Designer Baby Clothes versus Cheap Baby Clothes
When we first start a family we always get carried away with the event and I would say almost everyone spends way too much money on baby clothes and baby care products. Half of which never see the light of day and some will be unwrapped purely through guilt because we know someone paid a lot of money for it but we still don’t like it. We buy our new baby designer baby clothes even though they will only wear them for a month or two. Psychologically… it is just our way of showing everyone how much we care for our baby and how much our new family member means to us.
So… what is the difference in Designer Baby Clothes and Cheap Baby Clothes?
Designer baby clothes are obviously more expensive but why? It is what the clothes are made from and the finishing that is the major difference. Designer baby clothes companies use top quality cotton fabric, grown on quality controlled cotton plantations that are regularly checked to make sure they are working ethically and treating their workers properly. They use less pesticides and more time is taken over production to produce a thicker, stronger and softer cotton finish. All designer clothes have double stitching using the best cotton and the clothes dying process is intensive so that they will last many washes. In summary they are better fabric, stronger, softer and more durable in general. The top designer companies have the clothes manufactured in first world countries in first world factory conditions and this explains the price.
Cheap baby clothes are mostly made in third world countries but the companies that commission the manufacturing don’t check the growing conditions and sometimes they don’t even check out the factories where the clothes are finished. They submit a sample to manufacturers in the Far East and go for the cheapest option. This is how they can produce baby grows for £4 ($6) and still make a profit. These unethical cotton plantations use many pesticides and dyes that are harmful to your baby and are the major cause of Eczema in babies and toddlers. 40,000 plantation workers every year die from respiratory problems caused by the cotton company’s crop spraying while the plantation workers are working in the fields.
When you buy cheap baby clothes, someone has generally paid dearly so that you can have a cheap baby grow or snowsuit. Just do the maths, if you have paid £2 ($3) for a baby snowsuit someone has been exploited somewhere to make it possible. If you are really struggling and living on an extreme budget, my advice would always be… buy second hand quality baby clothes on eBay, they will last you longer, look better, wear better and no one had to suffer to make your baby look cool! Plus… if you intend having more children you may find that buying better quality baby clothes now will save you more money later; Especially the unisex clothes that all babies wear such as baby grows, sleepsuits, vests, mittens and socks. Denim jeans and neutral coloured t-shirts and tops are also great unisex products that are worth investing in quality if you are starting a family. Avoid gender specific colours for underwear especially as no one sees it and if you buy designer baby clothes you can use them for all your babies.