Makes a Change - Organic, Fair Trade and Natural Parenting

How to Help Save Our Bees

I must admit that I've got a particularly soft spot for bees. Without bees we'd lose the majority of our crops - yet in the past two years we've lost one third of our UK bee colonies!

There's a number of explanations, but there is good evidence to show that the deaths are being caused by a class of pesticides called neonicotinoids.  Neonicotinoids work by disrupting neural pathways in an insect's central neural system - which in bees is extremely complex.  Working in a very large group as opposed to as an individual, bees rely on their complex interactions and communications (such as the "Waggle Dance") to be able to survive as a colony.  Low-level contamination by neonicotinoids doesn't necessarily kill an individual bee, but by reducing each worker bee's ability to communicate the hive loses its coherence and ability to function.

The Soil Association has a list of household chemicals which contain these deadly chemicals and should be avoided.  It's not just farmers who are using these pesticides - they're available at your local garden centre!

The Soil Association is also asking you to take a few minutes to contact your MP to ask for the suspension of sale of neonicotinoids, and to press for more research into bee colony deaths.  To find out more about this campaign, click here.

Please do write a letter, or an email.  Help save our bees!

We're Still Buzzy with Bees!

I just had to share these as they're sooo cute!

New in Friday to match our buzzy bee organic cotton baby clothes - these utterly gorgeous fair trade soft leather baby shoes!

Made from super soft leather with an anti-slip sole which is great for new walkers, these little baby shoes are made in sizes to fit little babies all the way to 2 year old toddlers.

Made in a fair trade factory in South Africa you can have your baby "bee" fair trade from tip to toe!

Believe You Can... Make a Change by Buying Fair Trade

Makes A Change was founded on the principle that every choice we make makes a change somewhere, and by choosing to buy Fair Trade that choice can change someone's life.

We're now used to buying Fair Trade bananas and mangos, cotton and chocolate, but a young British designer has introduced an adorable range of bedroom decor for babies and children which is Fair Trade and absolutely beautiful!

She has two styles - a unisex jungle theme and a very girlie-girl fairy theme.  At the time of writing we've got jungle stock of a snuggly, cuddly elephant cushion, big enough for a child to sit on, use as a pillow or just cuddle all night, and a bright, colourful jungle wall hanging with useful pockets and cute, floppy animals.  For the fairy lovers, we have a very special fairy wall hanging, complete with a place to tie your wand, and pockets for "Fairy Secrets", "Fairy Flying Shoes" and "Fairy Jewels". 

Our Fair Trade Fairy Cotton Bunting will brighten up any bedroom, or can be used as a pretty decoration at a birthday party.  Finish off the fairy theme with our absolutely stunning hand made fairy mobile, with no two fairies the same.

But there's a very serious side to this whimsy.  Over 40% of the producer's profits go to support community welfare projects, such as:

• A school and nursery looking after around 400 children
• Special needs education for children who would otherwise not be given the opportunity to learn, and would be isolated from the rest of the community
• A free creche for the mothers who work in the factory, with the space and opportunity to breastfeed during the working day
• A health centre and dentist
• Outreach clinics to be able to treat communities further off the beaten track
• Veterinary care for the local farmers' animals

It's projects like these that really excite us at Makes a Change.  Projects which are well run, properly managed (this one is certified by the International Fair Trade Association) and change communities.  And by making really fun products of outstanding quality everyone wins!

Buzzy Buzzy Bees - Beautiful!

New Buzzy Bees range of Organic Cotton Baby Clothes

Adorable new theme which supports a theme close to my heart.  Bees are vital to our planet and yet they're in real difficulty.

Show your support for the bees and check out our range of adorable buzzy bee prints and applique - all in soft, durable organic cotton, fairtrade and cut to fit cloth nappies, too!

Ladybird, Ladybird, Fly Away to MY Home!

I have to confess that I've got a bit of a thing for ladybirds.  Not only are they exceptionally pretty, they're fantastic little garden insects, chomping their way through those naughty rose-eating aphids and cheering up the place to boot. 

Did you know:

• Ladybirds will eat more than 5000 aphids in a year!
• The most common ladybird in the UK is the 7-spot, but there are 46 species which live in the UK and some of them are quite dull looking!
• Baby ladybirds (larvae) eat aphids too - loads of them!  And ladybird larvae look NOTHING like the cute ladybirds on our ethical ladybirds products.

