The Best & Safest Nontoxic Baby Registry Items

nontoxic baby
Written By Nicole Rutherford

If you are a pregnant mama and are wondering about the best & safest items to put on your baby registry,  this is the blog you’ve been waiting for. The blog of your dreams, mama! I’ve compiled the most ethical, sustainable and nontoxic baby registry items to help you prepare for the arrival of your little one (or ones!). Some of these items are from my own registry.

Why Go Nontoxic?

This article is going to be a doozy. It’s long but it’s also a list. Hopefully you can easily scan for what you’re most interested in as you build your own baby registry. 

But first, why should you care? Our world is full of environmental toxins and synthetic chemicals that can cause harm to our bodies, and that means our babies, too. Some of the most common ones to look out for are BPA, PVC and microplastics, phthalates, formaldehyde, lead, synthetic latex, parabens (usually in anything scented), chlorine/bleach (in disposable diapers), and so on. The products we have in our home matter for our family’s health. This especially includes babies and small children, who love to put every any anything into their mouths, and whose sensitive systems are still developing.

The risks for each vary, ranging from nerve and behavioral problems (ADD, ADHD), skin issues, allergies, and even chronic gut issues to future reproductive health, autism, cancer, and more. I could write an entire article on this alone. BPA (bisphenol A), for example, is a chemical in plastic that is widely known as an endocrine disruptor, affecting reproductive and neurological health and may cause nerve and behavior problems in infants and children.

Suffice to say, we owe it to our children to make the safest choices when it comes to the products and items in our homes.

Certifications to Look for When Shopping

Organic

Organic in clothing means the materials are natural — think cotton, bamboo, hemp, linen, and come from those plants. Organic plants  are grown without the use of certain pesticides, herbicides, synthetic fertilizers and are not genetically modified (GMOs). Organic cotton must also use safer dyes. To use the organic label in the US, 95% of the material must be organically and sustainable grown, and employ an ethical and fair labor supply chain. 

OEKO TEX

Oeko Tex is a registered trademark of the International Association for Research and Testing in the Field of Textile and Leather Ecology. The program's standards are based on science, sustainability, and transparency. It’s also worth noting it's completely voluntary for companies to pursue this.

There are different variations of this:

OEKO-TEX® STANDARD 100
A label for textiles tested for harmful substances. It sets the benchmark for textile safety, from yarn to finished product. Every item bearing the STANDARD 100 label is certified as having passed safety tests for the presence of harmful substances.

Oeko-Tex Organic Cotton 
A label that indicates a product was made without GMOs and tested for pesticides and other harmful substances.

Oeko-Tex Made in Green 
A certification that indicates a product was tested for harmful substances and made in a certified production facility. It also includes supply chain traceability.

nontoxic baby clothes

GOTS Certified 

The Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) is a third-party certification that ensures textiles are made in a responsible way. GOTS certification covers the entire textile supply chain, from the harvesting of raw materials to the labeling of the final product. To be GOTS

Certified materials must contain at least 70% organic fibers.

GOLS Certified Latex

This Global Organic Latex Standard (GOLS) certification means that latex has to be made with 95 percent natural materials. It is derived from the sap of organically grown rubber trees. Organic farmers do not use chemical fertilizers or pesticides.

Greenguard Gold 

Greenguard fabric is fabric that has been certified to meet strict standards for low emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) into indoor air.

Nontoxic Baby Registry List

Okay, let’s jump to it. Here’s a quick list of the sections covered in this blog (and in this order) so you can scroll to find your favorite one!

  • Clothing (everyday wear and sleeping

  • Feeding & Nursing

  • Diapering (cloth diapers, disposables, wipe)

  • Nursery Furniture & Bedding

  • Baby Travel Gear

  • Toys & Teethers

And to be transparent, there are NO affiliate links in this article. If that changes, I’ll update accordingly.

