Category : Back to School
I’ve known all summer that I’ll be writing a back-to-school review for wheeled backpacks, but it’s taken me months to find a company that sells a more eco-friendly backpack that has wheels! You know the backpacks on wheels that congest school hallways? …why yes! I finally understand why they are so popular. I have a son that simply cannot manage a large, full-day school backpack. He complained of neck and back pain all last year and I would watch him walk from my car in the morning struggling to balance his full back-pack into the school. I knew this quest would be difficult because although there are many green backpack options – they don’t have wheels. My search ended when I discovered Lands’ End where I found a backpack on wheels that is PVC-free and mad without flame retardants. Would I have liked recycled materials and locally made? Of course, but these just don’t exist yet and I like to give large companies a positive nod when they are making responsible decisions like not using PVC. The backpack arrived a few days ago for me to review and I love it. More importantly, so does my son. One tip I learned when purchasing a backpack online is you need to gauge the size of the backpack compared to your child. The Lands’ End site does a great job with showing you with each backpack design how it measures and how tall the child should be. Click here to see an example of this chart – I would have requested the wrong backpack without the help of this diagram.
The backpack for Angelo has a handle that adjusts to two different levels and it reaches quite high – my older son could use it no problem and he’s tall. The child can also wear the backpack because shoulder straps tuck out of a secret zippered compartment if you decide to ‘wear’ the pack on your back. The kids like the cool factor with this! There are also different compartments inside the backpack…a sleeve for lunches to be tucked in and separate from papers and books – this can be a bonus when a child’s lunch leaks. Also, a must for me…pockets on either side for reusable water bottle. Most of my stainless steel water bottles leak now…I don’t really care, but they need to be upright in a backpack otherwise all of the books get wet.
So heading back to school, if your child needs a backpack with wheels to give his/her back a break…think of Land’s End. They are a large company, that can provide very quick turnaround for service/questions and have lots of designs that kids & moms will enjoy. I’ll post my back-to-school supplies recommendations next week, along with my picks for sending your child to school with a litterless lunch system.
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Skip Licensed Backpacks and Check out Ecogear
I’ve spent this weekend either at the skating rink or soccer field and for me it’s the best way to spend a weekend! The soccer field was damp and it rained lightly and funny enough it wasn’t my boys who were actually playing soccer that made me start thinking about rain gear. It was their little fans (their younger sisters) who were standing and watching in the wet weather that encouraged me to take some inventory of appropriate rain gear for my kids. Since it’s just going to get colder and well, more wet – I started to research options for umbrella, boots, and rainwear. Two of my favourite online retailers came up in my searches so I’m thrilled to save you some time with researching. Also, before I talk about PVC-free gear for staying dry on the soccer sidelines – I wanted to mention an awesome product that we’ve used for 2 soccer seasons and they are always a hit with coaches and other parents when it’s our turn to bring oranges for the team. The 3-tier Family Tiffin from Green Planet Parties is the perfect eco-solution for transporting food and carting away the waste to later compost, recycle, or trash. This large, stackable, stainless steel tiffin is great for a families on the go – just load up your layers in the morning and you have snacks for the entire day. I love being able to load up two layers of sandwiches in only one layer of the tiffin! Another layer with a couple of types of fruits and the 3rd layer for dry stock and veggies. Please note – these pictures are from the Green Planet Parties site – not pictures I’ve taken with my camera. These tiffins are currently on sale and a great investment!
Next up on the agenda for ‘soccer Saturday’ is rainwear and both of the online retail shops I’m featuring have amazing product knowledge and great gear! Puddle Gear is owned by Alex…one eco-savvy mama! This line of PVC and phthalate free, water proof, breathable rain gear that she carries is timeless because the designs are styled to last many years. The quality is European standard (made in Europe by Abeko) and check out the waterproof mitts while you’re on the site – perfect for everyday wear, skating or skiing. Puddle Gear jackets, mittens, full suits or pants are amazing quality, high end, and a wonderful investment made for puddle jumping this time of year!
