Trend Newsletter #15

Best Sustainable Children’s Products That Are Built To Last: Toys, Clothing And More

According to The Times, the average cost of raising a child to the age of 18 in the UK is an eye-watering £202,660, including clothing, toys, equipment, childcare and housing costs. That is just shy of £1,000 a month. 

They just keep growing and developing, meaning a lot of the kit you shell out for before they are born will need constant updating as they get older. Buying new items such as prams, cots, and developmental toys every few years (or in some cases, every few months) soon gets costly. And dumping old toys, clothes and items like car seats into landfill isn’t great for the environment.But there are products that are both functional and suitable for long-lasting use. A few suggestions for a sustainable world and cost savings:

High Chairs for Infancy to Adulthood

A Scandinavian brand has created a highchair that can be adapted from birth to adulthood. It can be used as a newborn seat and a resting place at the same time. Later on, it can also be adapted as a high chair for children transitioning from milk to solid food. And when the children are a little older, the baby set can be removed and used as a chair for anyone weighing up to 130 kg!

Cutlery -  Silicone Plate

There is a lot of equipment needed for the transition of babies from milk to solid food. Especially forks, knives and plates are among the most used products during this period. A British company designs products made of sustainable materials that can stick to babies' high chairs. In this way, they are creating products that can be used in the future.

Car seat  

A British company has designed a car seat suitable for use from birth to 12 years of age. The adjustable seat with several seat reinforcements and various reclining and headrest features is made from recycled easy-to-clean fabric.

Scooter

Children's scooters are quite costly. So why not a scooter with a seat and a scooter that can be used both sitting and standing? By creating a long-lasting use with two forms of scooters, you can also attract the attention of consumers!

Source: The Standard

 UK Urged To Boost Sustainability In Fashion, Sportswear Industries

Fashion and textile academics from the UK's University of Manchester argue sustainable fashion and sportswear needs Government focus as one million tonnes of textiles are disposed of every year in the UK with 300,000 tonnes ending up in landfill or incineration.

UK academics Lindsay Pressdee, Dr. Amy Benstead, and Dr. Jo Conlon believe “tackling sustainability in the fashion industry has lost its place on the political agenda” despite 10% of global CO2 emissions being attributed to the fashion sector.

The trio express disappointment in the lack of progress from the UK government following a 2019 report from the House of Commons Environmental Audit Committee titled “Fixing Fashion”.

This report recommended the adoption of extended producer responsibility (EPR) and other measures, such as a ban on incinerating or landfilling unsold stock that could be reused or recycled, as well as a tax system that favoured reuse, repair, and recycling to support responsible companies.

The experts urge the government to reconsider these recommendations and reintroduce the concept of sustainable fashion on the national political agenda.

Source: JustStyle