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.

A personal delight with having twin girls has been finding outfits that keep them feeling and looking uniquely special. In my search I discovered Baby Beenos and wanted to share their newly emerging Fall fashion and wonderful fabric combinations used in their dress designs. The regular prices at this shop are affordable – cheaper than shopping at high-end children’s shops in a Mall (which would be imported from overseas). I’m so proud to support this North American, mama powered shop that is churning out adorable, wearable, quality, and locally made designs. Check out these adorable Fall fashions from Baby Beenos:

If the hint of apple on the above romper wasn’t enough to make us swoon – check out the fashion forward dark jeans for little girls with crochet florets.  These jeans will provide comfort and get great wear for back-to-school ‘must-haves’!

The aspect of the Baby Beenos clothing line that prompted me to comb through their site was the way Marni (founder of Baby Beenos) puts different fabrics together. The sash ties that perfectly compliment the blouse or dress is wonderful. I needed to experience some of this design magic with my girls so I ordered them two dresses in their favorite colors (one loves pink and the other blue) and these were the fabric combinations that arrived – aren’t they fab?

Nothing better than being able to support a mama operated and powered Canadian business. If you need something special for your little girl – skip the rat race at the Mall and enjoy the online shopping experience of purchasing beautiful clothing. Make sure you check out the great deals on summer dresses – beautiful clearance designs available for $21 – wow!

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More back-to-school articles will be coming here in the next few weeks. Stay tuned by joining my Fan page on Facebook.

It still feels weird to say it but the top recommendations from experts this summer with keeping children safe from harmful UV rays are protective clothing, shade and sunglasses. It’s a different way of thinking for parents focused on finding sunscreens every summer, but this year, clothing is recommended as a first step for skin protection – even before sunscreen. With only 8% of all sunscreens being recommended from EWG for 2010, the role of sunscreen is shifting. Once I wrapped my mind around this new information I started researching sun shirts for my boys and protective sun suits for my twins and I found everything I needed at Organically Hatched. This online store has everything you need to protect your family with a full arsenal of sun safety products – from UPF 50+ sun protection clothing, to 100% UV ray blocking sunglasses, organic sunscreen, to recycled sand toys, and more!  I’m so impressed with their sourcing and I especially love the brand of sun shirts and suits I received to review for my kids. The NoZone shirts are North American made (Canada) and after checking with the very helpful owner from Organically Hatched, I’m assured the protection is chemical free.This is the reason I’ve put off buying sun shirts for the last few years…I couldn’t get a answer to that question from stores that import their sun protection clothing from overseas. NoZone clothing is made with quality polyester that provides the same protection as spandex/nylon blend, but is also very durable.

A bigger surprise with the sun shirts and toddler swimsuits has been how much my kids love them. Having no previous experience with sun protection clothing, I’ve been delighted to discover how very effective their UV protection is and this is so important for all parents. I can still remember last year my family’s first visit to the beach that resulted in minor burns for my girls. This year they’ve already been out wearing their adorable one piece swimsuits and I’m very pleased with how effective the clothing’s sun protection is. I also can’t believe how much easier my life is because I only need to worry about putting sunscreen on ear tips, faces, and necks rather than entire bodies. I got the long sleeve sun shirts for my boys – hoping that the long sleeves would not be uncomfortable after they’ve been wet, but I didn’t need to worry because the boys love their shirts. Not only are they gorgeous colors, but the fit is perfect and roomy which is not usually the case for my beefy 8 year old.  The shirt’s material dries very quickly (doesn’t get  heavy when wet), and because they have a zipper in the front – I’m not having to squeeze their heads through a tight neck hole. Only people with kids know how important it is for them to like what they’ll be wearing for hours at the beach and I’m thrilled with the feedback from my kids. Even my girls that love wearing regular bathing suits are completely happy with the fact they wear their sun protective suits outdoors and their bathing suits at our local indoor pool. The boys are ecstatic to avoid last summer’s 20 minute sunscreen application process in exchange for a 5 minute sunscreen application and comfortable shirts.

I’ll mention again that the NoZone brand is made in Canada! I really trust the fact these items are produced in North America and love supporting North American made items. The colors they offer in their sun protective clothing will please any parent and child. I spoke with a representative from NoZone about their shirts and how they protect from the sun. I received a very helpful response to my concern that the clothing isn’t treated with chemicals.  Here is the response.

