Petit Eco KIDS Guide to green toys, eco fashion, handmade organic baby

INTERVIEW | Rachel Bending from Bird Textiles

I feel really honoured to be interviewing Rachel Bending, founder and designer of Bird Textiles, here today. Chances are you already know Rachel’s beautiful work; as one of the first textile designers to fully embrace the idea of sustainable design here in Australia, she has received international recognition. But the big news is that her gorgeous organic textiles are about to be made into a new bespoke and limited edition kids range suitably named Little Bird, Little Bird. I am really thrilled to share Rachel’s incredibly inspiring story with you all!

Flavia: Could you tell us a little about yourself and what led you to where you are today?

Rachel: I moved to Australia in 2001, and lived in a grass roots community on the mid north coast. 200 people living on one of the most beautiful properties I have ever seen. 800 acres of pristine coastal rainforest with small cleared areas, where hamlets of sustainable housing had been established. The community practices a low impact approach to living. Is self sufficient in every aspect other than telephone. There is no mains power, so power and hot water is direct from solar panels, drinking water is harvested from roof catchments, greywater is treated in reedbeds and reused on the land, compost toilets, veggie gardens and chooks. I was exposed to a whole new way of living that seemed to fit much more with where I was coming from and where I was wanting to go. Growing up in a very small community-minded village in South Wales, in the UK and ending up in a community of around 150 people who seemed to share a lot of my ideals.  I sort of just threw myself into it.

Reducing Toxic Exposure | Interview with Joanne Lia

A couple of weeks ago I received an email from Joanne Lia, founder of NoToxRox, sharing the news about a great event she is hosting this coming weekend at Bondi Beach Public School. The “Chemical Overload: Reducing Toxic Exposure” seminar will be a community event presented by two experts in the field, aiming to give parents and carers the tools they need to minimize their and their families exposure to toxins. Chemical free living is something I strive for in our family home, with varied levels of success, so I jumped at the opportunity to interview Joanne about this subject. 

Flavia: Could you please tell us a little about yourself?

Joanne: I am the mum of three gorgeous and challenging kids. Like all mums I just want my kids to get the best start and be healthy, happy individuals.
So I guess I am frustrated with the reckless decisions that get made by government and industry without any regard for the consequences for our planet and our kid's health. I am currently studying Building Biology which looks at the relationship between humans and the built environment and enables me to identify hazards in the indoor environment and educate people about the health effects.

Flavia: What prompted you to start NoToxRox and what keeps you motivated?

Joanne: When my first child was about 18months old she had 3 seizures over a 2 week period. Doctors told me I had imagined it, that she was probably just breath-holding. I insisted on all the tests which thankfully came back completely normal. At 3 years of age it happened again. Two seizures 3 days apart, this time other people witnessed it so they didn't think I was a neurotic mother. Tests again. Completely normal. "Just one of those childhood things" I was told. That didn't sit well with me. Perfectly healthy children do not just have seizures. I started researching and what I discovered shocked me. I learned that pollution is not just something that's out there. We are all polluted to some degree and that "body burden" grows with every exposure. That precious little bub comes out and it already has flame retardants, PFCs, BPA and a long list of chemicals in it's body. These chemicals are hormone disruptors, carcinogens, neurodevelopmental inhibitors. And then they start their lives being ambushed by hidden chemicals everywhere. Never before has a generation been exposed to so many chemicals most of them untested. Our kids are guinea pigs. So it is no surprise that Autism, ADHD, Asthma, Allergies, Cancers etc are all so prevalent today. When my little girl's toxic load got too much her brain shut down just for a moment.
My motivation comes from the fact that I know every mother wants the best for their kids. No one would willing expose their family to these toxins if they new, most people just don't know. I am also motivated by the fantastic, positive people I meet in this industry who are all trying and succeeding in making a difference.

Designer Focus · Belinda Stabb from Babushka Baby

Today marks the beginning of a new section here on PEK. Designer Focus is where we will be interviewing designers of kids’ products that have sustainability and fair trading at heart. And of course I am thrilled to start this series with the lovely Belinda Stabb, the creative brain behind Babushka Baby, who kindly shares with us some insights about her collection and how it is produced. Thanks Belinda!

Please tell us a bit about yourself and what led you to where you are today?

Ever since I can remember I’ve had a love of art, design, craft, fashion and textiles. I completed a Bachelor of Arts in Fashion Design at RMIT, a course that encompassed many of these passions and then went on to work in the fashion industry for several years.

I’d always felt an affinity with India and finally one day I packed up everything I had and spent 6 months just travelling around and absorbing the place. I love Indian fabrics, especially hand block-prints and I often found myself trawling through fabric markets.

I had the idea to start a business before I left but as I discovered India and my fabric collection and inspiration grew, the idea of my business really evolved. I was lucky enough to meet and form relationships with a couple of fair-trade producers and with their help Babushka Baby was born. In retrospect it all seems like a natural progression.

Click HERE for the rest of Belinda's interview plus more pics of her latest Babushka baby collection.

Cornflowerblue · ethical and eco-friendly kids style

Today I would like to introduce you to Cornflowerblue, a gorgeous online boutique where you will find a super stylish selection of eco-friendly, organic and ethical kids clothing and accessories from local and international brands. Sarah, the founder of Cornflowerblue, has kindly agreed to share a little bit about herself and her online shop with us.

Please tell us a bit about yourself and what led you to start Cornflowerblue?

I love fashion! And like most mums, I love seeing my girls dressed up. I was born and raised in Australia but have now lived in Asia for many years, and more recently India, and I have travelled extensively through the surrounding Asian nations. Asian fashion was instantly appealing to me – the vibrant colours, incredible textures, stunning prints, exquisite embroidery, and the blending of Indian and Western clothing worn by expats living in India.

I began daydreaming of cornflowerblue after chatting with girlfriends in Mumbai about the lack of pretty, girlie clothes that were both affordable and organic. I teamed up with a long time friend from Australia – our Creative Director Therese – to make it happen. When designing our fashion (for our label ~ little armourie) we take soft organic cotton, add a touch of the latest fashion trends, a dash of our life in India and a splash of what kids love to wear. We have since expanded our offering to include an online boutique, that you know as cornflowerblue, showcasing the best organic and ethical labels from around the world, including La Queue du Chat, Eternal Creations, Go Gently Baby, Pure Baby, Gaia, little armourie and many more.

How would you define Cornflowerblue?

Cornflowerblue is all about styling kids, helping people, and protecting the planet.