Sustainable parenting ideas

Try reusable nappies

If you're under 35 and having your first baby, chances are you're trying to ditch disposable nappies - well done you. Some London councils make it even easier to do so, providing cash vouchers and nappy library services. Bonus: with all the patterns and styles to choose from when it comes to reusable nappies, eco-parenting has never looked so good.

Don't buy toys - rent them

Toy rental services are officially a thing, and let kids try out the latest toys week after week - without contributing to more planetary waste. And your house may finally achieve that Marie Kondo 'spark joy' effect you've been hoping for...

Switch to green cleaning products

Babies mean mess - lots of it. So why not swap your cleaning products for one of the effective, non-toxic refillable - and super-stylish! - alternatives available?

Wrap all of their snacks and lunches in beeswax wraps

Reusable beeswax wraps are a toxic-free and waste-free alternative to plastic cling film and plastic snack bags, and can be used to wrap sandwiches, snacks and fruit and to cover yesterday's leftover salad or pasta dish in its bowl. Bee Green Wraps has an amazing selection in gorgeous colours and prints which come in a variety of sizes, starting at £2.75.

Choose sustainable clothing brands

We can commit to buying less, but we can't stop new parents from wanting to get some clothes for their precious little bundles. If you're shopping new, note that some brands are better for the planet than others: take Mori, which uses bamboo and organic cotton in their pieces and will donate any of your used clothes to charity to save them from landfill.

Biodegradable glitter is your friend

Glitter is one of those items that kids just adore, whether they're two or 12 (it just becomes body art then). It's also getting a bad rap because of rampant speculation that it's terrible for the environment. But we all need to sparkle - especially our kids - so do the guilt-free thing and buy biodegradable eco glitter from a site like EcoStardust. The glitter is derived from a plant cellulose from eucalyptus trees, so parents can relax while watching their children smear it all over their faces and bodies, too.

Buy pre-loved kids' clothes

Buying pre-loved designer kids' clothes online is the cheap and eco-friendly way to shop for your kids, and score some baby Dior in the process. There are a plethora of sites online to discover and if you need anything adjusted or mended, just check out one of London's fab repair and restoration services.

Look for packaging-free products

If Lush isn't already your favourite destination, once you become a parent, it just might be - especially when you discover that at the larger Lush locations, kids are allowed to splash their hands in the sink of rainbow bath bombs, which is the best thing ever. Lush is also a trendsetter when it comes to using reusable textiles as wrap - which we expect to see a lot more of this festive season. Another zero-waste beauty brand to get the kids into? Ethique is vegan, cruelty-free and uses only sustainably sourced ingredients and minimal packaging.

Reusable metal straws will make your kids happy

The UK is banning plastic straws (along with drinks stirrers and cotton buds) and we never realised how much excitement metal straws could bring to our household until we brought some home (toddlers and up seem enthralled). These rainbow-tinged metal straws from Sugar and Sloth (from £2.50 per straw), look like they've been touched by a unicorn, so might just be the best metal straw ever. Just remember to buy a special metal straw cleaning brush, too. Happy sipping - and slurping.

Choose green toys when possible

Our parenting mantra for the coming year is to buy less, but buy smart, which is why we're looking to shops like Little Green Home to stock up on non-toxic, sustainable baby gear. We love this cold-pressed juice inspired teething toy from NYC brand Lexy Pexy (£19). Made from maple wood, it not only works to help soothe baby's sore and swollen gums, it also puts a smile on a tired mummy's face.

Pick harder-working products

Kidly is another favourite destination for finding stylish, parent-approved kid's gear and ethically designed products. The Pura bottle (from £13.50) is one of the best investments you can make in terms of a long-lasting purchase. The stainless steel design starts life as a baby bottle then transforms into a sippy cup, sports bottle or snack pot - you just change the top.

Think about cloth wipes

Eco-minded mums find the sheer amount of waste generated by nappies and wipes daily extremely stressful. However, contemplating a life with cloth nappies isn't always realistic for a variety of reasons (other kids, too much work, etc). Marley's Monsters Reusable cloth wipes (£16 for 12 at Peace With the Wild) might just be the step in the right direction you're looking for. These cotton wipes serve a variety of purposes, from muslins to tissues to baby wipes to household wipes, and could replace the need for baby wipes. Peace With the Wild has a dedicated Mama & Baby section with gorgeous products from packaging-free soap to Hevea soothers.

Feed them on the go with reusable food pouches

Natural Baby Shower is another go-to shop for parents looking for more eco-friendly buys. We love Babymoov's Foodii Starter Kit (£24.95), which features reusable food pouches. You may argue that you can just transport baby's food when on the go in small glass jars or a metal lunchbox; we'd counter by saying that squeezable food pouches are beloved by children, not just babies and toddlers. Trust us, even six-year-olds will eat from these pouches if allowed.

Change the way you buy your food

Ethical shopping is about reducing your plastic usage, sure (see the plastic-free shops to know about in London), but in an ideal world, it's also about cutting down on meat and helping to reduce the food waste problem. Enter Oddbox, a weekly food delivery box of wonky fruit and veg that would otherwise be surplus produce that would go to waste. We've seen some exciting items in our boxes like persimmons, pomegranates and Jerusalem artichokes. Also, it's beneficial for older kids to start to understand what food looks like - and where it comes from.

Invest in a glass baby bottle

Glass baby bottles may not seem like the most practical items (bottles are frequently chucked, after all), but Lifefactory's designs (from £14.99 at Little Green Home) are made from a shock-resistant borosilicate glass, can go from freezer to boiling water and come with a stylish silicone-sleeve cover. These glass bottles are also toxin-free, and some parents argue that they don't change the flavour of heated milk the way plastic can.

Bring back your local milkman

They say hipsters are the ones responsible for the boom in London's milkman trade, but we think it's also down to eco-conscious parents, whose kids (1 and up) consume cow's milk in bottles, at breakfast and as a juice alternative at meals. Parker Dairies delivers milk before 8am to families across the East End and in Central London; south Londoners can try Moreton Dairy. Milk&More covers even more turf. The modern milkman will also deliver eggs, bread and, crucially, non-dairy milk alternatives to your door.

image: Parker Dairies

Carry your baby

Yes, there comes a point when parenting is basically akin to being a glorified chauffeur who drives the kids from school to activities to playdates and sleepovers. But the newborn stage is not that time, so why not enjoy getting out and about with baby on two feet instead of four wheels? A carrier like the Ergobaby Omni 360 (£154.90 at Natural Baby Shower) gives you tons of mileage as it manages to carry babies from newborn through toddler, on your front or back. Aside from environmental benefits, babywearing is bonding and has even been shown to have scientific positives for babies, like less crying and improved digestion, according to research.

Reject the plastic tableware

Many seasoned parents are on set 15 of Ikea's plastic rainbow tableware, but those who haven't yet started the weaning process don't have to go down the plastic route: materials like silicone and bamboo make hard-wearing, non-toxic toddler dishes and cutlery. We're particularly enamored with Danish brand Liewood, which straddles the line between sustainable, stylish and satisfying for the kiddos perfectly. Find it at Kidly, where you can stock up on cat or bear-shaped silicone plates (£18), bamboo plates (two for £8.50), bamboo bowls (two for £12) and bamboo cups (two for £8.50).