Low -Tox Summer Essentials
Wether you are staying close to home or traveling near or far, we can all use a low-tox family summer edit…. one less thing to worry about when making your summer plans!
Sunscreen:
In our home, during summer (when the sun is extra strong) months we don’t use sunscreen early morning (before 930am) nor late afternoon (after 5pm) to try to benefit from the sun’s natural, and essential, Vitamin D (during other times of the year its more like before 10 am and after 3pm).
While we always try to seek shade and use protective clothing, sometimes long days at camp, the beach, playing sports etc all call for some sunscreen . These are my approved low-tox picks because they are
mineral not chemical sunscreens
free of fragrance, Oxybenzone – and Avobenzone (both endocrince disruptors that also harm underwater reefs
free of benzene a carcinogen
non nano Titanium Dioxide
broad spectrum for UVA and UVB
Lotion:
Badger SPF 40 Baby Reef Safe Natural Mineral Sunscreen Cream with Clear Zinc Oxide
Badger Reef Safe Sunscreen, SPF 40 Sport Mineral Sunscreen,
Earth Mama: Baby Mineral Sunscreen Lotion SPF 40
Spray:
Babo Botanicals Sheer Zinc Continuous Spray Sunscreen, Fragrance Free SPF 30
Stick
Badger Sunscreen stick https://amzn.to/3VsdHtu
Mama/ face:
Solara Suncare Brightening Sunscreen Serum
Water Bottle:
Toddlers and older Kids
Kleen Kanteen TK wide bottle with cap (internal straw is stainless steel!)
older kids and adults
Kleen Kanteen 16 oz TK wide bottle with cap (internal straw is stainless steel… slightly larger version )
For longer days out/ sports where extra hydration is needed
Eco Vessel BOSS 63 oz stainless steel bottle
Bathing suits
Recently my friends at Pure Earth Collection created the first bathing suits made from organic cotton… and they are gorgeous ! They are my new first pick
Pure Earth Collection organic bathing suits for girls and boys
Runner ups: Since all other bathing suits are made of synthetic materials like nylon and polyester try to source one that is Oeko Tex certified, as that will assure they are tested for a long list of chemicals including BPA
Lison Paris bright colored and oeko tex certified
Carpe Summer NYC: bright colors and oeko tex certified
Rash guards
Look for Oeko Tex certification/ fabrics since all will be made of synthetic fabrics. closely weaved cotton can help protect from sun rays too as an alternative
Swim Diaper
The convenience of disposable swim diapers cant be ignored but I also find twin diapers the easiest way to dip your toes into the more sustainable (and def lower tax) world of reusable clothes diapers.
Some to consider:
Outer fabric: 98% organic cotton, 2% lycra blend for a flexible fit that maintains its shape. The lycra used is free from Pfas and BPA
Inner fabric: 100% organic cotton terry towel for for eco-conscious comfort against delicate skin while keeping any accidents contained
Inner: 88% Polyester 12% Cotton, Outer: 100% Water Resistant Polyester TPU (exclusive of trim).
Healthybaby: Made of Oeko Tex certified polyester
water shoes
Concerns: PFAS and PVC are the most common materials that make a shoe water resistant. I am particularly concerned with PFAS and highly suggest avoiding!
Keen water shoes: When my boys were younger we always used KEEN since they have been PFAS free for some years now. These are sturdy, slip resistant and waterproof (ie great for splash pad to all terrain!)
Travel gear (car seat, travel stroller, travel bed, travel crib)
Car seat:
Avoid: - PFAS & flame retardants
WayB: ultimate travel car seat for toddlerhood on. folds compactly, weighs very little
Britax Emblem convertible car seat: we ended up getting this as our second car seat (for my husband’s car) mostly because it is PFAS free and one of the lighter PFAS free car seats on the market for infants and babies (WayB is for slightly older toddlers)
Britax Car seat Travel bag: to protect your Britax
Travel stroller,
Avoid PFAS, PVC accessories, flame retardant (most don’t contain but make sure and ask)
Bugaboo Butterfly: PFAS free and fits in the overhead bin of the airplane. best travel stroller ever (and we use it on a daily basis too!)
Buy on Maisonette or Amazon:
Travel bed,
Avoid: flame retardants, PVC, phthalates, PFAS, if possible polyester
Inner core comprises 100% natural kapok, completely free from harmful plastics
Outer covers crafted from 100% organic cotton with safe, non-toxic dyes
Fire retardants-free for added safety and peace of mind
folds up to a little chair
please note: a bit large to travel with in an airplane…… but lighter than a toxin filler aeromattress
This lightweight sleeping bag is perfect for summer sleepovers at grandma’s, airbnbs or friends
Constructed with a 100% organic cotton outer fabric and lining (GOTS certified)
And filled with 100% organic bamboo wadding.