Clothing 

Everyday wear 

There truly are so many options these days! Thankfully most baby clothes (think onesies, leggings, etc.) are already 100% cotton. The best thing you can do is read clothing labels and look for things like OEKO TEX certified, GOTS certified, and organic. We are a big Carter's family because their clothes are affordable, cotton and OEKO TEX. While I’d prefer organic, I’m also practical. Babies grow so fast, and organic clothing is much more expensive. We do like that you can find options at H&M that are organic cotton and also Carter's organic line, Little Planet. 

Swaddles & Sleep Sacks 

  • Burt's Bees Baby sleep sack — they have the best, most affordable organic cotton sleep sacks!

  • Woolino sleep sacks — these are made with organic cotton and merino wool, a great nontoxic, breathable fabric

  • Goumi Kids convertible baby gown — made from bamboo and organic cotton and a definite newborn favorite of mine! This made nighttime changes a BREEZE. 

  • Mushie knotted sleep gown — I liked these, too. Very practical and easy for middle-of-the-night changes. 

  • Mushie Muslin swaddles — We were gifted about 6 of these and although we never truly swaddled, these make great lightweight, nontoxic blankets, too. And they do work well as swaddles. 

Feeding & Nursing

Bottles 

nontoxic baby registry items

Hannah modeling the Lifefactory and GentleFlow bottles!

Bottom line: look for glass and silicone, with labels like BPA and phthalate free. Avoid plastic as much as you can, which can BPA and can leech microplastics when heated. BPA (bisphenol A) is a chemical in plastic that is widely known as an endocrine disruptor, affecting reproductive and neurological health and may cause nerve and behavior problems in infants and children.

Even items labeled BPA free still contain other forms of plastic that are still as toxic (just less known). 

High Chairs

  • Stokke Tripp Trapp — If you follow anything Montessori, this is the King Kahuna of chairs and I honestly don’t get it. It’s incredibly expensive but to be fair it does grow with the child from 6 months to adulthood. But I will say that it is solid beech and oak wood (a lot of the knock-offs aren’t and use engineered wood). 

  • Abiie — This is a more affordable option compared to the Tripp Trapp (and the one we have). It also grows with the child from 6 months to adulthood. It’s really nice and easy to use and made of sustainably sourced beechwood finished with nontoxic and certified-safe plant-based lacquer. Materials used contains no harmful substances, such as BPA, Phthalate, PVC, and Latex.

  • Lalo — More of a standard high chair, the Lalo is made of FSC certified beech wood with nontoxic finish and the vegan leather cushion is made of PU leather that is free of toxins, PVC, phthalates, lead and is CPSIA compliant.

Bibs 

nontoxic baby registry

Hannah modeling our Abiie chair and silicone bib (it really works!)

Although I don’t recommend them, if you want to try those wearable bib tops, I’d suggest putting them over top of your child’s clothing so that the plastic doesn’t come in contact with their skin. 

Remember, just because something is made of recycled polyester doesn’t make it “less toxic”. And yes, plastic  can be OEKO TEX certified, but at the end of the day it’s still synthetic and therefore cannot be truly natural or chemical free. 

Plates & Utensils 

There are honestly so many options, even on Amazon. Remember to do your due diligence and. look for any brand that promises food grade silicone and medical grade stainless steel! 

Burp cloths

Diapering 

Cloth diapers 

  • Esembly organic cotton cloth diapers & outers — This is the cloth diapering system we have (it’s a 2 diaper system consisting of an organic cotton inner and waterproof outer) and overall we’re very happy with it. Been using it since she was 1 week old!

  • Green Mountain Diapers — These are also organic unbleached cotton with various style options (prefolds, 2 diaper system) and what we’ll likely use if Hannah outgrows Esembly before being potty trained.

  • OsoCozy — These are if you prefer pre-folds and want an organic cotton/bamboo blend

  • GroVia — A good option if you want organic cotton all-in-one (AIO) diapers. Bonus, check out their Mighty Bubbles product if you run into ammonia buildup issues.