Next our friends at Organically Hatched have the answer for PVC-free rain boots, PVC-free umbrellas and cute jackets for preschool or park days. Water proof and PVC-free umbrellas sized for my girls would have been the perfect ticket yesterday while they watched big brothers play back-to-back soccer games. Umbrellas seem to be the ultimate in accessories to keep kids happy – they love them! Designed for the younger crowd, the Hatley rainwear at Organically Hatched is adorable – from matching boots, raincoats, and umbrellas – you cannot go wrong. I’m pretty sure Hatley manufactures it’s products overseas which makes sense from the point point but I love the company’s dedication to PVC and phthalate free rain gear that children will love.
Rain gear that is breathable and high quality is a wonderful investment because without using PVC, the material is breathable and more comfortable for children. Once you’ve purchased rain gear that works – get outside an play. Have fun in nature and enjoy the best season of the year!
Is everyone feeling back in the swing of things with kids returning to school last week? The last ‘to do’ on my back-to-school list in the hopes of feeling less stress is using Mabel’s Labels. Last year I helped both my boys put their initials on every crayon, marker, pencil, color pencil, etc. and realized why everyone I know has ordered a Mabel’s Label set..talk about making your life easier. I can also see the items that we labelled over the weekend actually sticking around for more than 1 school year because the supplies are so neat and organized. Hard for stuff to go missing when a child’s first and last name are printed on their gear. I received the Colourful Ultimate Back-to-School Combo from Mabel’s Labels and the quantities and types of labels were perfect for my Grade 1 and and Grade 3 boys. I like the tags for clothing (yes, already testing running them through the wash and dryer without any problems), lunch gear such as stainless steel water bottles that always seem to go missing, and of course, school supplies. There is also a sheet of 16 shoe labels and that will last us a few years since the boys only own a few pairs of shoes each. If you only need a certain type of label (Tag Mates, Skinny-Minis, Shoe Labels, Clothing Labels, etc.) there is an option on the site to just order this one type which will lower cost. There are also some great deals on shipping – read more here.
Although this doesn’t apply with all schools, my boys wear a uniform so labelling shirts and sweaters for obvious reasons is awesome! Last year both my boys lost their school sweaters and there was no point even checking the lost and found unless they were labelled. This year, that is all under control and I’ve washed and dried the clothes and the label tag label still looks clear and straight.
Thank you Mabel’s Labels for helping me feel more organized with the Colourful Ultimate Back-to-School Combo! Another point to mention is they have very cool label designs for boys that have outgrown dinosaurs or cars themes. The designs match the grown-up names for boys wanting an older design motif with ‘Night Racer’, ‘Big Wave’, ’Blue Storm’. Play around to view these designs by clicking here. Mabel’s Labels would be a great company to assist with school fundraising – view more information on this initiative by clicking here.
I really enjoy hand selecting the companies and products I decide to support with back-to-school shopping. Although there is still a long way to go, my criteria is always to support local when possible and try to eliminate school supplies that may contain chemicals. Although it’s more work, I opt out of purchasing the boxed school supplies that can be purchased through our school district in the hopes of not saving money, but selecting more eco-friendly back-to-school products. One item however, got past my radar this year and I wanted to share. While shopping at Staples for back-to-school supplies, I went straight to the ‘green’ section to try and shave off some time with shopping. Happy to see an eco option for scissors, I grabbed the same pair that I purchased last year, (Westcott brand) with the labelling Kleen Earth, made from recycled materials. When I arrived home I noticed that the meaning behind the ‘Kleen’ title is that the handles are ‘protected’ with Microban which is an antibacterial property. Last year I thought this was a good thing…every time my kid uses the scissors, they get a little cleaning. Well this year I know better and another name for Microban is Triclosan which is a toxic ingredient that should be avoided. I’ve written about Triclosan before, please read here for more information. So I felt double ticked off because those scissors simply shouldn’t have been in the ‘green’ section of Staples – I’ll even say a bit of greenwashing going on with the marketing of this product. I called Staples and voiced my concerns and said I will have to return them. I’ve since asked parents who purchased the box of school supplies and their scissors also have Microban handles. If this is the case with your school’s supplies, please contact the rep handling the ordering for school supplies and ask that Microban be excluded from future orders because this chemical is harmful to the environment and human health. I posted this experience on the Mommy Footprint fan page wall and had another mom report seeing microban pencils being sold too. How disgusting! Really, why do we need antibacterial chemicals covering our pencils and scissors….it’s gross and a toxin that really doesn’t need to be touching our children each day at school.
