Summer For Kids the environmentally sound children store in Montecito, CA

Why Organic?

Why Organic cotton?

That's simple, it's health. Your health, health of your children, communities and the environment. Baby's skin is more porous and thinner than adults! That means that their skin absorbs things very easily. It's less resistant to bacteria and harmful substances in the environment, especially if it's irritated. Babies sweat less efficiently than the rest of us, so it's harder for them to maintain their inner body temperature. This means that children are at greater risk for pesticide-related health problems than adults. Manual farming and organic practices have a lower carbon footprint as the entire process consumes less fuel and energy and emits fewer greenhouse gases.

Organic clothing uses cotton that is not farmed in the conventional ways. It is grown without synthetic pesticides, herbicides, insecticides, chemical fertilizers or any other chemicals, other safer methods are used to produce the crops. Therefore workers have better working conditions, water quality is not compromised by run-off, and strong healthy soil is built. The end product is a cotton fabric that is toxin free.

Organic cotton is safer, sturdier, and cheaper and it feels great!

Conventionally produced cotton material lasts 10-20 washes before it starts to break down. An organic cotton material lasts for 100 washes or more before it begins to wear down. This is because the cotton fibers in conventionally produced cotton take so much abuse in production because it goes through scouring, bleaching, dying, softeners, formaldehyde spray, and flame and soil retardants before it is even shipped to be cut for patterns.

Organic fabrics are hypoallergenic and absorbs moisture from our bodies in a more efficient way than non organic materials.

Creating a pure, natural environment is a vital decision for a growing number of parents. With our children exposed to pollutants in many aspects of life, choosing organic fibers is another step towards natural and safe living.

Summer For Kids

Why Are Some Products Made In China?

We get this questions often and therefore I thought it may be a good idea to give everyone the answers they need right here on our blog.

We at Summer For Kids make sure that our manufacturers visit their China factory many times and are satisfied that the conditions under which the workers labor are similar to those of workers in such factories in the U.S.

We have found that everyone would certainly prefer to produce products in the U.S. however the price point would be so much higher that the products would not be available to the average parents in our country.

At Summer For Kids we pick manufacturers who make their products in USA, Europe, and China. For those items made in China we always ask if and how often they visit their factories and if they are fair trade companies. We also ask what products they use and if those products and how they are tested.

Some examples: the bamboo clothing by Dreamsacks are made in China. Dreamsacks visits the factories twice a year and have developed a relationship with their factories and workers. Dreamsacks vision is to provide nurturing natural products while consciously caring for people and the environment. They let the moms bring their babies to work to support breastfeeding and relationship between mom and a child.

Another example from the Summer For Kids store, Babysoy.
A comfy and affordable layettes line made by artisans who are fairly-treated in a safe working environment. Co-founders personally conduct unannounced factory inspections at least 4 times a year.

Our manufacturers say that reasons why their products are made in China:
1. The cost involved in making their products in the USA is extremely expensive.
2. Formed a level of trust with the Asian factories they have worked with. Good quality work.
3. These companies have been very successful with the factories as well.
4. Almost all organic cotton is grown in Asia or Egypt. If it’s grown in Egypt, why can’t it be grown in China?? People are people and being Chinese doesn’t make them any lesser people than Egyptians.
5. People listen to too much of what the media says about China. Not all of China is bad. It’s about what the products are made of not if they are made in China or not.

You are supporting American people, American companies whose products are made in China. These companies are run by American people and employ American people in USA.

Parents who want to find information about which products are made in China, or how companies ensure those products are safe, can take initiative to get the information.

Read more: http://www.thedailygreen.com/environmental-news/latest/toy-country-47110220#ixzz0j9iR6lLJ

www.summerforkids.com