  • Babee Greens — Organic cotton and hemp/cotton blends/options

I’ll note that many cloth diaper inserts are cotton/bamboo polyester blends and in order to be as natural law possible, I haven’t included popular brands that use polyester. The outer covers will ALWAYS be made of a polyester waterproof material, however that does not touch the baby’s skin and is unavoidable.

PS. . . have cloth diapering questions? I’d be happy to help guide you or answer them! It’s definitely a learning curve and there are so many good Facebook groups and resources out there, but also a lot of conflicting information. Who knew! Email me at info@fruitofthewombherbals.com or send us a message on Instagram!

nontoxic cloth diapers

Hannah modeling our esembly diaper and a photo of the organic cotton inner and outer

Disposable Diapers 

  • HealthyBaby — These are the only EWG verified disposable diaper and they contain actual organic cotton that touches the baby skin. They also do not have a wetness indicator, PRAISE THE LORD! These are my FAVORITE disposable. We only used them for a week and for travel, but they are FAR superior than any competitor I’ve researched to-date. They are very transparent in what their diapers are made of.

  • TERRA — These diapers are 85% plant based and don’t use any chlorine, fragrance, latex, parabens, phthalates or bleach. Not bad. This is a New Zealand-based company, and you can guarantee that any company outside of the U.S. is automatically going to have higher standards. Sad, but true. 

  • Kudos — They tout themselves as the first 100% cotton lined disposable diaper. Kudos, Kudos! They are free of lotions, phthalates, latex, chlorine (look for TCF labels), parabens and fragrance. They are OEKO-TEX certified, among other certifications.

I’ll note brands like Coterie, Millie Moon and Honest, while still better options that conventional diapers don’t make my list because of some or all of the following: unspecified contents of their wetness indicators, not being TFC (totally chlorine free) and because they are not bamboo or cotton based.

Baby wipes

  • Esembly organic cotton cloth reusable wipes & non toxic wash up foam — We use these every day when cloth diapering at home. I am very happy with them, although at first I didn’t expect it to go as well as it has. And I feel so much better than using wet wipes for EVERY diaper mess. 

  • HealthyBaby biodegradable wet wipes — We use these for travel and other messes around the house (like meal times!) and overall they are the superior option. Although their packaging is certified “plastic neutral” I do wish they had a better option. But I get it. 

  • TERRA bamboo baby wipes —  These are 100% plant-based biodegradable made of bamboo, pure New Zealand water and zero plastic, chemicals, optimal brighteners or fragrance. 

You won’t see brands like Coterie, Honest Co and Water Wipes on my list because I believe the above are truly the safest and least nontoxic options I’ve researched. While Water Wipes are 99.9% water, the “drop of fruit extract” they included contains trace of benzalkonium chloride, which is why I can no longer recommend those personally, although they are popular. That said those brands are still a BETTER option than the conventional options. 

nontoxic baby registry items

Our HealthyBaby diapers and wipes (we donated the diapers since we cloth diapered after 1 week)

Changing Pads 

  • Naturepedic Organic Cotton Changing Pad — We have this one, but I gotta be honest, we haven’t used it. Since we co-sleep, Hannah got changed on our bed, or the floor, using the below portable changing pad. But I love that its surface uses waterproofing derived from non-GMO sugarcane – no vinyl/PVC or other questionable waterproofing methods, and a layer of GOTS certified organic cotton.

  • Sleepah Organic Cotton Contoured Changing Pad — This is definitely a more affordable option. Although  I question what they use to “waterproof” it. You could probably also use an organic cotton cover if concerned about that. 

  • Colored Organics Portable Changing Pad —  Made in Portugal and OEKO-TEX Standard 100 Certified, made with 100% organic cotton percale. Filling is polyester, but I’m less concerned with that. We LOVE this changing pad! I have the misty rose color. 

Balms & Powders

  • Primally Pure baby balm — Our go-to for diaper rash. Made with super clean ingredients like beef tallow from grass fed cows, olive oil, unrefined beeswax, calendula and marshmallow root. It’s also a great nipple balm

  • Primally Pure baby powder — We love this product so much and it looks like they are currently rebranding and out of stock. Hopefully it returns soon!

