The Ultimate Eco-Friendly Non-Toxic Baby Registry Ideas List For Minimalist Parents and Newborns

7/9/2022

Putting together a baby registry and shopping for your soon-to-be little one can feel so overwhelming, especially when you want baby items that are non-toxic and eco-friendly. Researching baby gear, checking up on whether baby products are sustainably-made, and then going through all the reviews to make sure they are high quality and meet expectations is a heck of a lot of work. I know because I just went through it with our first baby!

Let me say that all of these sustainable baby registry items we have researched and used extensively so you don't have to worry. My hope is this eco-friendly, minimalist, and non-toxic baby registry list will save you hours of time and many headaches.

Please note: Some of the links below are affiliate links, meaning at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you end up clicking and purchasing an item. I worked hard to find my trusted favorites and I want to share them with you so you don't have to deal with all the crappy junk I had to go through. Nuff said

Some important sustainable baby registry advice:

If you can find the higher-priced non-toxic baby items secondhand - just go for it. My absolute favorite resources were Facebook Marketplace and Mercari for sourcing secondhand items that I figured were too expensive to put on my registry. You know your family and friends best when it comes to their gifting habits and their budgets. I found our Moxi Cosi 5 in 1 stroller, infant car seat, bassinet combo for $180 (retails $500) and our Maxi Cosi convertible 3 in 1 car seat for $90 (retails for $300). I also spent less than $100 in total on baby clothes for our baby’s entire first year of life at Once Upon A Child (like Goodwill, but baby stuff). Buying secondhand is one of the best ways to be eco-friendly as you prepare for your baby!

The Best Eco-Friendly Non-Toxic Feeding Options For Baby

Whether you plan to breastfeed or formula feed your baby, these non-toxic and sustainable baby items are a godsend. Finding mama-owned companies like Bamboobies and Earth Mama gave me such a sense of relief knowing many of these feeding products are made by mothers for mothers. Also discovering companies that go the extra mile and opt for OKEO-Tex and GOTS certification makes me rest easy knowing my baby won’t be exposed to flame retardants and other nasty chemicals. Happy shopping or baby registry-making!

Reusable Silicone Breast Milk Storage Bags - These were so handy when my milk supply came in and I had an overabundance of milk for my baby.
Haakaa Manual Silicone Breast Pump - Hands down my favorite pump. What I love about the Haakaa is you can pump one breast while your baby feeds off the other. There are a lot of great tips on using the Haakaas out there - this is by far my favorite video on how to use it. The other thing I absolutely love about the Haakaa pump is it is 100% mobile! You can purchase two and pump both breasts while you make dinner, take a walk, or watch TV - no tangled pump tubes and no too-short power cords.
Bamboobies Reusable Nursing Pads - not every mama is a leaker, but LORD I am a fire hose out of both breasts when my let-down reflex gets going. Having these reusable nursing pads has been a must during my breastfeeding journey. Pro breastfeeding tip: if all of your reusable pads are in the wash (guilty) you can cut an organic cotton overnight pad in half and stick it in your bra.
Muslin Nursing Shawl - the most breathable nursing cover I’ve found to date. I also love the wire inlay which allows you to see your little one as they nurse and lets out all that hot humid baby air on the warmest of summer days.
Earth Mama Nipple Butter - I experienced excruciatingly dry, cracked, and bleeding nipples as my breasts got used to breastfeeding. This nipple cream was like heaven on earth as my nipples toughened up. It also doubles as chapstick, dry skin balm, and works wonderfully on scrapes.
Snuggle Me Organic Feeding Pillow - The coziest and comfiest feeding pillow. Our little one took many a nap at the breast on this soft pillow.
Mason Bottle DIY Kit - Not only is this kit great for bottle feeding your baby, but the silicone screw caps worked well if I was on the go and needed to pump and store my breastmilk. My husband and I may have also used these to store some delicious cocktails to drink at our local beach…
Silicone Baby Bibs
Silicone Feeding Spoons + Tableware
EZPZ Silicone Suction Plates/Mats
Tripp Trapp High Chair

