The Green Familia » bamboo

Treat your pet ethically

erica — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 11:00:26 +0000

I’m feeling a little guilty about our pets at the moment as we’ve just moved house and so put them through a lot of stress. Life isn’t as comfortable or convenient for them at the moment as they are still getting used to their new surroundings and our cats are currently without a cat flap. So I’ve been inclined to treat them a little to make up for all the changes.

Ethical Pets have a wide range of cat and dog products, plus a small animal range. They try to source products in ethical ways and they have a detailed ethical policy on their website. I like these Lupine Cat Collars which our cats have been using for years. We’ve never had to replace one because of wear and tear, because they are made from the same high quality nylon that’s used to make climbing ropes. Due to their sturdy manufacture they come with a lifetime guarantee. They come in 3 colours: purple (which looks great on grey cats), red (which looks good on creams and gingers) and pink. They also have a breakaway clasp so your cat can escape if it gets the collar stuck somewhere. This works well and we’ve lost collars from the more adventurous of our cats occasionally because of this. There’s also a small bell to warn off unsuspecting wildlife. They’re priced at £6.99 each.

I like these pet bowls made from waste plant fibre material. The Becobowls are dishwasher safe and designed to last for years. However, when you are finished with them you can drill a few holes in the bottom and bury them in a flower bed to biodegrade. The raw material used is waste waste rice husks and sustainably grown bamboo, plus a smaller amount of amino acid resin. Prices start at £3.99 for a small bowl and they’re available in baby blue, baby pink, light green and natural.

TGF Rated Review: Lovewee Reusable Nappy and Reusable Bamboo Wipes

Brenda — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 08:00:31 +0000

What is it?

Lovewee reusable nappy and reusable bamboo wipes from Nappymakers.

Who is reviewing it?

Ellie – mum to 4 month old baby RG and 2 1/2 year old Petal, and avid user of reusable nappies.

In use

As a regular user of pretty much every style of reusable nappy I can testify that the bamboo terry fabric is the best and most absorbent, but the prolonger drying time means that they’re a bit of a pain to launder. The Lovewee nappy is a clever idea – its unique design means that it completely unfolds so there are no thick sections of nappy, so it all dries much quicker. It did require a good couple of washes before it was properly absorbent – I would suggest actually soaking the nappy for 24 hours before its first wash, which is what I normally do with new bamboo nappies.

I compared it with my usual bamboo nappies (Bambineo), which are double thickness, and I reckon they dried in less than half the time. Because it’s a relatively simple shape, with a removable booster, you can adapt the shape to pretty much any baby so I’m confident this nappy will last until toddlerhood. It also fitted into several different wraps, which I consider a big plus – it’s very irritating having to search out the specific wrap to go with a nappy. Mind you, that might be my own fault for having so many different kinds…!

The reusable wipes needed a couple of washes before they were absorbent too, but once I’d done that, they are very useful – a handy size and like the nappies, quick to dry.

Any negatives?

Personally, I don’t actually like Nippas, and find it difficult to trust them. Consequently I ended up using safety pins, which worked well but add to the faff because you have to find them! I can see that it might not be easy to use applix fastening in this design, but I would prefer it if they could.

Price and availability

Available from Nappymakers, with prices starting from £7.95.

Overall

A very quick-drying nappy that will be useful until potty training. Just watch out for the fastening!

TGF Rating

4 out of 5

TGF Rated Review: bamboo toothbrush holder with tumbler

Brenda — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 08:00:10 +0000

What is it?

Part of the new range of bamboo bathroom accessories from simplehuman.

Who is testing it?

Me and the hubby.

Set up

It comes in a box and is all set up, just need to remove the packaging.

In use

On the box it looks very nice, has bamboo round the outer casing which has been sealed with a durable waterproof coating and had a space for a removable tumbler (which is included) and then spaces to put your toothbrushes and toothpaste.

Any negatives

I have to say I am slightly disappointed that it has been made in China and it makes me wonder if the bamboo design is a token offering to those of us, who are trying to live a more natural life.

Price and availability

Available to buy from the simplehuman website for £24.99.

Overall

The bamboo gives it a good effect and it does look good sitting by my basin, and I am sure if you got the rest of the line, it would make your bathroom very stylish, just not sure about the made in China bit.

TGF Rating

4/5

TGF Rated Review: Leghuggers

erica — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 08:00:14 +0000

What is it? Leghuggers are legwarmers for babies and small children.

Who is testing it? Myself and my son who is nearly 3 years old. They arrived at the peak of the snow, so we had ideal conditions to test them out.

