Holiday Gift Guide: Eco-friendly Small Business Kids Apparel Brands
Now more than ever, it’s so important to support small biz. Lucky for us, there’s a plethora of small businesses making the most adorable kids clothes so I’ve put together a list of some of my favorites, many of which are local to Southern California. For your convenience, I’ve rated them based on their price range from $=affordable to $$$=pricey.
*Reminder that affordable in terms of locally and sustainably made is different than WalMart made in China 😉
Happy shopping!
Ultra Violet Kids (made by hand in LA) -$
This is one of my all-time faves! They have the most adorable onesies, jumpers and sets with super creative prints and fabrics. It’s a bit more summery but for Californians, most items work all year long with a little sweater over. They make cute kids masks too!
Seaesta Surf (San Diego based) — $$
I know Julia, the founder of Seaesta and she’s the sweetest and most driven small biz owner I know! They have the most ADORABLE swimwear for boys and girls and their items are almost all made of recycled materials like fishing nets and organic cotton. Check out their recent collab with Peanuts too! I want everything!
Roux (made in L.A.) — $
Roux has fantastic basics in a very on-trend neutral color palette. It was founded by a mama in L.A. who started out hand dying all the items. Their clothes are still made in small batches and very eco-friendly. They have great tie-dye pieces too! 😍
June Park (small batch manufactured in the U.S.) — $$
June Park has been one of my favorite kids brands since my niece was born 7 years ago. Up until recently, they made every item in their home and they’re still very committed to sustainable and eco-friendly materials and manufacturing. They have adorable leggings in unique prints with matching bows — cutest things ever!
Childhoods Clothing (made in U.S.) — $$
Childhoods was started by a new mom sewing tiny hoodies as baby shower gifts and has now grown into a wonderful thriving brand with rompers, dresses, sweat suits and more. All their clothing is made in U.S. and is made of the softest jersey and knit fabrics. So cozy and stylish!
Darling Clementine — $$$
This site is a dream — it’s like a flea market where you want literally everything. They curate brands not only based on their style but also on their “attitude towards the environment, their community and humanity.” The site features everything from crib sheets to vintage books to baby bonnets, making it a great place to find gifts!
Rylee and Cru — $$$
If you don’t already know about Rylee and Cru, #sorrynotsorry because you’re going to want everything and they definitely aren’t known for their price point. Everything is so darn cute that I had to add to the list at least as thoughtful gift ideas. They even make matching sets for baby and mama!
Misha and Puff —(thoughtfully made in Peru) $$$
This brand is so stinking cute! My daughter inherited a few sets of matching knit sweaters, booties and beanies from her cousins and we get compliments every time she wears them. The brand started 10 years ago by a stylist knitting sweaters for her little and has evolved into a well-known name in the world of haute-couture baby apparel 😂.
Gathre Play Mats — $$
Gathre (pronounced Gather) makes leather mats for home or on the go that can work as a beach towel, picnic blanket, craft mat or even a tablecloth. They’re easy to clean and very portable. They also make cute bibs and other houseware!
Freshly Picked — (made in U.S. with Italian leather) $$
Baby moccasins have been trending for awhile now and IMO, they’re the best shoes for newborns to age 1.5. They are a bit pricey (about $45 for newborn and $60 for older kids) but very good quality and long-lasting. FP also makes super cute diaper bags (a bi hit amongst 101 mamas) and swaddles!
Billy Bibs (made in the U.S.) — $$
Billy Bibs makes bibs, collars, bows and pacifier clips, all of U.S. sourced fabrics that are one-of-a-kind. This is a great gift idea for someone who you don’t feel comfortable buying clothes for.
☀️ BONUS TIPS:
- When We Wear Young is an online marketplace that has a lot of cute kids apparel and toy brands including a lot of amazing ones from Canada and Europe.
2. If you’re local to North County San Diego, check out La Costa Kids in Encintas and June Bug in Solana Beach, both secondhand brick-and-mortar shops that carry amazing finds for moderate prices!