Sustainable Diapering Options

It seems like there are always two [polarizing] camps when it comes to decisions you make around caring for your child and diapering is no different. Do you use cloth diapers or opt for disposable and compostable diapers? While I am not here to educate or persuade you one way or the other, please know that there’s no harm in making the decision that works best for you and your family. Cloth diapering requires a lot of extra work and while it is more expensive upfront - ultimately it does save you quite a bit of money. Compostable, non-toxic, and disposable diapers have come a long way and offer you so much in terms of convenience and saving time, but are more expensive when you look at your budget long-term.

We decided to do a combo of both cloth diapers and disposable diapers for our family. I highly recommend using disposable diapers so you don’t stain or ruin your cloth diapers the first few days as the baby passes their meconium, a sticky tar-like substance that is digested amniotic fluid from the womb. From there, we continued to use disposable diapers until the umbilical cord fell off because you need to keep the area dry by folding down the top of the diaper in the front (you cannot fold down cloth diapers). This is what works best for us and I encourage you to explore what would work best for you!

Ubbi Diaper Pail - The reviews are true - this diaper pail does not let any nasty baby poo smells escape. The pails are a universal fit for most diaper trash bags or cloth diaper liners. We even use compostable trash bags with ours when we did disposable diapers!
Skip Hop Eco-Friendly Diaper Bag - this diaper bag is HUGE, stores everything you need in one place, clips onto your stroller, and is made from recycled PET bottles.
Earth Mama Diaper Balm - works not only on diaper rash but all sorts of bumps and scrapes. Our little guy suffered from a Candida-based diaper rash and this was the only cream that helped. It has a pleasant smell and isn’t too greasy.
Silicone Diaper Balm Brush - a must for parents. If you are like my husband and easily get skeeved out by baby ahem…excrement… then using this tool instead of your fingers to apply diaper balm is a great alternative.
Diaper Pad - no matter how careful you are on the changing table, your little one is going to poop and pee everywhere during a change. Extend the life of your diaper pad cover and set these out under your little one’s bum.
Diaper Pad Cover - never ever settle for a changing pad cover that isn’t waterproof. I have lost count of how many times our little one has peed everywhere on the changing table and these covers have saved us!

Disposable Non Toxic Compostable Diapers

Pampers Pure Diapers - these performed the best out of all the diapers in our opinion. We experienced zero leaks, they worked great as overnight diapers, and our babe never had that nasty rash that conventional diapers can cause.
Nest Compostable Diapers or Dyper Compostable Diapers - we found that while these were great as daytime diapers (using them no more than 2 hours between changes) they absolutely sucked as overnight diapers. We had countless leaks, piles of urine-soaked swaddles, and one unhappy newborn.
Honest Diaper Wipes - my husband and I went through countless terrible eco-friendly wipes until we found these - the true holy grail of eco-friendly diaper wipes. They are large, thick, and great for sensitive skin. All the other wipe brands paled in comparison.

The Best Eco-Friendly Cloth Diapering Options

Pacific Neutrals Baby Cloth Diapers + Bamboo Inserts + Wet/Dry Bag - when you are out and about you will absolutely need to store used cloth diapers or literally anything that gets covered in poop/pee/spit up. This wet/dry bag has saved us many a time when our babe has a blowout and needs a change of clothes. Pro parent tip: always always always keep a change of clothes for everyone in the diaper bag. You never know when you are going to need a wardrobe change!
Spray Pal Cloth Diaper Sprayer and Splatter Shield - while we intermittently used this sprayer, we did find that the plumbing attachment consistently leaked from our water inlet and had to always turn off the water in between cloth diaper washes.
Reusable Cotton Wipes

The Best Eco-Friendly Non-Toxic Nursery Items

While this isn’t baby registry-related, I have to take a moment to talk nursery prep. When it comes to prepping and decorating your nursery, first and foremost choose a non-toxic paint. I went with ECOS Paints for our nursery and absolutely loved it. The paint is 100% safe to apply as a pregnant person - no VOCs whatsoever. The quality of ECOS paint is top-notch too (believe me when I say I have used some terrible non-toxic paints in my life). Its application is extremely similar to conventional paint and its durability is better in my opinion. I love that ECOS Paints offers color matching too, making it simple to pick out a swatch at your local paint store before ordering. I went with Benjamin Moore's Green Gables color (pictured above) and it turned out perfect!

