Backpacks That Give Back

Inspire your young do-gooder with a pack made by Terra Thread, a company founded by a father-daughter duo who decided to “create the world’s most affordable, durable, sustainable, and ethically produced backpacks and bags, while having a positive impact on the world.” Made in a Fair Trade Certified Factory from organic cotton, the packs come in a range of colorful hues. A portion of each sale goes to Feeding America’s network of food pantries and food banks.

Clothing That Grows With Them

Another mom-founded brand, Jackalo makes durable, comfortable basics meant to stand up to serious play. The mostly gender-neutral line is for kids aged four to 14.  Comfort is king, as is longevity. The brightly colored linen, cotton, and hemp clothes have extra-long legs and sleeves, designed to be rolled, and reinforced knees to help clothes outlast growth spurts and adventures. Flat seams and easy-on designs make the clothes ideal for sensitive kids. When garments no longer fit, families can send them in for store credit. Jackalo repairs and resells what it can, and composts or recycles everything else. We love this circular approach.

Leakproof Lunchboxes

Mom-founded and family-owned Ecozoi makes sleek, leakproof, stainless-steel lunchboxes. One Bluedot mom has relied on the boxes to pack her daughter’s lunches. Ecozoi lunchboxes keep foods happily isolated in their own little compartments — without any single-use plastic! — making them perfect for those picky eaters who can’t stand the thought of a Goldfish sneaking into their blueberries. Multiple configurations mean that every kid (and adult) will find the Goldilocks box to suit her lunch style.

Nice Napkins

Your kid brings his lunchbox home from school everyday (okay, most days, hopefully…), so why put anything disposable in the lunchbox? Zero Waste Store’s Reusable Paper Towels have a whole host of uses. One of our favorites: putting the soft, cotton flannel squares in lunchbags instead of paper napkins. Colorful, cheerful, and absorbent, the cloths are just the thing to swaddle apples and keep fingers clean. Plus, it’s never too early to remind kids to keep a napkin on their laps!

Life-Saving Labels

Speaking of bringing things home, let’s talk about labels. Our editorial director, a mother of three, is an advocate of sticking them on all your kids’ belongings. “As a parent, Mabel’s has saved me a ton of money — especially on water bottles and lunch containers. Those labels stick to anything and they stay stuck.” Labeled items get lost less often, decreasing the need for frequent replacements and the instinct to buy junkier items that might not stick around. As for “life-saving,” it might sound over-dramatic, but allergy and medical alert labels, tags, and bracelets can help keep kids safe. 

Want to get in touch? I’d love to hear from you. Tell me about your favorite sustainable products and anything else that’s on your mind — email marketplace@bluedotliving.com. I’ll see you again Monday after next.

– Elizabeth Weinstein

Elizabeth Weinstein, Bluedot’s Marketplace Editor, lives in Manhattan. Her editors encouraged her to dig up the old 1998-1999 Marlborough School Yearbook spread mentioned above, which she unearthed with the help of the school’s alumnae office. The accompanying caption read: “It’s all about Elizabeth Weinstein’s (‘04) astroturf/cheetah handbag in this ensemb. Elizabeth added spunk to standard cargo pants and a t-shirt with mismatched neon Adidas.” This seems like the right moment to finally set the record straight: They were Pumas.