SOFT BABY - outstanding organic

YOU CAN’T ALWAYS TELL when you’re eating organic food. But you can always tell when you’re wearing organic clothes. And once you’ve felt your baby in organic cotton it’s hard to go back to anything else, particularly as non-organic cotton can be one of the most chemically-treated fabrics around.

So points out Yee Wong, owner of our current favourite new organic baby brand, SOFT baby - not least for its interesting genesis. China.

Although China has become synonymous with poor work practices and cheaply made products, there is good to be found there too, says Yee, who grew up in Hong Kong before moving to New York to study graphic design.

“It does have a bad reputation when it comes to business practices and product quality,” she says. “And it took many months of research and patience to search through multiple vendors to find ones that were compatible with the SOFT vision.”

Eventually she found one “owned by an environmentalist who is also a new mum. She founded it with the idea of creating baby clothes in an eco-friendly manner, but also treating her employees in a respectful way, professionally and personally. For example, workers receive a salary instead of being paid by the piece like other old school garment factories. And all clothing is made with certified organic cotton without bleach, or with low-impact dyes.”

The result is super, baby-soft fabrics, sweet hues (in the baby blankets), and bold hues in the modern onesies, and, also due to Yee’s talents as a graphic designer in NYC, innovative, unusual graphic prints.

What’s more, thanks to a significant amount of reserach into what mothers want from baby gear (Yee doesn’t yet have children, and so canvased evey mother she knew including her own “who herself had 5 children”) she’s offering details that are small but significant:  like reversible wrap-around blankets with hoods and a fastening to keep babies secure if you want to cocoon them. Or cleverly seamed underarms featuring extra fabric that allows for easy removal. Or neck lines that are elasticated rather than envelope so they’re extra snug but flexible. All are details that have already attracted fans such as Gwen Stefani. And will hopefully ensure the fledging company - a baby itself - grows into a healthy, happy, toddler and beyond…

*Soft Baby, www.soft-baby-clothes.com

Our other favourite organic clothing brands:

1) Frugi - like Boden but with incredibly lovely, soft, hardwearing fabrics. www.welovefrugi.com

2) Organics for Kids - what lovely hues and patterns on these baby clothes! www.organicsforkids.com

3) Green Baby - fabulous jersey separates and bright colours -  www.greenbaby.co.uk

4) Fozia London - a limited collection but lovely quality fairtrade and organic cotton from India. www.fozialondon.com