Best Organic Kids Clothing
Just because our kids get older doesn’t mean our devotion to organic clothing lessens. Until recently, the pickings have been slim — a veritable chasm between toddler and adult attire. But now, there are new, groovy players on the scene along with the really awesome tried and true mainstays, like Hanna Andersson.
Recently, I ran to the mall on a whim to get my seven-year-old daughter a dress for picture day. I had to go to four stores in order to find a pretty, simple frock, as the vast majority of the choices were teenybopper, tacky, and kind of weirdly disco-provocative. It just so happens that in my experience, organic clothing for boys and girls is classically beautiful... designed for children... not teenagers-to-be. There’s seriously no rush to grow up — and the organic clothing industry really seems to support that. Not only are they protecting our kids from hazardous dyes, pesticide residues, and sweatshop energy; they’re maintaining the sacred space of childhood in the form of practical, simple, beautiful, non-media or character-branded items. That’s why I vote with my dollars — for the following companies.
Hanna Andersson Organic Cotton Long Johns
This company was founded in 1984 by Hanna Andersson, a Swedish woman who moved to the US and couldn’t find any high-quality cotton-knit clothing for her baby boy. She started this company in response to that need, and it has been growing ever since.
Since 2002, Hanna Andersson has made over one million organic cotton items (they also sell non-organic things, so choose carefully when you’re shopping on their site or in stores). Their organic items are Oko-Tex certified, which means that every element (fabric, button, thread, zipper) is tested to make sure that they are free of over 100 potentially harmful substances.
On the practical side, they last a long time because they’re unbelievably durable, and specially cut to fit your kids before and after their growth spurts. On the fun side, their pajamas come in adult sizes too, so should you have the urge, you can get matching long johns for the whole family.
Hanna Andersson Organic Cotton Long Johns
Kate Quinn Organics
Wow... finally... organic kids clothing that’s totally hip and not TOO expensive. This stuff is as groovy as items I’ve seen that are twice the price... yummy colors, comfy fabrics, awesome silhouettes. Lots of choices and sized all the way up to age eight! Consider this mom’s day officially made.
Kate Quinn Organics
Greenedge Kids – TT Fairy Dust Dress
Greenedge Kids clothing is cutting edge in the most kid-friendly, imaginative, and captivating ways. Many of their items are part bamboo, part recycled fabric, and all a delight to behold. They have clothes for formal occasions, as well as bang-around play clothing... recycled cashmere sweaters, hip skater tees, and glorious fairy dresses. All at a variety of price points, from inexpensive to splurge-y.
Greenedge Kids – TT Fairy Dust Dress
My Green Closet
My Green Closet offers truly adorable separates for girls and boys up to size 6. As with most organic cotton, these items are super-soft. The Visa Shirt, High Plains Pant, and the Lake Dress are all versatile clothing staples that have a good chance of becoming mainstays of your child’s wardrobe.
My Green Closet
Lapsaky Organic Cotton Clothes - Playground Skirt
Lapsaky clothing is simple, comfortable, and beautiful. Their timeless designs steer clear of fleeting trends and stick to classically designed perennial wardrobe needs, with a dash of whimsy and grace. Their Playground Skirt is breezy and comfortable, and the built-in shorts let the wearer hang upside down from the monkey bars without fear.
Lapsaky Organic Cotton Clothes - Playground Skirt
Garden Kids Natural Clothing Brown French Terry Cargo Pants
My pick from Garden Kids: These simple, easy-wearing pants are great for lots of reasons. Here are a few: they’re four-seasonal, free of fussy snaps, buttons, and zippers, are a neutral color that matches with most everything, work for both boys and girls (which = hand-me-down friendly) and they have pockets, which kids love for stashing treasures of all kinds.
Garden Kids Natural Clothing Brown French Terry Cargo Pants
Rawganique Unisex Turtleneck
Rawganique (“raw, organic, unique”) is a family-owned company based in the Pacific Northwest. They have over a thousand natural and organic products, but I’m most keen on their absolutely essential wardrobe staple — the turtleneck. My kids love that the foldover neck is roomy, not tight (my daughter’s especially sensitive to feeling choked by turtlenecks). It is durable, soft, and a great layering piece.
Rawganique Unisex Turtleneck
Maggie’s Organics Sports Socks and Tights
Maggie’s implemented a Fair Trade Zone in Nueva Vida, Nicaragua — its sewing factory is 100% worker-owned. They are also initiating a 100% worker-owned knitting cooperative in North Carolina, which will give them an even smaller carbon footprint. Their socks and stockings are absolutely strong, stretchy, breathable, and long-lasting... and come in great colors and patterns. While you’re shopping, pick up socks for the whole family.
Maggie’s Organics Sports Socks and Tights
Under the Nile Cotton Underwear
Under the Nile is a truly fair-trade company. It not only provides a living wage to its employees in Egypt; it also provides vocational training, health care, and education to its workers.
These dreamy-soft undies have won’t chafe or bite into the skin like other brands of kids’ skivvies. The vintage floral prints and bright solids give kids something to look forward to when it’s time to get dressed.
Under the Nile Cotton Underwear
Happy Green Bee – Petal Dress
Roxanne Quimby is mama to twins, but she also created Burt’s Bees and now, this really terrific and fun line of kids’ organic clothing, Happy Green Bee. Soft, stretchy, boldly striped, colorful, and very hip... the one downer is that the clothes don’t come in adult sizes.
Happy Green Bee – Petal Dress
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