How to create a safe and eco-friendly baby nursery

As the current generation of new parents become more environmentally conscious, there is a noticeable increase in the demand for more organic and eco-friendlier décor and furniture for baby’s nurseries and kids’ rooms. The move towards high quality renewable products is driving design choices by bringing more natural and earthy elements into the baby’s nursery.

Organic Furniture and Natural Nursery Designs

The terms, ‘eco-friendly’, ‘green’ ‘organic,’ and ‘natural’ are often used interchangeably by parents that have a heightened awareness of ecology. This increasing consciousness about the environment is a strong influencer towards buying baby furniture and décor that is more environmentally sustainable as eco-friendly products play a very important role across all aspects of their lives.

When researching furniture and décor ideas (and products) for their baby’s nursery or kids’ rooms; both baby and planet safety are equally important. The combination of environment and ecological conscious design, termed ‘eco-design’, considers the importance of health and environment when making baby nursery furniture and décor choices.

Several studies around parents’ awareness of the concept of eco-friendly furniture show that the most popular pieces of organic furniture are baby cribs and children’s beds. Their eco-friendly choices are not limited only to the materials that the products are made from, but there is also a strong awareness around the many chemicals that might be used to clean up messes and stains that could be harmful to the planet. Environmentally conscious parents prefer furniture that is not harmful for their baby’s health or the environment and have a strong preference for natural sustainable wooden furniture such as rattan wood (cane), wicker and bamboo over the more synthetic materials chosen in the past.

As designers become more educated around the concept of eco-design and environmental ethics, we are likely to see eco-design baby furniture become more common in the future, where a design may be considered suitable only if it is healthy for its users and for the earth’s environment.

Important considerations for an eco-friendly baby room

When creating a planet-friendly nursery that is both ethical and safe for baby and, these are some of the important considerations that environmentally conscious parents lean towards when choosing baby furniture and nursery essentials.

Durability and Stability – Durability and stability is particularly important when choosing furniture for baby nurseries or kid’s rooms. Parents want peace of mind that the strength of their chosen product is of the highest quality and is not only stable but is built to withstand occasional bumps or knocks. While generally cheaper and more light weight than hardwood; softwood furniture is more prone to being dinged and scratched and is not as robust as a hardwood crib or kids’ bed. However, unlike most soft woods (such as pine and beech), Rattan wood furniture is fast becoming the popular choice for baby’s rooms as the vines used for Rattan furniture is more flexible and robust than other softwoods.

Safety – Safety is equally as important when choosing furniture for a baby nursery or kid’s rooms. Parents are determined about furniture that does not harm their children and prefer furniture for baby’s rooms that are less likely to have sharp corners or that can easily chip. It is also important that their baby’s furniture is made from non-toxic, air-friendly materials that do not require harmful chemicals to clean. This is another reason why Rattan (cane) furniture is a popular choice for nurseries, as it is easily cleaned with only a soft damp cloth and occasionally treated with true boiled natural linseed oil to prolong its lifespan.

Environmentally Sustainable – Planet-sensitive parents often feel that it is important that their baby’s furniture be produced out of recycled or natural material; creates little hazardous waste; and uses less energy consumption during production. Eco-friendly parents therefore prefer furniture pieces made from reclaimed or recycled materials for their baby’s nursery. As Rattan wood furniture is 100% natural and biodegradable, it is the perfect choice for children’s wooden furniture because it is completely environmentally friendly.

Quality vs Price – As eco-designs are deemed to be of the highest quality, there is often a perception that they are likely to be more expensive than other baby furniture. However, for planet conscious parents, the commitment to earth-ethics is more important than simply buying cheap baby furniture. Quality and planet preservation are significant features when selecting furniture for their baby’s room. While natural wood such as Rattan furniture is usually more expensive than artificial or synthetic furniture, it generally lasts much longer. Tobbie & Co has a beautiful collection of uniquely hand-crafted, affordable Rattan furniture for nurseries and kids’ rooms.

Longevity & Timeless – One of the many benefits of choosing Rattan wood furniture for your nursery, is that it is not only long-lasting, but due to its gender-neutral and natural appearance it is easily adaptable to any gender, saving money in the long run when new siblings join the family. Rattan furniture is so versatile that it can work well in a baby nursery or kids’ room, which makes the transition from baby to toddler easier and more cost friendly. Another reason why rattan / cane furniture is the perfect choice for your kids’ room is that these precious pieces of handmade wooden furniture make a perfect keepsake to pass on to the children, great grandchildren and even the great-great-grandchildren for generations to come.

Eco-friendly nursery essentials

When considering nursery décor and furniture options, it is important to remember that while looking for an environmentally friendly and affordable solution, it is important to create a beautiful, safe and functional room for baby. Don’t compromise on the baby’s crib. Selecting a crib is one of the most important purchases you’ll make for the nursery. Tobbie & Co has a collection of affordable and stylish Rattan Bassinets uniquely hand-crafted from the highest quality Rattan wood. Every rattan crib includes a firm well-fitted mattress that complies with SIDS safety guidelines.

Prioritise organic bedding to protect not only your baby, but the environment too. Tobbie & Co has a gorgeous range of 100% organic swaddles. Our Bamboo/Cotton blend swaddles are super-soft, lightweight, and breathable and are available in a range of earthy tones that will complement the rattan nursery furniture beautifully. Our swaddles as completely safe as they have no toxic chemicals or elements that can harm your baby.

Whether shopping for wooden baby cots, toddlers’ beds or wicker chairs, Rattan furniture can be a stylish statement-making centerpiece in your baby or child’s room while staying true to your pledge to keep the planet safe. View our range of stylish rattan furniture and décor for inspiration.