How I Swapped All My Kids' Clothes for Natural Fibers

How I Made the Switch

Right now, my kids are little, so I waited for them to grow out of their current size, brought out the next size up, consigned everything that wasn't natural fibers, and filled in the rest. It was only a little extra effort since I was already swapping out what didn't fit. Easy!

Why Kids' Clothing Is Worth Caring About

Kids unlike adults, are not always telling you when something feels off, especially if they're little. Synthetic fabrics like polyester and acrylic can trap heat, shed microplastics, and are often treated with finishing chemicals during manufacturing. Natural fibers like cotton, wool, and linen breathe better, are softer, and come cleaner in the wash!

The other thing about kids' clothes specifically: they grow out of them so fast that it makes sense to think about what happens to the garment after your kid is done with it. Natural fibers hold up better secondhand and decompose eventually. A polyester shirt is made from the same plastic, PET, as a water bottle. It'll be in a landfill for a very long time leaching bad things into the ground.

Thrift First

I personally like to thrift my kids clothes. Babies and toddlers often outgrow things before they wear them out, so the secondhand racks are full of cute stuff. I find natural fiber pieces all the time, mainly cotton, for a few dollars.

My approach at the thrift store is simple. If I see something I like, I check the materials tag and if it's 100% cotton (or wool, or linen), it gets a closer look. If it's polyester or a synthetic blend, I put it back. Once you get in the habit, it takes about two seconds per item and actually is a nice way of limiting options.

A few things I look for that tend to have good fabric content at thrift stores: Carter's 100% cotton basics (they do make them, you just have to check), Hanna Andersson (almost always cotton or cotton blend), and anything that looks older — vintage kids' clothing skews heavily natural fiber because synthetics weren't as dominant. Wool sweaters especially. Looking for a good wool kids' sweater at a thrift store is like a treasure hunt.

For New: Burt's Bees Baby on Sale

When I do buy new, Burt's Bees Baby is my go-to. GOTS-certified organic cotton, widely available, and they do go on sale and sometimes even show up at Costco. I check their Amazon storefront and wait for markdowns, or I go to their website when they're running a sale. Their pajamas especially go on sale frequently and are some of the best kids' sleepwear you can find made with soft, organic cotton.

Their onesies and basics are also excellent for babies and toddlers. If you're building out a newborn wardrobe or shopping for a baby shower gift, a pack of Burt's Bees bodysuits is one of the most useful options out there.

The Tag-Checking Habit

Whether I'm at the thrift store or shopping new, checking the fabric label is just automatic at this point. I'm looking for as close to 100% natural fiber as possible. A small percentage of elastane (spandex) in something like leggings is fine with me, it helps them hold their shape. But I'm avoiding anything that's spandex/elastane/lycra, polyester, acrylic, or nylon including blends beyond 1-5% elastic.

What to look for on the materials tag:

• "100% cotton" yes
• "Organic cotton" even better
• GOTS certified means the entire supply chain has been verified, not just the fiber content
• Polyester, acrylic, nylon in anything = I put it back

Conclusion

You don't need to spend a lot or do a huge overhaul to do this! A lot of kids' clothes are cotton, especially baby clothes!. Thrift stores are full of natural fiber kids' clothing because children outgrow things so fast. Buy those. When you need something new, Burt's Bees on sale covers most of the basics beautifully. Check the tag on everything. Done. What are some brands you like for older kids? Comment below!