Having children is one of the biggest life changes there is – arguably the biggest many of us will ever experience. You’re plunged into a sleep-deprived fog of nappies, wipes and unsolicited advice, making it a time when it’s all too easy to reach for whatever solution is to hand that might make your life (a little bit) simpler. Often, these are not the most eco-friendly of choices.
It is possible, however, to parent in a greener way, and what better incentive to be more conscious in the choices you make than raising the next generation – who will undoubtedly be impacted by the climate crisis more than any before them.
With this in mind, we’ve added a new category to the Maire Claire UK Sustainability Awards for 2024: Parenting. Keep scrolling to discover our inaugural winners and the worthy runners-up.
Meet the Marie Claire UK Sustainability Awards Parenting winners for 2024
1. Babies & Kids Clothing
WINNER: The bonniemob
Who? Founded in 2005 by Tracey Samuel following the birth of her first child, the bonniemob is a GOTS-certified children’s organic clothing brand. Built around the principles of sustainability and circularity – its strapline is “buy once, buy well, pass it on” – the bonniemob’s clothes are bright, breezy and durable.
Why? The brand displays a fundamental belief in sustainability as a guiding principle, informing every aspect of its designs from conception to production and beyond. It is the antithesis of fast fashion – clothes are designed to be durable, so they can be passed down to siblings or on to friends – and the brand is working on a circular side to the business, by helping busy parents to trade and swap clothing.
Impressively for a small brand, the bonniemob prioritises people and planet above profit – fitting our judging criteria perfectly. Its supply chain is transparent and accountable, and it uses only 100% organic textiles.
“I love the brand ethos around longevity on the product and its exceptional
commitment to environmental sustainability,” says Sustainability Awards judge and WUKA founder Ruby Raut. “I love the innovative practices like Zero D printing [to mimic the look of denim], which uses 90% less water, and its dedication to organic cotton certification, but also its rental platform, which aligns to its mission on circular economy as a circular fashion, further highlighting its eco-friendly initiatives.”
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2. Kitchen Item or Tableware
WINNER: KAOS
Who? The brainchild of two first-time mums, Norwegian lifestyle brand KAOS was established in 2015 to offer parents sustainable, functional, stylish and cost-efficient baby gear.
Why? KAOS is leading the way for a more sustainable future for babies and kids – without compromising on style. The brand is committed to producing timeless, reusable products that grow with your child. Building everything from scratch, its female owner-operators have spent almost a decade researching their products, with a focus on zero waste and building a circular economy.
The Klapp highchair is one example of this ethos – it’s made from 100% recycled plastic from consumer waste, and boasts 62% lower CO2 than other plastic products.
“I have a KAOS highchair and I love it,” enthuses Awards judge and Marie
Claire UK senior beauty editor Katie Thomas. “When I say that it’s near impossible to find a chic folding high chair that looks smart in your kitchen I’m not exaggerating. This company proves that when you become a parent you don’t have to lose all sense of style. The fact that sustainability is such a focus makes the brand even cooler in my eyes.”
“I love the fact that each design is made using the least fabric or material
possible to avoid waste,” adds contributing fashion editor Penny Goldstone. “Not to mention stylish products that grow with your child so you aren’t discarding items after a few months.”
3. Maternity Fashion Brand
WINNER: For The Creators
Who? For The Creators is a fashion and wellness platform for all stages of maternity. It offers circular fashion for purchase or rental, alongside advice blogs and a membership option, giving it a community feel. It’s motherhood, made modern.
Why? For The Creators’ mission is clear: to help mothers look and do good. It promotes circular fashion, with a focus on renting, reusing and recycling, to reduce the ecological impact of maternity wear. It’s clear the brand wants to have a positive impact on the planet while encouraging mums to look and feel their very best – it only teams up with like-minded brands and plants five trees for every purchase, via a partner.
“There’s nothing more wasteful than buying clothes you’ll only wear for a few months,” says Goldstone. “For The Creators has some stylish options that take the stress away from dressing during pregnancy – when it’s easy to lose your style identity – and the fact that each product listing educates customers on their environmental savings and tree plantation is a bonus. You can buy products too, but I love the rental option.”
“Such a brilliant idea and I wish I had known about this during my pregnancies,” says Thomas. “In fact, I might just get pregnant again so that I can make use of its services.” (We can’t guarantee she isn’t joking – she’s that impressed.)
4. Rental or e-commerce
WINNER: thelittleloop
Who? Thelittleloop is, in its own words, “a library for clothes”. A members-only site for trading and swapping kids’ clothing, it’s a genius idea for cash-savvy parents. And don’t worry – stains, rips and damage are all taken care of for you.
Why? Any parent will tell you that kids go through a lot of clothes. From multiple outfit changes per day to growing out of items in the blink of an eye, it’s eye-wateringly expensive – not to mention notoriously bad for the environment.
What thelittleloop is trying to achieve, then, is nothing short of inspirational – the platform offers clothes to rent, buy and trade-in. Members pay a certain amount each month upfront, and choose the corresponding number of items to reuse. No more hours spent listing items on pre-loved sites: this is a one-stop shop for busy parents. No wonder thelittleloop is the UK’s leading circular marketplace for children from birth to 12 years.
And now that online success is coming to the high street – the brand is set to launch a permanent physical pre-loved pop-up in John Lewis’s flagship store on London’s Oxford Street, bringing it another step closer to its goal to make recirculating kids’ clothes a first, not last, resort.
“This is such a clever idea,” says Thomas, “I have spent so much money on
children’s clothes over the years for them only to be worn once or twice. I
love that you don’t have to worry about stains too.”
“As a mum of a toddler, I’m well aware how quickly clothes get outgrown. I made the mistake of buying lots new when she was born and half of it is now in a box unworn. I wish I’d known about this service then,” adds Goldstone.
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5. Toys & Education
WINNER: Le Toy Van
Who? Find us a parent who doesn’t own at least one Le Toy Van item. The brand creates child-safe, eco-friendly wooden toys for a range of ages. Good quality, old-fashioned style toys never looked so good – who doesn’t love a dolls’ house?
Why? The OG wooden toy brand, Le Toy Van designs and crafts wooden toys that “spark imagination and development through the magic of play”.
All Le Toy Van products are made using FSC-certified wood and Indonesian rubberwood ethically sourced from sustainably managed forests. The brand works closely with suppliers to ensure the wellbeing of its workers, and partners with One Tree Planted to help restore forests. It has committed to its packaging being plastic-free by 2026.
“I really love these toys, and have many, many of them in my house,” says Thomas.
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Marie Claire UK has determined the award winners in accordance with the judging criteria and with the information provided by the entrants. All information provided by the winning brands is published in good faith.
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