How Do You Choose Kid's Clothing?

With the bewildering array of children’s clothing available today I marvel at how parents ever make their choices but when you factor in health issues, environmental concerns and peer pressure to look good then the situation is even more complex. You could tie yourself in knots over the simple issue of clothing but is it really worth worrying so much?

The Environment

If you don’t care about the environment then the choice of kids clothes is a little easier but if you do care then you are entering a minefield. The mass production of fashion is often less than kind to planet Earth with harmful chemicals used in dyes, production processes using valuable water supplies and fertilisers for cotton seeping into the water table the situation isn’t great.

Ethical Production

Simply opting for sustainable materials and organic products doesn’t guarantee the clothes are ethical. Organic cotton is all very well but if the clothes are made in sweatshops where workers are forced to labour in terrible conditions and on appalling wages then the resulting clothes are hardly laudable.

Toxins

There has been much publicity recently regarding toxins found in children’s fashions across a variety of collections leaving parents fearing that they are poisoning their children but how do you really know what is lurking in the clothing you buy? It is a bit like food, what it says on the packet might not be the full story.

Image

Add to all this the fact that many parents and the kids themselves are now image conscious and the whole issue becomes a nightmare. You might find an entirely ethical, sustainable and chemical free range of clothing but does it look right or will your kids be subject to ridicule?

Budget

To put the cherry on the icing on the cake there are the finances to consider. Making the right choice is all very well but what if you don’t have the money to pay for the clothes? With the recent harsh economic times many household budgets have been severely challenged leaving little spare cash with which to get ethical about clothing for kids who will grow out of it in double quick time.

Simplifying the Situation

With so many issues to contend with it is no surprise that many parents are turning to second hand goods and rental services. This way wastage is minimised and trendy clothes are far more affordable but I think a simpler approach would help too. We could drop the concerns about image for a start! There was a time when the style and brand of kids clothes wasn’t an issue and the emphasis was on practicality and fun. If we all stooped trying to keep up with the neighbours and putting the emphasis on being trendy we could save ourselves a great deal of hassle and money. Sure, check that clothes are not produced unethically but choose fun and funky styles that are appropriate for play rather than the catwalk and then pass them on to others. If we stop searching for the next in look the next in look just might be an affordable and play friendly one which everyone can afford!

Image: Wikimedia Commons

Sally Stacey is a keen writer and business owner with an interest in fashion. She divides her time between writing and running her shop.