Next up, we decided to forgo the crib and instead opt for a Moses basket bassinet. The baby slept in our room in his bassinet next to my side of the bed which made nighttime breastfeeding easier. Once he started rolling over, we transitioned to his pack and play and next we plan on switching to a floor bed in his own room at 6-9 months old.

I was inspired to forgo the crib after reading The Montessori Baby (which is a book I highly recommend to other parents looking for a minimalist approach to parenting). We saved ourselves about $800-$1000 by opting out of a crib (Green-Guard Gold Certified ones are expensive) and an organic crib mattress. I still include my recommendations for a crib and crib mattress below since I researched both thoroughly. After thinking through our lifestyle and values around parenting, this choice made the most sense for us, but again, do what’s best for you and your family!

Alright, on to my favorite sustainable non-toxic nursery items and decor…

Design Dua Bassinet + Bassinet stand - this option worked great for us up until 3 months old. Once your baby can roll over then it’s time to transition them to a crib or floor bed. We actually loved the bassinet pad the most and used it everywhere in our house to let our little one sleep and play on. It was a nice consistent home base for him (much like the Montessori concept of a toppocinno)
Moses basket organic sheets - your babe will pee, poop, and drool on their bassinet pad so be sure to have plenty of extra sheets.
Pottery Barn Kids Furniture - Green Guard Gold Certified
Newton Organic Crib Mattress
Burts Bees Organic Cotton Crib Sheets
Organic Waterproof Crib Mattress Liner - just like with the diaper pad, you’ll never regret spending a little extra for a waterproof crib sheet.

Our favorite non-toxic sustainably made baby gear

Believe me when I say that baby gear in general is a rabbit hole of options. There is so much high-tech baby gear these days and the resounding feedback I hear from parents is: you don’t need it. The main bases to cover are a baby carrier, car seat, stroller, pack and play, and a play mat or infant lounger. That’s really it! I promise you this minimalist approach to baby gear will leave you feeling much less overwhelmed.

Boba Baby Wrap - this carrier was perfect for us in the early days when our little one was getting used to being earth-side. This tight, snug, warm, and dark carrier is the perfect womb-like environment for your baby to nap in.
Beco Gemini Baby Carrier - our baby runs very very warm, so after he hit 2 months old we found that he would easily overheat in the Boba Baby Wrap so we transitioned to this carrier. I am not exaggerating when I say we used this carrier for every single daytime nap up until he started sleeping independently at 4 months old. It is comfortable, washable, and durable.
Snuggle Me Organic Infant Lounger - this lounger is perfect to let your little one safely hang out while you get things done around the house. Once your babe starts to roll be sure to watch them carefully!
House of Noa Non-Toxic Play Mats - I cannot stress enough how much we love these play mats. We ordered the 12x12’ and use squares of it everywhere in our home. We have four squares set up in his nursery for playtime, two squares set up at our desks for standing on while we work, and a large square set up in our workout area for stretching. I love knowing they are non toxic and safe for my little guy to snog all over (because lord knows they put their mouths on everything).

