Building a sustainable nursery might seem like a lofty goal, but it boils down to a simple equation. Responsibly sourced materials + conscientious craftsmanship = products that are better for your baby and the earth. Follow these tips to find and curate timelessly stylish and sustainable essentials that will make your nursery a safe and nurturing oasis for your family.
1. Look for Longevity
Seek products that are lovingly crafted and built to last. Many of our convertible cribs can be used from infancy well into toddler and big kid years (some cribs even transition to the teens). Dressers with removable changing trays, timeless nursery nightstands, and your rockers, gliders, or recliners could later serve as stylish accent pieces in a cozy corner of your den or master bedroom. When looking for durability, consider seating that has been upholstered in eco-performance fabrics. They’re conveniently water-repellent and stain-resistant and is designed to withstand spills.
Timeless nursery staples can grow with your babe and serve as statement pieces in a big kid's room.
2. Check for Certifications
Familiarize yourself with voluntary certifications like GREENGUARD Gold, FSC, and CertiPUR-US.These credentials help ensure that your products are safe, responsibly made, and attest to retailers going above and beyond minimum safety requirements for your peace of mind and environmental betterment.
3. Investigate the Origins
To build a sustainable nursery from the inside out, inquire into how your furniture was produced. Find products that are constructed with ethically sourced materials like wood from renewable forests and eco-performance fabrics woven with fibers of recycled plastic bottles. The type and geographical origin of the wood in your furniture speak volumes about regional foresting practices. For example, pine wood that is plantation-grown in New Zealand is a better alternative to timber harvested from threatened, often tropical, forests.
4. Start with the Essentials
Choose a crib that will look just as good for baby #2. Less is more when it comes to buying sustainably, so look for furniture that you can embellish and personalize later on to suit your child’s evolving style. For example, the feet on the cribs, mini cribs, 3-drawer dressers, and bassinets in our babyletto Gelato Collection come in a variety of understated and playful colors. You might find yourself wanting to switch out the knobs on our neutral dressers for ornate brass ones, or ceramic ones in whimsical shapes.
5. Get Creative with Décor
Repurpose décor items you already own to help reduce waste. For example, a vintage dresser, heirloom clock, or an antique wall hanging with a DIY spin could add a dash of whimsy or family history to your nursery. Thrifting nursery accessories is also a great way to support your local consignment stores and flea markets, and there are many online directories that can help you find ones that cater to your tastes. For reclaimed furniture items with past lives, we recommend browsing online marketplaces of recommerce companies like FloorFound, a Babyletto partner that re-sells unused or returned products at reduced prices, helping to minimize waste.
A found item as simple as a framed vintage print adds character to an already beautiful nursery. Photo courtesy of Bek Halliday (@bekhalliday)
How babyletto Helps Build Sustainable Nurseries
1. GREENGUARD GOLD Certification
GREENGUARD Certified products are screened for over 10,000 chemical emissions and VOCs that are commonly known to pollute indoor air. Every babyletto crib, dresser, chair and mattress is GREENGUARD Gold Certified to help create a clean air environment for your little one to sleep, play, and grow.
2. REPREVE
The soft and durable eco-performance fabrics we use to upholster our rockers, gliders, and recliners are woven from REPREVE® recycled yarn, which combines performance polyester and the fibers of at least 30 plastic bottles, diverting them from landfills.
Every babyletto chair is made with FSC® certified wood that has been sourced from responsibly managed forests to benefit communities, wildlife, and the environment.
4. CertiPUR-US
The foam used in our seating is CertiPUR-US certified, having passed rigorous testing to verify that it is made without harmful chemicals like heavy metals, flame retardants, formaldehyde, and phthalates.
5. Carbon Offset Emission
We partner with CarbonFund.org and One Tree Planted to plant over 4,000 trees and fund reforestation projects to offset our carbon footprint and balance the amount of CO2 that is emitted during the shipping process.