  • Mothers Love organic baby balm — Another great safe, clean option for your baby’s bottom. 

Diaper pail 

  • Ubbi Diaper Pail — we have this one and it’s a bit small to fit our cloth diapers but this was seriously one of the few stainless steel diaper pails I could find. And it didn’t have a gross (no doubt toxic) odor neutralizer in it. 

  • Diaper Genie Platinum Diaper Pail — this is also stainless steel. 

While I understand plastic is more affordable, why all of these diaper pails are made of plastic is beyond me. Stainless steel is durable, and naturally controls odors. It’s also nontoxic.

Nursery Furniture & Bedding

Dressers

  • Carter’s by DaVinci — They have a fairly wide and affordable selection of dressers big and small. We got the Colby 6-drawer dresser (with a universal changing tray add-on) in natural. Look for options with the “Greenguard Gold” certification. The dresser we got is finished in a nontoxic multi-step painting process and lead and phthalate safe. Is it perfect? No. Was it more affordable? Yes. 

  • Babyletto — A bit more spendy but also Greenguard Gold and more sustainable materials. Most source their solid wood from New Zealand

Solid wood is the best and most nontoxic option. Engineered wood usually contains toxins like formaldehyde, but there are safer options. You can find options at IKEA, too!

Colby natural finish dresser

This the Colby dresser we got in natural wash

Cribs

  • Babyletto — A bit more spendy, but also Greenguard Gold certified. We got the Gelato 4-in-1 with the toddler bed conversion kit (natural wood) because I wanted to turn it into a floor bed. Honestly we should've just  gotten a floor bed because we used the crib exactly 0 times. And we’re still co-sleeping. 

  • Carter’s by DaVinci — A bit more affordable (there was a matching one to the Colby dresser but we didn’t get it) and still Greenguard Gold certified. 

  • DaVinci — Vary by price and most are Greenguard Gold certified. 

  • BabyBay bedside sleeper — We got this because I wasn’t sure how co-sleeping would go. We used it for a few months, but ultimately for our family, having Hannah in our bed worked best. I loved it though and we still have it set up as a bumper. While not Greenguard Gold certified, it’s made in Germany using solidly built, eco-friendly beechwood. They offer a few size variations. 

  • Stokke Sleepi —  This is pricey but can be used until age 5, with different variations, including “floor bed”. Stokke is a popular Montessori brand. 

Floor beds 

  • Sprout floor bed — They offer crib size, twin and full. It’s made with durable, beautiful Baltic Birch plywood and finished smooth with no-VOC, UV-cured finish (safe for children and for the environment).

  • Montoddler floor bed — Features crib, twin, full and queen sizes. Crafted from birch plywood with nontoxic water based finishes, it meets US and EU safety standards. And it’s gorgeous! 

  • Wood & Heart floor bed — They almost always have a sale, and although they call this a floor bed, it’s elevated by wooden legs, so not my favorite. But it’s made with natural materials like premium plywood and uses nontoxic finishes. I wish they did share more info here. 

Shelving

  • Wood & Heart Montessori Bookshelf — Affordable and made with high-class birch plywood and is absolutely nontoxic and safe. We had this on our registry and received it as a gift. I love it!

nontoxic nursery bookshelf

Our Wood & Heart Montessori bookshelf is a favorite

Bedding

Gliders/rocking chairs 

  • DaVinci — They have Greenguard Gold certified rockering chairs and gliders that are decently priced. Most of their chairs are CertiPUR-US® certified, meaning the foam is made without PBDE or Tris flame retardants, heavy metals, formaldehyde, CFCs and phthalates regulated by the CPSC. They also use FSC® CERTIFIED WOOD, meaning it’s been harvested to benefit communities, wildlife, and the environment.

  • Babyletto — Most of their chairs are Greenguard Gold certified (made without fire retardants, formaldehyde and other chemicals), and also use FSC certified wood. Their Toco swivel glider with ottoman is the one I think we have!