Set Up The leghuggers are made from bamboo and have a cuff at the top and the bottom. There are lots of designs to choose from: there are lots for girls and some that are unisex, plus recently styles for boys have been introduced.

In Use Leghuggers are very easy to use and feel lovely and soft. You just pull them on and you are ready to go. Bamboo is a fabric that keeps you warm when it’s cold and cool when hot, so it’s ideal for those days when you move from warm house to cold outdoors and back again.

I find it quite difficult to find warm enough trousers, for the coldest days, for my little boy and leghuggers are a way of introducing warmth without bulk. If you’re toilet training, leghuggers would be better than tights as they don’t need pulling down.

Any Negatives None

Price and Availability Available from Leghuggers from £6.75.

Overall A very good way of keeping your child’s legs warm.

Rating 5/5

Bamboo Bathroom Products from simplehuman

Brenda — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 16:00:58 +0000

Last year we featured the recycling bins from simplehuman and I am really excited to say that they have come up trumps again with the stunning looking Bamboo Bathroom Products! I am waiting for my review product to arrive, so that I can actually get to see them in the flesh, so to speak!

The bamboo bathroom accessories are made of natural, eco-friendly bamboo and rustproof polished chrome, so they won’t rust or discolour over time. The natural bamboo is sealed with a waterproof coating so it’s extremely durable and each product is covered by a five year warranty.

The bamboo bath line includes:

bamboo toothbrush holder with tumbler: finally a toothbrush holder that has room for oversized toothbrush handles, storage space for your toothpaste and a tumbler so everything you need is in one convenient spot.
bamboo square tissue box holder: nothing is more annoying than lifting up a tissue box holder and having the tissue box inside fall out – we added a clamp so the tissue box stays put when you lift the holder.
bamboo rectangular soap dish: the stamped stainless steel soap dish has two trays: an inner tray with large openings for better drainage and an outer tray that catches drips to keep your surface dry.
bamboo precision soap pump: engineered for precise dispensing with just one hand, the precision lever controls how much soap or lotion you dispense by how hard you press.
bamboo square cotton swab holder: a protective lid keeps your cotton swabs and accessories clean and ready for use.
bamboo mini square open bin: this six litre bin with an open top is ideal for everyday use in the bathroom. The removable inner bucket makes it easy to empty.

Prices range from £12.99 to £34.99.

TGF Ethical Christmas Gift List – Day 11

erica — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 16:00:55 +0000

Today’s TGF Ethical Christmas Gift List focus is on gifts for toddlers.

Chatterpants Giraffe Bamboo Pyjamas are adorable and very soft. Bamboo is warmer in winter and cooler in summer than cotton, so these will last all year. Sue reviewed them earlier this year and you can see what she thought about them here. They come in a range of sizes from 12 months to 5 years. Their price is £18.90.

Only Fair’s Fair Trade Rucksacks come in 3 different brightly coloured animal designs: turtle, caterpillar and cat. They all have a main compartment and 1 or 2 smaller compartments on the animal motif itself. The straps can be adjusted to fit your child, so this gift should last for some years. They are made from cotton in Nepal and are priced at £13.99.

Farmyard Playroom Set – This children’s set of table and chairs is great fun and would look great in a bedroom or even the kitchen. You can buy this set with either a round table or a square one. If you haven’t got room for 4 chairs or your child is duck mad, you could buy the items separately to create your own combination. The pictured set of 4 chairs and a table is available from Kids’ Rooms for £121.

Plan Toys Fire Engine and Fireman - Fire Engines are a favourite with many small boys (including my own). I love this wooden fire engine with its extendable rotating ladder, fire hose and fire extinguisher. It comes with 3 firemen which can be used in a range of role playing games. It’s made from rubberwood with water based dyes and is priced at £36.99.

Kite Kids Girls Mink ‘Loving our Planet’ T Shirt – This is a fun long sleeved T Shirt has a more serious message with it’s ‘Love Life, Love Our Planet’ slogan. It’s made from 95% organic cotton and 5% elastane and there are matching leggings and flippy skirt to team it up with. The price starts at £16 and it’s available in sizes from 2-11 years.

If you missed day 10 of the TGF ethical Christmas gift list, check it out here.

TGF Rated Review: Shak-Shuka plate and spork

erica — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 11:00:07 +0000

What is it?

Shak-Shuka sent us this lovely plate and one of their sporks to review.

Who is testing it?

My 2 1/2 year old son.

