Sustainable Clothing for Kids - From Juliet at The Great Eco Journey

Finding sustainable, ethical clothing for adults can be hard, but finding it for kids can be even trickier! I am a firm believer in ‘Slow Fashion’, which, among other things, involves investing in quality, timeless items of clothing that will last years rather than micro-seasons. However, for kids that doesn’t work… they just grow too damn quickly!

So here are a few of my tips for embracing Slow Fashion for kids, followed by my top ten sustainable, ethical New Zealand kids’ clothing brands…

Hand-me-downs

Embrace the amazing world of hand-me-downs! Whether it be family, neighbours, or community free-cycle pages, hand-me-downs are a great way to get more life out of clothes than have been grown out of.

Second-hand clothing

Check out your local second-hand shops, or online buy and sell groups.

Caring and repairing

Ok, I know kids can be tough on clothes (my youngest is currently going through a phase of knee-sliding… need I say more??!!). However, we can do some simple things to make their clothes last longer. Washing clothes less can extend their lives a lot. I do the ‘look and smell’ test, and if it passes, it goes back in the draw! Spot cleaning is another great way to look after clothes. Mending or patching a hole when it’s tiny can save a lot more work down the line. After all, a stitch in time DOES save nine!

Support local

Local markets are a great place to find handmade treasures and support local artisans. Or online, Felt is a great website for clothing from NZ creators, or search for NZ makers on Etsy.

Quality over quantity

When you are looking for new clothes, look for brands where the focus is on quality rather than mass production. Look for brands that can tell you where their clothes were made, and who made them. Look for brands that use durable, natural fibres.

These brands are not always easy to find. In fact, it’s far easier to whip into Kmart and buy more than you need for next-to-nothing. But I’ve tried to make sustainable kids’ fashion a bit easier for you, by putting together this list of my top NZ sustainable and ethical kids’ clothing brands. I’ve included a price guide and an age guide to help you find the options that are best for you and your little ones.

10 Sustainable NZ Kids’ Fashion Brands

Hoopla Kids

Hoopla Kids is based in Wellington, and stocks organic, gender-neutral Scandinavian kid’s clothes. I love that you can send any of your used clothes back to them, and that they have a ‘re-loved’ collection. It’s also fair to say that I’m pretty obsessed with their fix-it patches. Hand made in Wellington from off-cuts that may otherwise end up in landfill.

Little Yellow Bird

Little Yellow Bird is a truly ethical, sustainable, fairtrade business. Every aspect of their production is traceable. You can find out about every part of it (from where and how their cotton is grown right through to their paper and cardboard packaging) on their website. They also have a ‘textile take back’ recycling initiative where they will take unwanted cotton garments from any brand, in any condition, and recycle them back into the textile production chain.

Dimples

Snuggly, gorgeous merino and organic cotton baby clothing. The Dimples brand is one of the few NZ made childrenswear brands, with a focus on natural fibres and quality. As of 2022, they have a second line, Little Bee, which is made in Bangladesh.

Buck & Baa

Buck & Baa sell beautiful organic cotton clothing for babies. Their garments are pesticide-free, and their inks and dyes are water-based. Made in India and China under strict fair trade conditions. They also wrap their orders in tissue paper and ship in recycled courier bags.

Freedom Kids

Freedom Kids was created to offer an alternative to the highly-gendered and sweatshop-made clothes that dominate the children’s clothing industry. They are a New Zealand company that sources clothing from ethical brands in New Zealand and worldwide, and brings them all together in one place.

Thunderpants

You may think of Thunderpants as only underwear, but they also make some funky organic kids’ basics, like tights and tanks. Thunderpants clothing is proudly NZ made (except for the knitting mill in Australia), and they have a huge focus on the planet, as well as the people involved in all stages of production.

Nature Baby

At the heart of Nature Baby’s sustainability is the quality of their garments. Made from organic cotton and merino, their clothing is made to last, to be passed down through multiple children and stand the test of time. Most of their clothing is made in a factory in India, which they work closely with and visit every year. The other factories that they use (in India, China and Fiji) have a firm code of conduct.

Band of Boys and The Girls’ Club

Band of Boys and The Girls’ Club are a family-owned business that prides itself on being about slow and sustainable fashion. They create pieces that will be long lasting both in terms of quality and style. They work with factories in India and China, making working conditions and ethical practices a priority. Also, their garments are sent in either paper or reusable packaging, in compostable courier bags.

Crywolf

Crywolf is an outerwear brand (think rain jackets, puffers, vests, waterproof overalls and pants, gumboots and sweaters) using 92% recycled materials in their garments. They focus on quality garments that can be worn and worn and then passed on.

Wilderling

All of the design, fabric sourcing and production of Wilderling’s garments takes place right here in New Zealand. Their garments are timeless rather than trendy, with a focus on quality. They create beautiful clothes for special occasions.

When it comes to sustainable clothing for kids, remember that it’s about buying less, choosing well and making it last. For me, I am lucky to have a fantastic network of quality, lovely hand-me-downs. I know that not everyone is so fortunate to have that, but if that’s you, perhaps second-hand or freecycling pages could be an alternative to explore? Because I get given so much of the kids’ clothing for free, I feel ok about investing in one or two good quality, sustainable and ethical outfits per year. I try to avoid the big fast-fashion stores, but occasionally I see something in a window that I just can’t resist… and I don’t beat myself up about that. As always, it’s about progress, not perfection.

Juliet is the founder of The Great Eco Journey Join her community of thousands of kiwis wanting to reduce their waste & fight climate change on Instagram & Facebook.

Home & Living, Lifestyle, Mother and Child, Sustainability, Waste free, Words from Juliet Dale - The Great Eco Journey

Sustainable Clothing for Kids – From Juliet at The Great Eco Journey