  • Pottery Barn Kids — They have great options that are Greenguard Gold certified. However, these are pricey! 

This is the Babyletto Toco Swivel Glider

Mattresses 

  • Avocado — They have 2 options. Their original organic GOTS certified crib mattress and then their luxury one. Both are on the high end of price, but made with the most nontoxic materials you can find for bedding! They have toddler mattresses, too. 

  • My Green Mattress — More affordable than an Avocado but still great materials. Their Emily mattress is GOTS, GOLS and OEKO TEX organic certified, using materials like organic cotton, wool and  sustainably sourced latex. This is the mattress I wish we’d gotten (hindsight!) 

  • Naturepedic Organic Mattress — They have 3 different options. We got the 2-stage classic for infant and toddler stages. Not going to lie, I don’t love it. It’s hard as a rock and I feel some of the other coiled options would be more comfortable. But materials are all nontoxic and organic. Their mattresses are GOTS organic cotton and Greenguard Certified and  the waterproof surface is made from non-GMO sugarcane. They don’t use any glues or adhesives, polyurethane foam, an passes flame standards without fire retardants or chemical additives.

Play mats 

  • House of Noa play mat — These are SO pretty! We also have their kitchen mats (amazing). For Hannah, we got the Gemma play mat in linen. It’s still EVA foam (kind of hard to avoid with a playmat like this) but they use nontoxic materials without phthalates, lead, formaldehyde and latex.

  • House of Noa tumble mat — Their more cushioned tumble mats are also made of nontoxic materials and are free of toxins, BPA, PVC, and latex, and tested to show no harmful phthalates. They’re tested to Exceed ASTM F963 - US Toy Safety standards and are CPSIA Compliant

  • Toki play mat — They have organic cotton and foam play mats. They use 100% natural latex foam made from rubber tree sap without synthetic chemicals, using the energy efficient Dunlop production process. And then the mat has an organic cotton cover. Certifications include GOTS certified organic cotton, GOLS certified (organic foam insert),OEKO-TEX® certified (classic foam insert), tested for harmful substances including phthalates, PFAs, BPA and heavy metals.

House of NOA Playmat up close

Baby Travel Gear

Car seat

  • Nuna Series — They have different options & pricing available from a variety of resellers as well as their website. This is definitely a luxury item. The crème de la crème of nontoxic car seats. You can also try to find them lightly used, if you feel safe doing that, especially if it’s just a newborn carseat you want. They use fire retardant free-materials and are Greenguard Gold certified. 

  • Uppababy — They are more affordable than Nuna but still just as nontoxic. They have different types of materials that boast fire retardant free materials (some also FR free foam), Greenguard certified, and hypoallergenic (their merino wool material). We have the Mesa V2 infant car seat and are very happy with it.

Stroller 

  • Nuna series — Greenguard Gold certified and definitely a luxury feeling (and looking!).

  • Uppababy — These are Greenguard Gold Certified and feature leather handles. We have the lightweight travel stroller (MINU V2) and love it so much. 

Nontoxic carseat and stroller

Hannah modeling our Uppababy Mesa and Minu V2

Baby wraps/carriers 

  • Lillebaby — This was the one for me! We have the Lillebaby Elevate 6-in-1 (warm sand and linen-cotton blend and it works well! I like the back support and more cushion around the waist. It also worked well for my short torso! And it’s a 3-way-carrier (although knowing what I know now, I wouldn't front outward face carry anymore).

  • Tula — We tried the Tula Explore (cotton) carrier and although I wanted to like it, it did not work with my short torso, and caused a lot of pain/discomfort in the lower back. I wish it had a padded strap around the waist. However I know this is a fan favorite!

  • Solly Baby wrap — This one is my favorite, especially for the early months (0-4). I got the cottage rose color. Material is 100% certified TENCEL™ Modal, sourced from the pulp of Austrian Beechwood trees.

  • Mushie cotton wrap — I liked that this one is organic cotton and thicker. Would be a good choice for colder months! I got the blush color (received as a gift). 

