Fair Trade Fashion

Respect for People and the Planet

Jodi Mitchell
27 April 2011



Fair Trade Fortnight 7-22 May

These days when it comes to buying clothes social responsibility is a buzzword among consumers as shoppers increasingly demand to know just where and how their clothes are made.

This is particularly true for children’s brands. New parents are highly aware and protective toward the world their children are growing up in. One company that embodies this philosophy to meet the demand for ethically made fashion for babies and kids is Nature Baby.

Nature Baby produces a wide range of practical and stylish certified organic cotton and organic merino clothing and bedding for babies.

To produce organic cotton baby wear, Nature Baby sought out an environmentally conscious manufacturer in India based where the cotton is grown. The farmers there who grow the cotton had seen the pesticide damage that conventional cotton was causing their land and community and decided to return to their traditional methods of farming. By returning to organic farming the farmers found they became more self-sustaining, were less in debt to the pesticide and seed companies and the returns for organic cotton were greater than for conventional cotton. They also found their land and soil returned to its fertile state.

From the organic cultivation of the cotton through to the manufacturing of the baby garments, an independent certifier for environmental and social responsibility (GOTS – Global Organic Textile Standard) checks off all stages of production from spinning, weaving and dying right through to the end product. This means that all the workers receive a fair wage, there is equality between men and women and no child labour is permitted.

To complete their organic baby wear collection Nature Baby has produced a beautiful organic merino range which is proudly made in New Zealand, employing a local workforce, and supporting the local economy. The merino wool is a wonder fabric which provides baby with the insulation they need while allowing breathability and keeping an even body temperature, which makes for a more settled baby.

Nature Baby merino baby wear is completely free of all chemicals such as scours, drenches and bleaches used in the wool process which can contribute to wool sensitivity or wool allergy in some people. They carefully monitor the entire production process of their organic merino range, which has been certified organic by IMO an external certifier ensuring that high environmental and social criteria are being met to ensure parents with the assurance of a high quality pure product.

Learn more about Nature Baby by visiting their website www.naturebaby.com or visiting one of their Auckland stores to enjoy a full range of ethically produced baby essentials from birth to age four.