Eco Chic Nurseries and Children’s rooms March 15, 2013 14:19

Nadia here, newest member of the Ash and Aly’s Babes team!  You might be seeing more of my baby bump and me.

I am incredibly excited to welcome a baby girl into the world on June 4^th (or whenever she decides to start the party).  Like most expecting mothers, I am reading lots of books, buying itty bitty baby clothes, and creating an adorable nursery.  This will be my first child and I am humbled by all I have yet to learn.

My brief time spent working Ashley and Alyssa has opened my eyes to an eco-friendly lifestyle.  These girls are passionate about clean eating, eco-friendly products, organic clothing, and overall health and well-being. I am beginning to view the world through different eyes.  While purchasing baby clothes, I pay attention the fabric the garment consists of. Is it safe? 

Although there are countless nursery ideas and themes out there, (can you say Pinterest?)  I have been paying special attention to the actual elements within the nurseries.  I have been excited to observe that eco-friendly nurseries are actually on trend right now.  Designers are incorporating elements of sustainable wood and bamboo. There are more and more options for organic-bedding (we carry some super cute ones in the “Sleep” section). 

Some of the most important things to consider in creating a safe nursery include choosing furniture made of sustainable materials with non-toxic/low VOC paints, organic mattresses, second-hand items, organic bedding not treated with flame retardants, safe toys, handmade and/or locally produced décor and calming colors and patterns.

-Nadia

Shopping for Kids Threads: Why We Love Our Brands January 23, 2013 10:35

Long before Ash & Alys Babes became a reality, I had a strong affinity for certain brands of baby/kid items. A combination of my personal style preferences, green living values, eye for a good deal and love of shopping led me to a few brands that I believe everybody should love.

Working in the role of buyer for our site has been a great outlet for me to exercise my shopping muscles without going overboard on buying my boys way more than they need. It’s also given me a chance to ‘shop’ for adorable girl’s clothing despite the fact that I have limited occasions to purchase anything pink or ruffled.

I’m convinced that everyone must love these brands as much as I do. In case you need a little persuasion, read on for some really good reasons why you should stock your babe’s closet with these fashionable and functional lines.

Kate Quinn Organics

Not only is this line quirky and creative, it pairs casual comfort with ultimate style. The dresses are what any mom would want for herself: designed to wear for any occasion with a fit and feel that will appease even the pickiest fashionistas. The denim pants are literally the only ones I can get my son to wear. The boy will not wear jeans; except these. They look and wear like premium denim, but with the softness of sweats. The clothes are durable, comfortable, long lasting and 100 percent organic to boot.  

Kicky Pants

Few fabrics can beat the softness (and sustainability) of bamboo. This line excels when it comes to pajamas, with fun prints for both boys and girls. I have yet to find another line of pajamas for babies and toddlers that I like more than these. My kids wear them religiously, and I swear they sleep more soundly on the nights they wear their Kicky Pants. The footies come in sizes up to 4T, so even your big kids can enjoy the classic pajama look.

Their daywear collections don’t fall short either. Dresses, hoodies, t-shirts, shorts and more all with the same softness, light weight and comfortable fit as the footies and long johns.

Winter Water Factory

This organic, funky line is coming soon to Ash & Alys Babes. We love the simplicity and distinct look of this line’s prints and use of color. The fabrics are organic and there is something for everyone. Graphic and print tees for the boat, car or construction lover and sweet dresses for every season. Everything is made from durable organic cotton and we are so excited to introduce them to the store in the coming months.

Under The Nile

Everybody knows that Egyptian cotton is as soft as cotton comes, which is one of the reasons why this line can’t be beat when it comes to baby basics. This is one of the first organic cotton clothing companies I discovered when I decided to go green. Ever since my first child was born, I’ve been relying on Under The Nile for quality, affordable organic cotton essentials. If you need baby hats, onesies, sleep sacks, long johns or outerwear, Under The Nile has it. We especially love their organic cotton sherpa fabric for winter warmth. They also have essentials for bed, bath and play, so you can get virtually everything you need for baby in super-soft organic Egyptian cotton.  

Here's a little cutie in an adorable bodysuit from Kate Quinn Organics. 

-Ashley

Top 11 Must-Have Baby Registry Items November 3, 2012 20:40

 Most expectant parents are clueless when it comes to preparing for their first child. The amount of information out in the universe is overwhelming to say the least, and can be excessively confusing and stressful to try to navigate. Add to that a desire to raise the baby ‘green’ and new moms and dads could be feeling on the verge of a full-on meltdown.

While pregnant with my first child, I became obsessed with what car seat, or stroller or diaper bag we needed. I agonized over what to do about plastic toys we would receive as gifts, or non-organic clothing that well-meaning relatives would expect to see outfitting our new bundle. As the birth neared and some research was conducted, I was able to relax a bit. But I always wished there were more resources available to help us determine what we really needed and what natural products we just could not live without.

Every family is different, and there are dozens of items that your baby will need that didn’t make this list. In the interest of narrowing things down slightly, Ash & Alys Babes has compiled the following list of must have (natural) items that should be on every baby registry.

1.     Blessed Nest Nesting (Nursing) Pillow: This is the most amazing product we’ve found. It is far superior to the popular ‘Breast Friend’ and ‘Boppy’ brand nursing pillows. This unique nursing pillow is 100% organic, super soft and just makes you want to sit in a rocker and cuddle your babe all day long.