Set Up

The plate is made from recycled plastic and contains no BPA, phthalates or toxic inks. It’s decorated with a wide range of animals and people holding hands (or tails) in a circle. Sustainable bamboo is the material used by a cooperative in China to make the spork.

In Use

The plate has a very handy rim around the outside which means that toddlers get a bit of a helping hand when they eating, as food can’t easily fall off the plate. This certainly helped my son make a bit less mess.

He also seemed to get on well with the spork – he usually gives up on the cutlery part way through the meal and resorts to fingers, but he seemed to keep going much longer with the spork. A spork like this is very easy to throw in your bag if you plan to eat out, as you get a spoon and fork with only one utensil. The bamboo is lightweight to carry and feels good to hold.

Any Negatives

Generally, I love the decoration of the plate, but I’m not sure about the peace symbol in the middle of the plate. I think children would prefer something more colourful and visually appealing, but this is a minor point as the rest of the decoration is lovely and the peace symbol is quite low key.

Price and Availability

Available from Shak-shuka with the plate priced at 13 Euros and the spork at 4 Euros.

Overall

Both the plate and the spork look great and function very well for young children.

TGF Rating

4.5/5

NCT Offer – Bamboo Breastfeeding Top and Trousers

Brenda — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 09:00:24 +0000

Spotted by eagle eyed reader Ellie, is this fabulous offer from the NCT.

If you buy this wonderful soft and welcoming made from Bamboo long sleeved breastfeeding wrap top, while stocks last you can also claim a free pair of Bamboo cropped trousers, perfect for lounging about at home!

All you have to do is telephone 0845 8100 100 during Monday to Friday 9-5pm to place your order and get your freebie.

Price is £29.35.

Autumn Hot Picks: Socks

erica — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 08:00:27 +0000

Last year’s socks are looking rather threadbare or in my son’s case too small, so I think some sock shopping may be on the cards. Luckily, there is quite a range out there and there’s a choice of materials too with organic cotton, hemp and bamboo socks now available.

1. Organic cotton stripy socks from Spirit of Nature for children. There are 2 designs and they would suit both girls and boys. As well as being reasonably priced at £3.95, they are come in a wide range of sizes.

2. Braintree Ladies Hemp Sport Socks are a bright addition to your feet this autumn. I love these red sport socks made from hemp, which is anti-bacterial and anti-fungal. They cost £4 a pair and one size fits those with feet sizes 3-6.

3. If you prefer bamboo to hemp, try these Bamboo Active Socks from BAM. They’re a wonderful purple colour and they look supersoft to wear. Available in a pack of 3 costing £11.99.

4. For men, there’s a great range at The Green Apple, including these Bamboo Stripy Socks. They are priced at £4.25 and fit sizes 7-11.

5. Little girls will love this pack of 2 Fashion Socks from Green Baby. There is one of each design in a pack and they both feature a funky shade of cerise. The 2 pack costs £9 and covers sizes 6 months to 4 years.

Autumn Hot List: Boys’ Clothes

erica — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 11:00:13 +0000

Autumn seems to have arrived very quickly this year, although I’m still hoping for a bit of summer yet. But with a new season comes the fun of shopping for some new clothes and I’ve been looking at boys’ clothing.

1. Frugi is one of my favourite places to shop and I really like these Animo Camo Lined Combats. The camo design has lots of animals hidden in it and you can have great fun trying to find them all. They’re made from hardwearing canvas with a jersey lining to keep out the cold. There are two colours: blue and green and the sizes run from 2-6 years. Available from We love frugi priced at £27.

2. I also like this farmyard, long sleeved tee from Piccalilly. It’s made from organic, free trade cotton which has been coloured with eco dyes. There’s a range of sizes from 6 months to 4 years and is priced at £15.

3. Another fun piece is this fish motif, long sleeved top by Chatterpants. It’s made from a bamboo/cotton mix and is a great lime green colour. There’s also a blue caterpillar motif version and red tee with a giraffe design. Available in sizes 6 months to 4 years and priced at £11.4. For cool dudes there’s this pop art Beatles design from Green Eyed Monster. In classic black it will look great on any budding rock stars out there. The images come from The Yellow Submarine film and are reproduced with non toxic dyes onto organic cotton. It comes in a wide range of sizes: 1-10 years and is priced from £17.95.

5. Little boys love dinosaurs and I know my son would love this long sleeved tee with a velociraptor print from By Nature. It’s made from organic cotton and comes in sizes from 2 to 11 years with prices from £16.