This article wraps up our 2010 Back-to-School reviews at Mommy Footprint. If you are still having a tough time finding products for the classroom, lunch-time, or clothing/accessories for your children, please post a comment on our Facebook wall and we’ll figure out a solution.
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2010 Litterless Lunch Category
After a rare trip to the mall today, I wanted to point out something that occurred to me about licensed school supplies. I am very confident that a Nick Jr., Hannah Montana, Spiderman backpack does not exists without containing PVC. With parents being overwhelmed with information on materials to shop for with back-to-school…the topic of backpacks is easy. Unless the backpack clearly says “No PVC” it has probably been made with PVC. If the backpack is $9.99 at a big box store, it has probably been made with PVC. Also, I hate to say it, but if you want to purchase a new PVC-free backpack for children returning to school, you’re not going to find it at most malls. But don’t get disappointed because Ecogear is here and the options are amazing!
Two items that traditionally have been the hardest to avoid with PVC are backpacks and plastic binders, but it’s not all doom and gloom because there are some affordable PVC-free backpacks on sale right now at Ecogear. The Ecogear lineup of backpacks are PVC-free, great quality, affordable and now 25% off. Starting with younger children looking for non-licensed characters there is the Ecozoo series – very fun and made with cotton fabric.
For older kids attending school all day – I’ve received my two backpacks from the Genus and Recycle series and I’m very happy with both backpacks for my boys. The design and quality is awesome and I was extremely happy to not get off-gassed with chemical smells when opening them from the box. The Snow Leopard backpack for my 8 year old son is a great size for him. Since he is on the tall side, I would recommend it for ages 10 and up. The pack comes with straps around the front to help balance weight distribution and lots of handy pockets for gadgets, etc. The straps are padded to offer more support once the backpacks get full from heavy books and materials. These backpacks are PVC-free, made from non-toxic dyes, and have many little organizer pockets in the front and one main compartment for books and lunch.
My 6 year old son received a Palila backpack and it’s perfect for younger kids attending school all day. It has a handy side pocket for a reusable water bottle, a built in wallet (my boys love this feature!), made PVC-free with non-toxic dyes and is made from recycled bottles. All the backpack for older kids on the Ecogear site have the swagger of very cool, outdoor/adventure styled backpacks – I love this. And Ecogear is currently having a 25% discount on their site so take advantage of the savings….these backpacks are just under $30 which is a great deal! If any Canadians are trying to order from the Ecogear site, you’ll notice it only accepts US zip codes. I spoke to Ecogear and the process for Canadians wanting to order a product is to contact Angie by calling 1-800-762-4533 or email sales@ecogear-products.com. Residents within the USA can order directly on-line.
Why should we be avoiding PVC again? It’s not only to help the environment – it’s for your children’s health. PVC is called the poison plastic and releases dioxins into the air from the time it’s produced and continues to off-gass (the reason it smells when you purchase it) and there isn’t a way to effectively dispose of this material. If you burn it – more dioxins are released, it cannot be recycled, so it will continue to exist when discarded for a very long time. Read more about PVC from Mommy Footprint here. Also, an always incredible resource is the Environmental Working Group and they’ve written a short guide for ‘Green Back-to-School Guide for K-12‘ and there is more information on PVC.