2.     Angel Baby Bottom Balm: From Earth Mama Angel Baby Organics, this diaper salve is the best on the market in our opinion, and it won’t ruin your cloth diapers. It smells amazing, and can be used to treat just about any ‘owie’ under the sun, as well as it’s designed purpose as a diaper rash and barrier balm. Personally, I’ve been through just about every diaper rash product out there, and this is by far the favorite.

3.     Smiling Planet Hooded Towels: Every baby needs a hooded towel. Both for functionality and the cuteness factor. These towels, which come in prints to suit boys and girls, are luxuriously soft, very high quality and big enough to grow with your baby for years. Made from organic cotton and designed by a mom.

4.     Cloth Diapers: Cloth diapering is so much easier than general opinion, and provides a more sustainable (and toxin free) option to using disposable diapers. We will be offering FuzziBunz on our site beginning next week, but also love BumGenius and Thirsties.

5.     Organic Cotton Baby Body: We love the long-sleeved, side snap baby body from Under The Nile. Organic, soft and sized just right to grow with you baby a bit, these are a great everyday essential item. Under The Nile also offers adorable striped options as well as their warmzy and bunting bag for bundling up your bundle.

6.     Eco-Conscious Diaper Bag: These are hard to come by, but important for parents who want to limit their consumption of goods to brands that are socially responsible, sustainable and utilizing natural materials. Lassig does a great job of combining an eco-conscious foundation with great design and function. Their diaper bags will be arriving on our site in time for holiday shopping.

7.     Organic Lovie: Every baby needs a lovie to stimulate their senses and provide a sense of familiarity to soothe them during fussy times. There are so many loveable lovies. Our favorites include the super soft organic security blanket from SwaddleDesigns, Sneakle Fox from Eco-Leeko and the striped giraffe from Under The Nile.

8.     Wood Teether: Babies put everything in their mouths, causing worry and dismay for parents far into the toddler years. Rock Love Peace makes sustainably harvested wood teethers that provide a safe option for your babe’s mouth—and they come in fun shapes making them stimulating for your baby to grasp and hold.

9.      Soft Sleepwear: We love Kate Quinn Organics infant saques for bedtime dressing. Another favorite? Kicky Pants bamboo footies. Stock up on these – you’ll never want to dress your babe in anything else!

10.  Story Album: Capturing the magic of your baby’s birth and early life is priceless and something you will treasure for a lifetime. Collard Story Albums are the perfect gift for sentimental expectant parents who want to document every little detail of this special time in life. They save mom and dad the time of creating a handmade baby book, and have endless possibilities in price and customization.

11. The Basics: Of course you can’t go without burpies, washcloths, bibs and body products. We love organic burpies and washcloths from SwaddleDesigns and Under The Nile, muslin bibs from Aden + Anais and silky soft baby lotion from Earth Mama Angel Baby.

-Ashley

Launch News Release October 8, 2012 14:54

Site Makes ‘Green’ Products More Accessible for Moms, Babes and Toddlers and Introduces Lovingly Recycled™ Fashion

SEATTLE—October 8, 2012—Ash & Alys Babes today announced the launch of its online boutique (www.ashandalysbabes.com), providing natural products for moms, babes and toddlers and introduced its Lovingly Recycled shop for gently used children’s clothing. Following its commitment to playing a part in the movement toward a more sustainable society, Ash & Alys Babes created this boutique to make natural options more accessible to families, while providing an enjoyable online shopping experience.

Today’s environment is rampant with harmful impurities, as well as an abundance of conflicting information that can be confusing for parents. As awareness grows about the importance of raising babies green, parents are seeking out natural products that will help them protect their children from toxins and chemicals. Drawing on personal experience as a mom, co-founder Ashley Allman aimed to provide a single online shopping destination that offered exclusively the best natural products available, making it easy for eco-conscious parents to find exactly what they need for their babies and toddlers.  

In addition to the popular eco products sold on the site, Ash & Alys Babes launched Lovingly Recycled, providing an online shop for buying and selling gently used children’s clothing. Consignment shopping has become increasingly popular among families, as children’s fashion can be expensive, and has a short shelf life as children grow. However, parents are busier than ever, giving them little time to do all of their shopping in brick and mortar stores. Lovingly Recycled provides an alternative for when parents need to rely on the convenience of online shopping, but still want the option of purchasing used clothing for their babies and children. Lovingly Recycled only re-sells premium brand clothing that is like new.

Ash & Alys Babes is also the creator of the SlumberSling® the one-of-a-kind car seat headrest that provides head and neck support for toddlers napping on the go. In succession with the launch of the online boutique, the company has launched Twosie™, its line of organic cotton bodysuits that have a charitable purpose. For every Twosie item sold, Ash & Alys Babes donates $2 to its fund benefitting charities that serve children and environmental conservation.

“For us, this site is much more than an online store, more than a convenient place for buying natural products,” said co-founder and CEO Alyssa Wolfe. “We see ourselves as part of a bigger movement wherein consumers have the power to vote with their dollar for more sustainable and safe products, and make green mainstream. Our site and products are aimed at making sustainability accessible for new families. Babes are born pure, and we believe in keeping them that way.”

About Ash & Alys Babes

Ash & Alys Babes was founded in 2010, subsequent with the launch of its flagship product, the SlumberSling, for dreamy car rides®. The company launched its online boutique at www.ashandalysbabes.com, as well as its Lovingly Recycled online shop and Twosie line in 2012. The company has a strong philanthropic foundation, and supports causes that benefit children’s well being and environmental conservation.

Contact

Ashley Allman

pr@ashandalysbabes.com