What Are Your Favorite Eco-Friendly Products For Parents and Kids?

Treehugger and Verywell Family are seeking nominations for our Best of Green Awards.

By
Treehugger Editors
Treehugger Editors
The Treehugger editorial team is a diverse group of experts—with advanced degrees, professional experience, published books, and more—whose expertise spans every corner of the sustainability space.
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Updated June 25, 2021 03:39PM EDT
Fact checked by
Haley Mast
Haley Mast
Fact checked by Haley Mast
  • Harvard University Extension School
Haley Mast is a freelance writer, fact-checker, and small organic farmer in the Columbia River Gorge. She enjoys gardening, reporting on environmental topics, and spending her time outside snowboarding or foraging. Topics of expertise and interest include agriculture, conservation, ecology, and climate science.
Learn about our fact checking process
Austria, Salzburg, Father with daughter on his shoulders, the daughter draws with chalk the earth on a concrete wall
Westend61 / Getty Images

Some people seem born with an environmentalist mindset; for others, eco-friendly tendencies might be inspired by a story, an event, or a set of circumstances. And one such event that oftentimes launches one into a green new paradigm is the start of a family.

From awareness brought on by striving for a healthy pregnancy to ensuring that children are in a non-toxic home or simply wanting a vibrant and viable planet for kids to grow old on, it's little surprise that becoming a caretaker of children can be a path toward increased eco-awareness.

And thankfully, there is a lot of help to get there: companies and makers large and small are producing a wide array of products to help families and families-to-be make greener choices.

To celebrate these companies and their products, Treehugger is teaming up with our sister site Verywell Family, an award-winning resource for pregnancy and parenting topics. With Treehugger's authority in sustainability and Verywell Family's reliable expertise in all things family, we are looking to honor the best of the best when it comes to helping families lead eco-friendly lifestyles. Our findings will culminate in the eco-family edition of our Best of Green Awards.

And here's where you come in. We are seeking nominations in the following categories, and we would love to hear about your favorite tried-and-true products.

  • Pregnancy: For example, prenatal vitamins, maternity clothes, books, helpful organizations, etc.
  • Infants: For example, diapers, wipes, diaper rash creams, nursing pillows, slings, clothing, etc.
  • Toddlers: For example, books, sippy cups, clothes, etc.
  • School-Age Kids: For example, toys, books, clothes, school supplies, lunch boxes, etc.
  • Tweens: For example, toys, water bottles, books, sneakers, etc.
  • Teens: For example, clothes, room decor, backpacks, journals, earphones, etc.

Once we have our nominations in, our editors and judging panel will be vetting products and companies. We will be looking for products that shine in one or more of the following ways:

  • They help to lower one's personal carbon footprint.
  • They are made with eco-friendly materials, including compostable, recyclable, renewable, etc.
  • They are made in a way that parts can be separated for recycling; they can be upcycled; they can be returned to the manufacturer at the end of their useful life.
  • They are well-made and durable.
  • They are made with non-toxic materials; they do not emit VOCs.
  • They are made using fair labor.
  • They are cruelty-free.
  • Their manufacture is non-polluting and resource-efficient.
  • They are packaged conscientiously.
  • They are from a company that has stated climate goals.

So, do you have any favorites that fit the bill? Do tell! Drop a comment here, on any of our social media accounts, or write to us at contact@treehugger.com with "Best of Green Family Awards" in the subject line.

Thank you for your help! Awards will be announced in late July.