To read more articles with back-to-school recommendations for reducing chemical exposure to BPA, PVC, and phthalates, check out the category 2010 Litterless Lunch.
It’s getting close to that time – back to school is almost here! This year, more than ever, the focus for parents is packing litterless lunches. Eliminate PVC and non-recyclable materials and invest in some wonderful reusable items for lunchtime. The brand Thermos has been around for a long time and are known for their quality. I’m very excited because I get to talk about a new water bottle from Thermos. I was surprised with how much I love their new Roho stainless steel water bottle. It takes a lot to impress me with water bottles…I’ve only ever reviewed 2 brands. The Roho style bottle is perfect for on-the-go adults and kids that attend school all day. What makes this bottle different from the many stainless steel models and brands out there? The difference is how lovely the drinking spout is and the design of the leak proof lid. Kids simply press a button and the lid bounces open – then there is a curved area for drinking and the experience is awesome. Thermos sent us a skull/roses design and my boys flipped when they saw it. It’s the ‘it’ bottle to use in our house right now. . . and that includes my husband and I. It’s refreshing for us as adults to not be sucking water out of sports cap bottles all the time – we all feel a little more grown up. These are hydration bottles made from top quality stainless steel (18/8), the bottles are dishwasher friendly, and there is a cool design for anyone in the family. If you are looking for a double walled bottle to keep liquids hot – there are lots of options on the Thermos site, just click here.
I do worry about my kids playing with the top so much as the button seems to be irresistible for them - but these bottles are a good price point, hold 24 oz of liquid and are readily available at Target, London Drugs, etc. If you can pickup extra tops for the bottles when you purchase them – it might be a good idea. Also, I appreciate the fact this is a leak proof bottle. I’m not even sure why manufactures would create a product that leaks and then market it to parents that are packing lunches going into backpacks. I love leak proof food containers, bottles, anything getting packed and jostled around in a backpack come September.
Next up – what if you want to send your child to school with a hot lunch? Left over stir-fry, soup, etc.? You need make sure you are purchasing a double walled container that is made to hold hot liquids, food, and is leak proof. You don’t have to look any further than Thermos. I’ve used Thermos for years to pack soup for on-the-go outings with toddlers and now have the flexibility of packing hot lunches for back to school with my older kids. I’m not a huge fan of commercialized products for school, but sometimes it helps children feel like friends are surrounding them for the return to school and these jars are my favorite material ~ stainless steel. My kids were very jazzed about the Spiderman and Fairies Funtainers they’ve been using this summer for transporting snacks. These containers can also keep hot lunches warm for 5 hours making them the perfect item for kids returning to school that like to eat soup. For adults bringing hot food to work…I’ve been using the Vacuum Insulated Food Jar and the Dual Purpose Food Jar and they are awesome! Again - must have items for parents returning to the work routine wanting more options other than a sandwich.
Last item is for on-the-go mamas that are flying around getting kids from school to sports to after-school activities. Thermos is selling PVC free insulated lined purses that help keep your snacks cool or warm when you are dashing all over town. I have used it all summer to transport cold water bottles on our excursions, but it’s been listening to my kids talk about it that makes me smile. I’ve overheard my older boy telling his friends “hey, do you see my mom’s purse? It’s really not a purse – it’s a cooler!” So funny to listen to…but such a handy accessory for moms. We’re all transporting stainless steel water bottles and stainless steel containers for snacks – so why not keep these items insulated? All summer long I’ve been using it and just keep my camera, keys, and cell phone in the handy pockets located in the front. All items from Thermos are PVC free which is probably the number one requirement with shopping for back to school supplies this year for parents looking to pack healthier and litterless lunches this September.
Canadian customers can use the Thermos site www.ThermosBrand.ca to check out the handy list of retail outlets selling their brand. US customers can visit www.Thermos.com and shop online. Enjoy the quality and styles Thermos offers with your back-to-school shopping this year!
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