Travel crib

  • Gauva Family Lotus Travel Crib — This was a favorite from our registry. Super easy to use and bring with you thanks to the carrying case. It’s Greenguard Gold certified fabric and low-VOC, insulated mattress. It’s not perfect but it’s a better option for sure. 

  • Nuna SENA Aire — This is another Greenguard Gold certified fabric travel crib. I don’t like that it doesn’t have a flap, and it’s quite expensive but also so pretty! It comes with a travel bag and GOTS certified organic cotton sheet. 

Toys & Teethers 

It makes me SO mad that most of the stuffed animals and toys out there are all made of toxic materials (aka plastic) and are full of chemicals. We’re giving these to our children, and most of it ends up in their mouth. That’s why I’m so passionate about education and doing things differently. You can even find second hand options if you know what to look for. It doesn’t have to inherently be expensive. 

Stuffed animals

  • Under the Nile — this company is amazing and they have tons of organic cotton stuffed animals and blanket friends! Hannah loves hers!

  • Bella Luna — they have organic cotton stuffed animals! They also have dolls, too!

  • Finn + Emma — a lot of these are hand knit in Peru and use G.O.T.S. certified 100% organic cotton yarn and nontoxic, eco-friendly dyes. They have cute stroller or car seat toys too!

Teethers

  • Moonkie — Made of nontoxic, sustainable food-grade silicone and free of BPA, PVC, phthalates, fillers, or a chemical smell. We love our Moonkie teethers, all received as gifts!

  • Colored Organics — Made of natural materials like wood and food-grade silicone, these were another favorite of ours! (And Hannah’s!)

Nontoxic teethers

Peep some of the Moonkie teethers and toys we recieved as a gift

 Toys

  • Lovevery — if you’re into Montessori and subscription style toys this is popular! I will say they’ve been adding in more plastic which is disappointing but you can also find a lot of these toys used second hand on Mercari or Marketplace. Target does sell one off Lovevery toys as well. Their site says “Our toys are built to last and made with materials like sustainably harvested wood, organic cotton, nontoxic paint, and bio-based plastics.” 

  • Lovevery play gym (or Etsy finds) — this was a must for the early months and you don’t need a subscription for it. The materials are safe (organic cotton, silicone etc.) but not all of it is eco friendly. I do love their organic cotton crinkle paper! And I love their parent guides which encourage ways to engage baby throughout different stages. 

  • Kiwico Panda Crate — similar to Lovevery this is another subscription based Montessori type company also using safer/less toxic materials. They actually are using less plastic than Lovevery. On their website they say, “free of BPA, phthalates, and lead and meet or exceed rigorous testing and safety standards. Everything uses nontoxic, water-based paints and finishes.”

  • Melissa & Doug — this is a popular and easy to find brand (it’s at Target or Amazon) and they definitely use “better” materials like wood and safer (although not the best) paints. 

  • Mookie — they have lots of silicone options like their stacking cups we received as a gift (and love!)

  • Bella Luna — these toys are more Waldorf style but made of natural materials (mostly wood) and water-based solvent free paints/finishes 

  • IKEA — you can absolutely find nontoxic options at Ikea if you’re reading packaging and labels! Lots of their toys are made from natural wood materials (their play kitchen is popular). They promise BPA- free toys and no harmful chemicals used. 

Look for toys made with natural materials like wood, stainless steel, silicone, cotton, hemp, bamboo, etc. and check for the kind of paints used. Ideally you want a nontoxic water-based paint with a natural nontoxic finish. 

Bottom Line

This blog has been a labor of love. While this isn’t an exhaustive list of every item you might need or want, it’s the result of many many hours of my own research done throughout my pregnancy to find the best, safest (and as affordable as possible) essential baby registry items.

When in doubt, always do your own research when you are looking for items to add to your baby registry. I hope this list helps make your search for nontoxic baby registry items a little bit easier!

Want to see my own registry? You can check it out here!

Nicole Rutherford
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