NoZone shirts are tested to be UPF 50+ and this is the highest rating and it blocks out both UVA and UVB rays. The material is woven together tightly enough that the suns damaging rays are not able to get through the fabric. We do not treat the shirts in any way. The sun protection only comes from how tightly the fabric is woven. Our shirts/ suits are 100% polyester but UV protection clothing is available is a range of different fabrics. We choose polyester for its durability, quick drying properties and several other benefits to the wearer.

What is UPF you ask? It’s not a Mommy Footprint typo – UPF stands for Ultraviolet Protection Factor and indicates how much UV protection is provided by fabric…similar to SPF rating in sunscreen. A fabric with a rating of 50 will allow only 1/50th of the sun’s UV rays to pass through. This means the fabric will reduce your skin’s UV radiation exposure significantly, because it blocks 98% of the UV radiation. This combined with sun hats, sun glasses and a recommended sunscreen will make all the difference with sun protection this summer for children.

A very cool item I noticed while writing this article and gives you insight to the excellent sourcing Organically Hatched delivers are the Aqua Sandals. I’ve never seen water-friendly kids sandals that are made of materials free from BPA, PVC, and Phthalates. WIth the price tag of only $14.99 this is a great product for parents looking for sandals that aren’t made from normal material PVC.

Pictures will be coming soon of my kids in their shirts to show how easy and light they are for children to wear. My boys have the full sleeve shirt in the below picture and they look so handsome against the ‘Marine’ blue colour. It’s been a great start to the summer having this added protection for my kids – check out Organically Hatched and enjoy one-stop shopping for your family’s sun protection.

I love to discover a more Eco or local product that replaces something plastic and Baby Wisp certainly has a great story. This online store has created headbands for little girls that are crocheted without needing any plastic in the design. All moms love a product that actually works and these handy little head bands are great at keeping fly-away hair in place and they are comfortable…not to mention adorable!

Baby Wisp sent me a blossom headband and blossom ponytail holders and I love them. I will even back up the Baby Wisp claim that these products are a must have for little girls. The headband is very special – so soft and will stretch to fit (and stay) on any size head. Unlike most other headbands, it actually stays in place and the crocheted flowers that are sewn to the headband are an adorable accent.

The ponytail holders are very sweet and great for partial hair-up, low ponytails or braids. They are not strong enough for a single ponytail for my girls – but ohh do I love doing two low ponytails while accenting their hair with these hand-sewn blossoms.  And yes, the crochet blossoms are my very favourite part of the Baby Wisp collections and it’s nice to not have to stop and worry about cadmium, lead, or any other nasties when purchasing these obviously safe and metal free hair accessories.

I didn’t review any of the hair clips from the Baby Wisp site, but with all small pieces, they are not recommended for children under the age of three unless supervised.  Maybe I’m just too rushed in the morning or lazy doing girlie hair, I just think the hairbands are easy and I’ve loved putting them in my twins hair.

Prices are also reasonable with at $4 for a set of ponytails with the blossoms and $13 for a blossom band that is 3 inches across of crocheted cuteness.

Article correction: The headbands are machine made and both headbands and blossoms are made overseas. The hair clips are cut, heated, and sealed by 4 local mamas to Baby Wisp headquarters.  The clips are CPSC certified which means the lead content meets strict US rules.

Next to the elusive bathing suit that could magically transform a post-mommy body back into something firm, I would say the next hardest-to-find garment for myself would be a comfortable and stylish t-shirt. I never would have thought a t-shirt with a great-fit could be so hard to source. I won’t despair because I’ve recently found an artist that has stolen the show with her handmade artwork, using vintage and upcycled materials, with t-shirt designs that look wonderful! The majority of Alison Tauber’s clothing is organic cotton, produced with water-based inks. This last point is really why I can’t go to the mall without having anxiety of some sort. You just can’t find stores that are selling products made with this sort of dedication to craft and environment. Trying to find comfort, affordable clothing, made with an eco-conscious is next to impossible unless you head on-line. I’m looking forward to trying out some of Alison’s designs.  The t-shirts are very affordable and her vision of nature will bring a smile to your face. Check out these incredible designs, pictures courtesy of her site:

And you don’t want to get me started on Alison’s pillows. The tree design was enough to make me shriek, but the snail put me over the edge.  I’ll be sending Alison, the designer, and email off-line because I’m secretly begging for a snail t-shirt. Between the butterfly, tree, and snail I’ll be the best dressed mom through the eyes of my children that adore nature.  Thanks Alison for these unique creations and for making them eco and affordable. Can’t wait to report on the verdict of whether they are fit the bill for being ‘curve’ friendly.