It’s tough to keep up with the amazing array of eco-shops out there these days, catering to every lifestyle and wallet size. One thing they have in common (besides the commitment to being green, of course), is they all have a wonderful story behind them. That being said, Kai Kids is the result of a Toronto couple’s small changes that led to big ideas. Taking baby steps to becoming greener after the birth of their sons, Nancy DeHart and Peter Chin found that going green became a growing passion they wanted to share with others. Since the name ‘Kai’ is their first son’s name, and means ’sea’ in Hawaiian as well as ‘keeper of the earth’ in Greek, it seemed only fitting to share the earth-oriented name.

Featuring clothing, toys, and accessories from the highest-quality companies out there today, including infant wear from Babysoy, Bare Organics skin care products, Klean Kanteen sippies, and Jolie Maman nursing wear for new moms, Kai Kids’ motto, ‘gentle on your family, gentle on the earth,’ rings true from what you’re buying down to how it comes in your mailbox. One complaint I always have, even from eco-friendly companies, is how tough it is to find greener shipping options to the consumer. Kai Kids reuses boxes and envelopes to ship their products, eliminating extra packaging and encouraging others to do the same.

To celebrate the launch of their shop, Kai Kids is offering two winners one $35 gift certificate each towards a Kai Kids item! You’ll find that everything is well-priced and super practical, so we know you’ll be able to find something for the teensygreen-er in your family! To enter, leave a comment here with an answer to this question - what is your favorite Kai Kids item? This giveaway will be open through Thursday, February 21st, midnight PST. Good luck!

This contest is now closed!  Congrats to Tanja and Lori, enjoy your Kai Kids purchase! 

Sometimes ‘going green’ doesn’t always mean fair trade/organic/straight from the ground. I also love products that are made locally and handcrafted for your (or your kid’s) enjoyment. This is why I’m a big fan of Super Natural Baby, the San Francisco-based children’s bedding and accessories that take modern form and function to a whole new, multi-purpose level.

One of Super Natural Baby’s founders, Anna Rainer, explained to me that the emphasis for Super Natural Baby is “to make products that have an extended life - a diaper clutch becomes a make up bag for mom, a blanket turns into a poncho when the child grows and a crib bumper converts into a floor mat when not used in a crib anymore.” A gorgeous product that actually lasts more than babyhood? Sign me up! They also have some organic tee shirts and onesies I wish came in bigger sizes!

Super Natural Baby is generously giving away my favorite goodie, a blanket + poncho blend of your choice, just in time for the cold weather. What kid would love to be able to wear their favorite blankie! I wonder if they can make it in big versions, for those of us who walk around bundled up all winter (that one was for you, Mom!)…You know the drill. Leave a comment here by Thursday night, PST with an answer to this question - What’s the name of your favorite blanket + poncho design? Good luck!

This giveaway is now closed! Congrats to Christine W!

All of a sudden I have so many friends having spring babies! I thought this week was perfect for a newborn/infant giveaway. I wrote about Blessed Nest pregnancy and nursing pillows a while back, and I got a great response about them. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that they’re organic, some completely organic inside and out, or that they come in a gorgeous variety of colors and styles. Or maybe it’s just thinking about cute little babies resting on pillows…I know when and if baby #3 comes around, I’ll definitely be getting my own Blessed Nest!

This week’s giveaway is for all the new nesting moms out there, or for someone you know who is about to have some long nights either getting ready for baby, or getting used to a new little one in the house. The winner can choose from three styles - the Kaleidoscope, Morning Glory (shown above), or Aqua Nest. All are beautiful, and at $84 and made-to-order, will make a very special gift, even if it’s for yourself! Rules remain the same - please leave a comment here with an answer to the following question by Thursday at midnight, PST. What’s the name of your favorite Nesting pillow (besides the ones up for grabs)? There are 12, so you have a choice! Good luck!

This contest is now closed!  Congrats to our winner, Carrie Z!  Thanks for entering, and check back on Monday for another great green giveaway!

These beautiful and comfy pregnancy/nursing pillows from Blessed Nest can carry you through pregnancy and feeding your infant - how many products can you think of that accomplishes both? Each component of the pillow is organic…The pillow itself is made from organic cotton canvas and filled with organic buckwheat hulls to ensure breathability and stability. The slipcover, which is removable and machine washable (bonus!) are either made from cotton terry cloth or 100% organic cotton (the “All Organic” pillow). Each pillow is made to order, so they’re not sitting around getting stale. So, what does this mean for you and your baby? Leg support, back support, baby support…I’ve even used mine as book support when I wanted to read laying down!

Positively Organic is having an End-of-Summer Sale AND special deals on their “Happy Wear” gifts sets.

Black Wagon’s Weekly Special - Enter code BackToSchool07 at checkout for 15% off all backpacks, including Fleurville’s line of PVC-free bags!

This is the last week to get your “Back 2 Cool” $25 gift card from The Silly Wagon, when you spend $200 on anything in the shop! Put it towards awesome Pastel toys or a beautiful stepstool from Lilypad Studios.

Sign up with IdealBite’s weekday emails and tell a friend about them too…you can win $200 worth of cosmetics from afterglow mineral cosmetics - last chance!

A favorite shop from my kids! Magic Cabin Clearance Sale, Save up to 55% on Popular items!