Organic Cotton Play Mat - This play mat went everywhere in our house once baby started rolling over. He loved gazing at the high contrast images and would babble and coo to the printed bear - so cute! It washes easily too which is a huge plus.
Foldable Park Blanket OKEO-Tex Certified - Being outside was our little one’s favorite place to be the first few months (and still is!) so this park blanket is a must for lying out on the grass.
Wooden Baby Rocker - another great place to set your babe while you get things done around the house and stylish too.
Lotus Travel Crib - once our baby started napping independently and rolling over we used this pack and play exclusively for sleep. Our philosophy is why have a sleep space that isn’t mobile when sleep is so challenging those first few months? Creating consistency in his routine around sleep has saved us as this travel crib can easily fold up and go to grandpa and grandma’s house. Be sure to grab some extra organic crib sheets, a blackout cover, the sun shade, and mosquito cover too!
Maxi Cosi Pria Convertible Car Seat - we got ourselves both the infant car seat and convertible car seat right out of the gate since I knew my parents’ car would need a place for baby to ride safely. This convertible seat is one of the only car seats out there I could find that isn’t covered in harmful flame retardant chemicals.
Maxi Cosi Infant Car Seat - just like the convertible seat, this infant seat is one of the only car seats out there I could find that isn’t covered in harmful flame retardant chemicals. I love that this car seat comes in and out of the car, snaps into the stroller, and has removable washable covers.
Maxi Cosi Stroller - We used this stroller with the Maxi Cosi infant car seat, but since we lived on a gravel road - we transitioned to…
Graco Jogger Stroller - This stroller worked wonderfully as soon as our little one hit four months old. Since our gravel road is extremely bumpy, we needed a stroller with more suspension and give. This one is big though! Be sure to measure your car’s trunk before you purchase any jogger stroller since they typically run large.

The best non-toxic baby toys + books + teethers

When it comes to playtime for your baby, there are tons of non-toxic options out there. It’s so important to research and find truly non-toxic and certified options since babies will inevitably put everything in their mouths!

Lovevery Activity Gym - This was our little one’s favorite place to play from day one. I love the Lovevery line of Montessori-inspired toys. This gym comes with a guide to help you understand how your infant developmentally plays and learns too!
Wooden baby gym + silicone hanging toys - the Lovevery Activity Gym is BIG. So if you are looking for something with a smaller footprint, or you have more than one spot in the house you like to let your little one play, this is a great option.
Haakaa Freezable Teething Pacifier + Silicone breastmilk ice cube tray - teething hit us earlier than we expected so we were grateful to have this teether on hand and ready to go. I would freeze my breastmilk and pop it in the nook so baby could chew and get some yummy milk at the same time.
Mushie Silicone Teethers - I kept these teethers in the car seat, diaper bag, and on hand wherever we hung out in the house. Once babe started teething he constantly wanted to chew.
Indestructibles Baby Books - these books are non-toxic, unbreakable, and waterproof. There’s so much more baby slobber than you bargain for!
The Tot - newborn non-toxic baby toys - from loveys to blocks - the Tot is the best website to find non toxic sustainably made baby toys.

The Best Options For Organic Non-Toxic Baby Clothes

I can’t say this enough: when it comes to baby stuff, if you can buy it secondhand then go for it. I purchased my baby’s entire wardrobe up to 12 months old for less than $100 between shopping at Goodwill, Once Upon a Child, and garage sales. We had a strict “no clothes please” policy with our baby registry and I highly recommend you do the same if you’d like to go the secondhand route.

Otherwise, there are tons of options out there for organic baby clothes but I personally find them wildly overpriced so you won’t see a lot of recommendations in this area. If I *had* to choose one store that I’ve gotten anything brand new from it would be the Monica + Andy Store for their very cute seasonal prints.

Organic or Non-Toxic Swaddles + Sleepsacks

Beyond feeding and diapering, your baby’s sleep is going to be front and center in your life once they make their arrival. There are tons of infant sleep options from weighted swaddles to sleepsacks. We started with SwaddleMe Organic’s velcro swaddles (so much easier than cloth swaddles!) and then transitioned to Halo Sleep Sacks once our baby could roll over. Once our little one hit his four-month sleep regression we opted for the weighted Dreamland Sleep Sacks to help calm his overactive startle reflex.

And last but not least - bath time options like Burt’s Bees Organic Baby Bathrobe are cozy and cute!