Wool Sleeping bag, customizable
While pricey, this is a handmade, all-natural wool sleeping bag. Regulates temperature unlike any other material to keep you cool in the summer and warm in the winter. Wicks away body moisture for sweat–free nights.
only adult sized sleeping bag made entirely of natural materials ( also customizable for children) Completely chemical-free, with no off-gassing and zero VOCs. Hypoallergenic, suitable for people with chemical sensitivities, including MCS. Naturally dust mite and mildew resistant, anti-microbial, anti-bacterial and flame-resistant.
Travel crib
Avoid: flame retardants, PVC, phthalates, PFAS if possible polyester
Guava Lotus Travel Crib with Lightweight Backpack Design
Low tox and you can carry it in a backpack. We had the older version of this and still use it 3 kids and 14 years later and COUNTLESS trips later too!!!
Baby Bjorn travel Crib: Oeko Tex certified
Water
When you prefer not to have to look for glass water bottles (preferred to plastic to avoid plastic chemicals and/or micro plastics) one alternative it to travel with a water filtration system. There are a couple of options you can consider:
Short trip: Clearly Filtered Filtered individual water bottles. 20 oz and 32 oz stainless steel water bottles with a filter that is Third Party Tested to filters out up to 99.99% of 220+ contaminants and Targets chlorine, fluoride, lead, & more, without removing beneficial minerals.
Slightly longer stay: Clearly filtered water pitcher, https://www.clearlyfiltered.com/?rfsn=7538780.c6bf05
Addresses fluoride, chlorine, lead, PFAS, arsenic & is Independently tested by third-party labs to remove up to 99.99% of 365+ contaminants
- Longer stay, house rental, etc. Aqua tru Carafe reverse osmosis system (6/2024: currently on sale $120 off with this link )
Luggage
The Concern: Hard suitcases tend to be made with polycarbonate plastic, which means there is a high likelihood that bisphenol is being used. Since there are no regulations requiring testing for these items, we don’t really know what specific Bisphenols, nor what levels could be present.
Suitcases made with fabric will likely contain PFAS chemicals
The inside of many suitcases today contain antimicrobial coatings, which contain endocrine disruptors similar to triclosan (triclosan is probably not used but similar substitute chemicals are likely being used).
There are no regulations on these products so very few companies, if any, are transparent
If you are using your suitcase to get from A to point B, and then you make it a habit of unpacking your clothes and not leaving it in the suitcase. I am not too concerned. ( Full disclosure: this is what I do)
If you use packing cubes, that is another layer of protection for your clothes
If you want a lower-tox alternative, your best bet are aluminum suitcases. These however, tend to be quite pricey.
Pro: aluminum and no antimicrobial interior
Con: extremely pricey
Pro: aluminum and no antimicrobial interior
Con: Pricey
QUINCE: shell is likely polycarbonate and thus could contain bisphenols but Customer Service has said that they do not use antimicrobials nor PFAS
Packing Cubes
If you are concerned about antimicrobials inside your suitcases - or just want to be organized !!) packing cubes are the way to go ( i LOVE packing cubes when packing for multiple family members!!)
Organic cotton packing cubes- these are the only organic ones I know of. You can use code “ 3LITTLEPLUMS” for 10% off their website!
If those are not in your budget, you can always use cotton draw string baggies. Many sustainable companies that ship online today place their clothing in organic cotton or conventional cotton baggies, drawstring bags. I actually have quite the collection! These can be reused, and you can always place socks in there, underwear, baby clothes, etc. .
MISC- things I get asked about
Portable black out curtains
This is a hard one because it’s hard to know what size windows you’re going to be dealing with. Here are some options.
1. You can always place a crib inside a large closet or bathroom
2. Pure Earth Collection has a portable Organic blackout curtain. We actually use it in our nursery, but have traveled with it in the past.
Camping Tents
The Concern: flame retardants are beginning to be faced out (North Face and other larger retailers are facing them out of tents) but PFAS are still a problem
The Tent Lab sells PFAS and FR free tents ( “ known across the industry as being durable, easy to set up, and all-around reliable. Plus, Cecot-Scherer’s products are entirely PFC-free”)
Marmot: Some of their tents, specifically Limelight, Tungsten (https://amzn.to/3xkj1XK) , Catalyst, Fortress, Torreya, Halo, and Limestone tents no longer use PFAS, instead rely on a polyurethane-based coating to keep the rain out.
Beach items
My Amazon Shop has many non traditional toys we use for sand play that are more sustainable than traditional plasti toys, including some wooden scoops , silicone buckets etc
Wet Bags
Lewis is home: organic cotton on the outside, waterproof insert. I have a few of these and use them so so much.
KIDS HEADSETS/ earphones
EMF Radiation-Free Air Tube Kids Headphones
RF energy coming from the phone could travel up the wires of a headset. But with the hollow "air tube," that energy is stopped, dead in its tracks, where the wire meets the tube. These headsets are made for kids ages 3-10+
Hope this is helpful! Safe travels and happy summer!
Want more?
Misc Low-Tox Travel Essentials (toddler activities, hiking backpack, travelling while pumping/nursing, lighter but still safe baby bottles etc)