8 tips for an eco-friendly children's room

Did you know that we spend up to 90 percent of our time indoors? It is all the more important that your child's room feels inviting and comfortable. We will explain why an environmentally friendly setup is essential and provide 8 tips for low-emission design of the child's room.

Whether it's wall paint, furniture, carpets, or toys – everything in the home releases substances into the indoor air, including some that can affect your child's health and well-being. Baby's skin is even thinner and more permeable than that of adults. As soon as your little explorer becomes mobile, they also start to explore their environment with all their senses, especially with their mouth. Children are therefore automatically more exposed to pollutants in their surroundings, and since their bodies are still developing, they react more sensitively to them. Therefore, you should pay particular attention in the children's room to ensure that no health-threatening pollutants such as volatile organic compounds, plasticizers, or insect repellents are present in the furnishings.

1. Pay attention to the flooring

The floor is the creative playground where your child will probably spend a lot of time in the coming years. If you have influence over the flooring in your apartment or house, it’s best to choose an option made from harmless natural materials. This could, for example, be a pure wooden floor. Linoleum is also made from wood or other renewable raw materials such as cork. Another advantage of the rollable flooring is that it is warm, durable, and elastic. Important: When installing the floor, make sure that the adhesive used is also free of harmful substances. If you cannot change the flooring, a carpet or carpeted floor can contribute to a welcoming atmosphere in the children’s room. Here too, natural materials such as (wood) wool, sisal, coconut, or jute are the first choice.

2. Choosing the right wall color

The wall paint of his kingdom will probably accompany your little explorer for quite a while. In addition to an appealing color tone, a minimal emission of pollutants also plays a role in the selection. The paint should contain no solvents or other questionable ingredients such as preservatives or plasticizers and should be breathable. Various eco-labels provide information about its safety. Generally, pollutant-free and open-pore paints such as lime, silicate, casein or glue paint, and natural resin dispersions are recommended. It’s best to get advice directly from a specialist retailer.

3. Buy furniture made from as low-emission materials as possible

Furniture made from renewable natural materials is not only more sustainable but also more timeless and durable than other materials, making it ideal for your child's room. Especially wood positively influences the room climate with its breathable properties: the open-pored surface of the material absorbs moisture, releases it again, and thus regulates the humidity. To keep the surface breathable, you should ensure that it has been treated only with natural oils and waxes, not chemicals. Wood is also not the same: domestic woods such as birch, beech, or spruce are more sustainable due to shorter transportation routes and more environmentally friendly than tropical, solid wood or chipboard, which may have been chemically treated. The certificate of the Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC® C135956) provides information about products made from raw materials sourced from responsible forest management. FSC® promotes environmentally friendly, socially just, and economically viable forest management worldwide. By the way: all LILLYDOO diapers, wet wipes, and changing mats carry the FSC® certificate (FSC® C135956), as the ingredients based on wood come from responsibly managed forests.

4. Invest in furniture with a long lifespan

For furniture that is meant to bring joy beyond the baby and toddler years, investing in higher-quality pieces is worthwhile not only financially. A grow-with-me bed, an adjustable desk, or a dresser with a removable changing pad are also more sustainable due to their long-term use. To ensure that the furniture still appeals to you and your child in a few years, it is advisable to choose a timeless rather than an extravagant design. With a few you can always add new accents from time to time.

Another sustainable and, above all, affordable alternative is second-hand children's furniture. Just ask relatives or friends with older children if they have a piece or two to give away. Browsing flea markets, children's secondhand stores, or online platforms can also be worthwhile. An additional advantage of used furniture is that any potential pollutants, which are especially emitted by new furniture, have probably already dissipated.

5. Set up the changing area sustainably

In addition to the changing table itself, its accessories can also contribute to a sustainable (children's room) setup. You can avoid unnecessary waste by choosing a changing pad with a removable and washable cover and using warm water and soft, washable washcloths to clean your little explorer. Simply prepare a thermos with warm water on the changing table in the morning to have pleasantly tempered water readily available throughout the day. For on the go, our are a good alternative: they consist of 100% plastic-free cloth and thus protect our environment. If you also want to take a step towards sustainability with your diapers without compromising on absorbency and comfort, our are the right choice. The diaper line features innovative paper packaging and uses as little plastic as possible otherwise. The remaining plastic is offset by LILLYDOO, in cooperation with Plastic Bank®, removing the exact amount of plastic from the environment that is contained in the product. The diaper line also relies on unbleached cellulose in the diaper core as an environmentally friendly alternative.

6. Choose pollutant-free textiles

Not only furniture, but also textiles in the children's room influence the indoor climate and can be pollutant-laden. Therefore, when it comes to curtains, cushions, blankets, and mattresses, pay attention to the material. Sustainably produced items made from natural fibers such as cotton, linen, and wool are the better choice for your little explorer's room than plastics like polyester and others. Natural textiles not only have self-cleaning properties, but the allergy risk is also significantly lower due to the absence of softeners and other chemicals. Various seals such as the GOTS label or the OEKO-TEX® STANDARD 100 certification provide information about the product safety of textiles. Did you know that our LILLYDOO diapers, wet wipes, and changing mats are also awarded the OEKO-TEX® STANDARD 100 in product class 1 (items for babies and toddlers up to 3 years)? This certifies that they have been tested for harmful substances according to the strict criteria of OEKO-TEX® STANDARD 100.

7. Watch out when buying toys

More than furniture or wall paint, your child is certainly interested in their . Try to avoid plastic as much as possible when choosing toys, just like with the furnishings, since it can contain harmful substances such as plasticizers. Toys made from materials like cotton or wood, which have been tested for safety, can be explored freely with all senses and even sometimes with the mouth. Despite all good intentions, you probably know the phenomenon that brightly colored plastic toys are usually the most popular with little ones. ;) Don't worry, you don't have to ban everything from the child's room: Toys sold in the EU must meet certain standards. However, exceptions can always occur, so if you want to be on the safe side, look for the GS mark when purchasing, which stands for "tested safety" and guarantees that the legal requirements for safety and harmful substances have been met.

8. Think Minimalistically

Admittedly: Minimalism is not the first word that comes to mind when thinking about children, and it can often be difficult to implement with babies and toddlers. Nevertheless, it can be helpful to approach purchases thoughtfully and to question them. Even if it's hard to resist super sweet children's accessories, consider what your child really likes and what they absolutely need. This way, you avoid accumulating unnecessary items that are only used for a short time.

We hope we have been able to provide you with some useful tips for sustainable and low-pollution nursery decor. More tips on how to make your little explorer's domain not only beautiful but also safe can be found in our article "". We wish you and your baby many wonderful hours in your children's room!