Review by ecometro blogger Hillary Ryan. Read her blog Baby Greens at Seattle ecometro.com.
Eco-Me specialized in 100% do-it-yourself cleaning kits. They carry a line of cleaning kits to help people make their own natural, non-toxic, chemical-free products including: Eco-Me Home, Body, Baby, Dog and Cat. I was drawn to the product concept of 100% natural baby products made at home since so many baby items aren't as gentle on the skin as they could be.
Image via www.eco-me.com
List of contents:
1 Natural Fiber Storage Bag
1 Bottle for mixing Baby Room Spray
2 Jars for mixing Baby Wipes & Baby Pail Deodorizer
1 Bottle Eco-Me Baby Blend essential oil
1 Eco-Me baby towel hoodie wrap
1 set (25) natural wipe clothes (you can order refills)
1 mixer
1 scoop
Eco-Me Baby Kit has a simple and natural presentation. I found the the essential oil blend heavy and I wasn't too fond of the smell of orange and spice. The items are made from high-quality materials and the design is very DIY.The kit comes in a sturdy, burlap bag that could be recycled as storage for blocks or used in the kitchen to store onions or potatoes. You create your own wipes, deodorizer and room spray using your own vinegar, baking soda and water. As long as you have those items on hand, the items are easy to put together. (I had a 2 and 4 year old help me out. They enjoyed shaking the jars.) FYI- It does take about one full box of baking soda for the deodorizer, so don't plan to do any baking.
But the question is, as it is with so many baby products, would you really use this stuff. The deodorizer would be my top choice of all the items. Just a quick sprinkle and the odor of smelly dipes goes away. If you are using one of the diaper pails that seals disposable diapers in plastic, I am not sure if the deodorizer would work, but for cloth diaper users it is perfect. I would also use the super cute bath towel hoodie although it doesn’t really go with the rest of the items. If there were a bath item in the kit like some body wash, it would make more sense. I am not sure I would use the room spray unless I was changing a super stinky diaper. Finally, my least favorite items were the wipes. I spoil my kid with cloth wipes in a warmer, so cold wipes make him gasp and look at me as if to say, “what are you doing to me Mommy?” Also, the essential oil makes the wipes have a yellowish tint, which happens to be the same shade as breastfed baby poop, so when you are using them it’s hard to tell if you are getting the baby clean. Finally, the kit says that you can recycle the wipes. I am not to keen on putting a poopy wipe in my recycling, so I am afraid most people would throw those in the trash.
Eco-Me Baby Kit would be nice shower gift for someone who is interested in green baby items, but not actively searching for green choices. Since the contents all require household items as ingredients (water, vinegar and baking soda), the super-green/do-it-yourselfer could probably just skip the kit and make their own.