As a parent, there’s no question we want the best for our children’s health. Nonetheless, every day people go to the store and purchase many items that have chemicals that can harm a child. With this in mind, the first step to a healthy baby environment is taking care of the place where they’ll spend a large percentage of the first year of life – the crib! Organic baby furniture and bedding is the ideal solution to that quest. However, this is definitely a “buyer beware” situation. You want to find a company that offers certified organics. Anything else is iffy.
To explain, the United States offers three types of organic labeling.
- An item made with wholly certified organic components may bear the “100 percent organic” label.
- Something with a ninety five percent organic component level can use the label “organic.”
- Lastly, anything made with at lest seventy percent organic components may use the label “made with organic ingredients.”
Beyond this, look to see what organization provided the company’s certification. That company MUST have certification for their approval provided by the US Department of Agriculture. Thanks to the National Organic Program of 2002, any company found falsifying labels is liable to prosecution under those laws, and Truth in Advertising laws. Consumers who would like to insure that a product has a legal certifying agent, or who would like to educate themselves about organic trade can refer to this website.
Having said all that, the parent who chooses organic for their baby is saying “yes” to a child’s welfare, and to that of the planet. Consider that the average baby mattress have polyurethane foam that breaks down releasing chemicals. Additionally if a mattress is flame resistant it contains PBDEs. In Europe such products are being eliminated for their negative health affects. Meanwhile, organic bedding studies show that these products improve the sleep cycle and support the goal of a healthy living space. In terms of our planet, organic farming decreases our dependence on non-renewable resources and decreases toxic chemicals that go into the land, the air, and finally the products that we bring into our homes.
So while you’re going “green” – shop organic!