There’s nothing cuter than a tiny baby footprint… but baby gear has its own footprint, and it’s nowhere near as small and sweet! Fortunately, there are more options than ever for eco-friendly and sustainable baby shower gifts that fit within a variety of budgets.
Guilt-free baby gear doesn’t necessarily have to be organic, compostable or made from post-consumer recycled content and soy inks. One of the most underrated ways to make a difference is to select baby gifts that can be used over and over again, long after the baby days have come to an end. Here are some of our favorite baby shower gifts that reduce, reuse or recycle to help baby make a low-impact entrance to the world.
Green Toys Baby Toy Starter Set
This set of sustainable baby toys takes an assortment of classic baby toys and updates them to be safe, earth-friendly and BPA-free. Green Toys are adorable, durable, and best of all, they’re made from 100% recycled plastic (and you can even run them through the dishwasher).
Even the most stylish diaper bag will eventually end up relegated to the give-away pile. That’s why we like this insert that turns any tote or oversized handbag into a diaper bag. It has pockets for everything, including an insulated compartment and a washable changing pad so new parents can easily use any of their favorite bags for diaper duty and feeding on the go.
There’s a reason this Scandinavian gem shows up on so many baby shower registries: It’s really, really good. Made in Europe from solid wood, the Tripp Trapp can be used from birth through adulthood, and it’s practically indestructible — we know families with multigenerational Tripp Trapps that are still used daily after 40+ years!
Super popular among cloth diaper fans, these waterproof bags in cute prints are among our favorite useful gifts for expectant parents because they can be used in so many ways for so many years: Toss one in the beach bag for wet suits, tuck another into a backpack in case of soaked socks, and keep one in the car for unexpected spills or other soggy mishaps.
Baby food, yogurt and applesauce pouches are as convenient as they are wasteful. We like the reusable Squeasy Snacker as an easy-to-fill, easy-to-use, easy-to-clean alternative for purees, smoothies and liquids.
Admittedly, we’re a bit partial to this one… but we would include the Perch Pillow in our list even if we didn’t make it ourselves! Nursing pillows are wonderful for feeding and tummy time, but they don’t have a lot of utility past infancy. Our Perch Pillow changed all that. Now when the baby days are done, a chic custom cover turns this nursing pillow into a stylish, durable floor cushion that will be a favorite for years to come.
