer [4].

Widespread news on the dangers of these substances has led parents to start looking for toys made from natural materials such as wood and organic cotton, hemp or bamboo and dyed with dyes and paints made from natural, food-based dyes.

Conventional vs. Organic Baby Skincare
Ongoing research is revealing that many common preservatives in personal care products such as shampoos, soaps and lotions may actually pose significant health risks to young children, even at very low exposure levels.

Chemical preservatives and foaming agents such as parabens, sodiums and sulfates accumulate in the body over time and are not easily broken down and emitted as previously thought. A recent independent study initiated by The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics revealed that in 48 tested skin-care products for kids, 67% contained a potentially carcinogenic ingredient called 1,4-dioxane while 82% of 28 tested products had levels of formaldehyde. Both of these substances have been found to be potentially hazardous to the health of babies and young children. Furthermore, mineral oils and fragrances used in many of these products are thought to act as irritants to young skin, causing allergies or unnecessary skin irritations.

Editorial provided by Betsy Nejat. Betsy Nejat is the CEO of Care for Me Naturally, Inc., betsy@careformenaturally.com.

References:

1. Organic Trade Association, "The Past, Present and Future of Organics Industry", 2005.
2. Institute of Science in Society, "Picking Cotton Carefully", March, 2007.
3. U. S. Environmental Protection Agency, "List of Chemicals Evaluated for Carcinogenic Potential," 2001.
4. CBC News, "Bisphenol A", January 29, 2009.