When I was pregnant with daughter #2, I would bring daughter #1 with me to prenatal yoga, thinking it would spur a life-long interest in downward dog and ohm-ing and all sorts of crazy flexibility. But nooooooo. My daughter thought my yoga mat was ‘too stinky’ to lay on, and that was that. Yoga mats are, in fact, made from chemicals and nasty PVC, giving them their needed stickiness but odd smell. Who knew? The mom behind Lotuspad EcoKids yoga mats really took this to heart, and developed a yoga mat for kids that is hygienic, non-toxic, non-slippy, PVC-free, comfy, lightweight, and totally biodegradable! And adorable, of course. Your kids will be Balasana-ing (child’s pose) in eco-style before they know it! They also carry equally funky mat straps, so your little ones can carry their meditation spaces around easily.

Wonder why you’ve never heard of Lotuspad before? It’s because they just came on the market…I am so excited to give away one small green Lotuspad Ecokids yoga mat for this week’s winner! As always, leave a comment at this post (with an email address, so I can reach you) before Thursday night at midnight, PST. And you can order these beautiful mats with free shipping before Labor Day.

Congrats to Dianne, winner of the Lotuspad yoga mat for her kids!

You already know about the amazing SIGG kid’s bottles…SIGGs are cleaner and safer than plastic sippies, made from a single piece of aluminum, totally recyclable, taste-neutral (meaning, that milky smell on your cups won’t stand a chance), dishwasher safe, hygenic…it’s the perfect alternative to plastic water bottles and sippy cups. I used to feel the price was outrageous - my thought process went something like, “It’s a cup. A cup.” But when I took stock of the months-old plastic cups my kids were using, I was appalled I didn’t buy them sooner! Today is our lucky day, dear readers - ReusableBags.com not only have SIGGs on sale, but you can pre-order the new Fall 2007 line of SIGGs at the same time. Fun for girls, boys, and water guzzling parents alike, the new SIGGs are cutesy and fun and flashy and, yes, cups. But don’t they make you feel better? My cabinet is ready - is yours?

Note: This is a recycled post, actually, my first post ever…but in the spirit of Back-to-School, and for popularity’s sake, I thought it was most appropriate to share again…Enjoy!

In 2004, the CEH (Center for Environmental Health) began testing those adorable vinyl lunchbags we’ve bought, borrowed, and gotten for free as promo items for harmful substances such as lead. They found that even small exposures can cause behavioral and hearing problems, and advised people to buy lead-free lunchbags. The problem - um, where are they?

Enter Mimi the Sardine. Cute name, even more adorable product. Mimi’s line of lunchbags are lively, lead free, and lootie-licious! Made from a Swedish cotton fabric coated with a PVC-free, acrylic (not plastic) coating that is Okeo-Tex Standard 100 approved, these lunchbags come in a variety of prints any kid would love to carry all by themselves; plus, the bags are machine washable! Yes, you CAN get out the squished strawberries and spilled apple juice! You may find you’ll want one to sling over your shoulder, too - so check out their mommy-sized shopper!

Have you been to a preschool classroom during lunch? It’s pretty appalling how many plastic bags, straws, foil and plastic wrap, and packaging in general goes right in the trash. Now, I’m not one to deny my girls their beloved drinkable yogurt or granola bars…but I do try my best to use reusable bowls, etc. to help lessen the trash pile. These ingenious “American style” Bento Boxes from Laptop Lunches really opened my eyes to a whole, well, lunchbox of ideas about lunchtime. The containers are lead-free, reusable, dishwasher safe, and totally recyclable. They come in tons of colors (you can order just the interior containers to mix and match as well as the whole Laptop system), AND you get the Laptop Lunch User’s Guide, filled with clever ways to make lunch fun and eco-friendly. The website itself also has a wealth of information about nutrition, meal ideas, and recycling/lunch programs in schools, so look around!

teensy readers - get a 10% discount off your Laptop Lunch order! Use the discount code teensygreen at checkout. The offer will expire on October 31st, but get yours before the schoolbell rings!

When I found out I was pregnant with my second daughter, my first splurge was the amazing patemm pad. What a wonderful mom-inspired story and invention! The round shape keeps even the squirmiest kids protected, and the interior pockets are great for short trips out with baby stuff, or bigger kids stuff like crayons and paper. I lugged my patemm to the beach, playground, on vacation, and used in the house instead of a second changing table! It’s my favorite baby gift ever since, and the toughest part is deciding which one to send - each one is more beautiful than the next. How happy I was to read that patemm now has an organic line AND (the original ones, not the organic line) are now available at Target! Together with textile maker HarmonyArt, the three organic cotton designs are just as lovely as the rest.

The creator of patemm, Grace Welch, has been so generous to give me an organic patemm pad for this week’s giveaway! It’s the small “buhayin” patemm with pockets you see above, a gorgeous, funky, swirly, cheery, cotton printed twill, machine-washable patemm, valued at $78! Comment away, people, you know you want one…the giveaway will end Thursday night at midnight, PST. Please leave only one comment with an email address, so I can reach you if you’re the winner! Good luck! THIS CONTEST IS CLOSED, BUT CHECK OUT THIS WEEK’S GIVEAWAY!

via goodyblog