UNDER CONSTRUCTION
This is a frustrating subject, why can’t there be one, just one eco-friendly stroller that is made in USA and non-toxic? BabyPlanet claim their strollers are eco-friendly, yet they are made in China! And the material doesn’t sound too eco-friendly to me. Orbit also claim to be eco-friendly, but exactly what is eco-friendly? They have one special edition bassinet made in organic cotton, the one part you only need for a few months and I find completely unnecessary (just by a stroller that has a back-rest that can fold down), and guess where it is made- oh yes, IN CHINA! Bugaboo is made in Taiwan/China, BOB in China the list goes on. Most materials they use are not natural and some contain flame-retardants and off-gas toxic fumes. So what’s your best bet?
Carry your baby! Get an organic wrap carrier like the Cuddlewrap and carry your baby, it is the best for the child. Now for the rest of us that aren’t saints and don’t have backs of steel:
Get a used stroller! They have off-gassed for a while and you’re recycling. After you’re done with your stroller, sell it or pass it on to someone else. If you treat your stroller well, you might be able to sell it for as much as you bought it for!
If you however do want to buy a new stroller, make sure you buy only ONE, get one that fits all your needs. I like a stroller that has a back-rest that can be folded down so you can use it bassinet style. You’ll most likely want to carry your newborn the first few weeks anyway. Try to avoid anything made in China. Now, let’s look at strollers in the “less evil” category (he he):
Stokke Xplory:
From what I have read, the front-wheels are made in China, but the rest of the stroller is made in Norway. According to Stokke: “The XPLORY® stroller not only exceeds all stroller safety standards, but moves ever closer to surpassing our environmental ambitions. All XPLORY® plastics parts are marked for future recycling, re-use, and handling.” I like that the child can face both towards the parent and away, LOVE that the seat can go high up so you can look into baby’s eyes. Also love that you can recline the seat. Wish the wheels and tires were a little more hard-core so you could go off roads and to the beach easily, but I guess most people won’t need that function nowadays. It’s also a bit bulky (think of that if you know that you travel a lot or have a compact car).
Mountain Buggy:
Made in New Zealand. This stroller will go on almost all terrain, lockable swivel wheel, shock absorbers and some have reclining back-rests. Top rated by Consumer Reports. Eco-friendly? Well “aim to achieve sustained growth through controlled management of resources”. It’s a great all in one stroller that you can use for both jogging on the beach and strolling through town. I love that it’s not made in China, would love even more if a company in USA could follow their steps and make a stroller here.
Baby Bling Design Co:
An interesting stroller worth checking into. Of course, bummed out that the frame is made in China, but lo and behold- the fabric of the stroller is made in (gasp) USA! Nothing eco-friendly about this one except that it’s semi-Chinese instead of full-blood, made from a smaller company and you can exchange the fabric portion of the stroller which means it should be fairly easy to sell used and the next owner will only need to buy the fabric part in whatever color they want. I also like that it is an all in one stroller- a jogging stroller morphed for the city! Fold down is great as you can see on the image.
BabyPlanet stroller:
Reluctantly I mention this stroller. First, it is made in China. Second, what exactly do they do that is eco-friendly? The endangered species line donate $5 (wow… note my sarcasm) for each stroller sold- advice, buy a stroller for your needs and then donate $5 yourself. Ok, let’s continue- they offer to recycle their or any other brands stroller, yet listen to this quote on their site “To ensure the safety of our products, none of the recycled parts are ever used to refurbish or create new Baby Planet strollers”. I do give them credit for helping you find where you can donate your used stroller, but don’t expect them to do it for you. So after all this, why should you buy this stroller? Well, they are at least trying. Even though I feel upset that they manufacture in China and that they are misleading people saying it’s an eco-friendly stroller, they are somewhat going a direction towards trying to be eco-friendly and by buying one, you tell other companies that you care about being eco-friendly. The price is very good too, you might as well get this stroller then something else from China. If you buy one, please tell them to move production out of China and incorporate organic materials. They have a good selection and it should be easy to find one that fit all your needs.
A guide to the best non-toxic and eco-friendly toys & products 
HILARIOUS! I was thinking some of the same things about the Baby Planet stroller. WHY does EVERYTHING have harmful chemicals? In our food, our baby toys, our baby furniture, all baby gear – AHHHH!
I feel your frustration, I think it’s insanely hard to find all the good non-toxic stuff too, that’s why I’m doing this site. I hope with growing awareness and pressure on companies, we can eventually make products that are not only beneficial for us, but that reverse the damage we have done to the environment and help our planet to thrive again. Let’s at least hope so…
Blessings
Kicka
I’ve carried my baby in an organic Ergo for a year, now I have a stroller but still use my lovely Ergo. Only thing about the organic Ergo is the lining is not organic and that’s the part that touches the baby!
Thank you for the info. Also, just wanted to comment on Juliet’s posting…i too LOVE my organic Ergo…and, the lining is organic as well (yeah!) – of course it should be because it is the part that touches baby and baby sucks on the straps, etc…ERGO is putting out organic “un-dyed” sucking pads soon (Mar 09), thank goodness – hey, I would make them myself if I could sew. Anyway, I verified with Ergo and this is what was sent back to me via email:
Dear Andrea,
Thank you for contacting us at ERGObaby. You can be assured that the lining of your Cranberry Carrier is 100% Organic cotton poplin. Our Certified 100% Organic Cotton is grown, processed and manufactured in compliance with Organic Fiber Processing Standards utilizing natural agricultural methods without the application of toxic chemicals. The benefit to the consumer, especially our babies, is the softness and quality that only organic cotton can provide.
ERGObaby carriers have been thoroughly tested and have exceeded the standards set by the SGS-CSTC certification for hazardous or toxic substances. We have also received certification from TUV, which checks the safety of the carrier’s components, and CU, which regulates production standards. Most recently, we have received certification from JPMA, an extensive, unique Certification Program that has been guiding parents and caregivers for 25 years toward purchasing juvenile products that are manufactured with safety in mind.
To view our many certifications please go to our website at: http://www.ergobabycarrier.com/press/
Thank you for your interest in ERGObaby. Please feel free to contact us with any further questions or comments.
Regards,
Barbara Pino
Customer Service Manager
ERGObaby USA
3390 Old Haleakala Hwy • Pukalani, HI 96768
toll free 888-416-4888 • office 808-572-6953
Thanks for this. Just subscribed.
I really wanted my to get an organic stroller for my first born, and after I figured that there are none in the USA I wanted to order some from abroad from “Naturkind”. Unfortunately it seems in the US we are more preoccupied with “Safety” than health, which is a contradiction!
This is what “Naturkind” told me:
Dear Mrs.,
because of the new American legal regulations (Consumer Product Safety
Improvement Act – CPSIA) it is not allowed to send our stroller into the
USA!
Without authorization, the pram does not pass through the customs!!
I am very sad about these bad news – but at the moment there is no
possibility to deliver the stroller into the USA!!
Best regards,
Peter Doppler
CEO Naturkind-Kinderwagen
DOPPLER KG
Hauptstraße 11, A- 4210 Gallneukirchen
Tel: +43 (7235) 62243 Fax: 62243-3
mailto:kinderwagen@naturkind.at http://www.naturkind.at