We've got a lovely Ladybird gift card which is handmade in a community development project in Kenya.  Our Ladybird Print range is absolutely gorgeous and it's all made from Fairtrade, Organic Cotton.  It includes a Babygown, Baby Romper, and Pyjamas for the older child.

Like spots but not bugs?  Why not take a look at our red spotty range then - again, organic, fairtrade cotton.  We've got blankets and rompers in red, pink and the cuuutest baby blue with white spots - take a look!

Mother-ease Airflow V Mother-ease Rikki

Mother-ease Nappies - one of the longest established cloth nappy brands.  They make the well-known and dearly loved Airflow and Rikki cloth nappy wraps - but what's the difference between the two?

Airflow Nappy Wraps

Airflow wraps have a neat popper fastening which is much harder for babies to undo than Velcro.  The poppers are on the side of the nappy, making them slightly more fiddly to fasten than a Velcro wrap, but once they're on, they stay on!

The theory is that as your baby moves, air is bellowed over and through the wrap, keeping the nappy inside drier - hence the name "Airflow". 

Airflow wraps are looser fitting than most cloth nappy wraps.  They are brilliant for fitting over a bulky night nappy, or over a more padded nappy for the heavy wetting baby.  This loose fit means that they are not suitable for nappies which need to be held in place by the wrap - it wouldn't be a great choice to go over a prefold, for instance.

With poppers at the legs and waist there's loads of space for adjustment, and as there's no Velcro band at the waist, babies who are sitting up and suffer from the Velcro waistband rubbing them do well with Airflow wraps.

Rikki Nappy Wraps

Mother-ease Rikki Wraps are a more traditional close-fitting Velcro-fastened wrap.  They are ideal for covering any nappy, including prefolds.  The Velcro is of exceptionally high quality and will last and last, but as with all Velcro wraps some babies who are sitting up can be bothered by the Velcro band rubbing them on the tummy.  Rikki Wraps have a leg gusset which means that they snuggly fit around the tops of your baby's legs, to brilliantly protect against leaks. 

They're generously cut to cover the underlying nappy at the legs which can often be a problem with other wraps.

Airflow and Rikki Fabric

Both Rikki and Airflow nappy wraps are made from a high quality, fast-drying PUL fabric which is exceptionally durable.  The binding is non-wicking so urine will NOT leak out of the nappy via the binding which is such a problem with many other brands.

Breast is even better...

Up to 21% of breastmilk is actually all about the germs?

It's long been thought that a large component of breastmilk - around 21% - had no real value as it was made up of complex sugars which can't be broken down or used by the human stomach.  This indigestible element seemed to be wasted effort on behalf of the mother, which makes no evolutionary sense as the maternal effort needed to make breastmilk is very significant.  So what's it all about?

A group of researchers at the University of California think that they have solved this question - and in the process given us a hugely important insight into the way that breastmilk helps to protect babies from the harmful bacteria and viruses that they come into contact with every day - and in turn why formula fed infants are more prone to illness.

This special component of breastmilk attracts viruses and bacteria which would instead attack the intestines of the infant.  The nasties are then harmlessly flushed out of the baby in their faeces. 

The researchers are trying to work out the components in breastmilk which could be used in other areas of healthcare, such as in the elderly - and they're even looking at how proteins in breastmilk can attack tumour cells!

More information from The New York Times Science Pages

More fantastic organic cotton baby clothes on sale at Makes a Change

  "Summer Meadow" Gorgeous Girls' Organic Cotton, Fairtrade Romper now 50% OFF

Cut to fit cloth nappies, this lovely organic cotton romper is perfect for summer and balmy autumn days.  Front buttons make it easy to pop on your little girl and nappy opening at the crotch.

Made by Frugi, this baby romper is made from 100% pure organic cotton and is fairtrade - and the manufacturer donates 1% of its sales to charities - a really ethical baby clothing company!

Originally on sale at £19.99 you can now pick up the last stock of this gorgeous romper at just £9.99.  Grab it while you can!

Click here to see and buy!

50% OFF Summer Season Organic Cotton Baby Clothes at Makes a Change

  Makes a Change's Summer Sale is NOW ON!

Don't miss our fantastic range of gorgeous organic cotton, fairtrade baby and children's clothes - now with many items at 50% off!

Take this lovely baby tee, for instance. Click here to see it!  This little organic cotton baby t-shirt is long sleeved - so would be great for all year round wear even though it was a summer season item.  The lovely hen design is applique, not a print, so looks really special  The colour is bright, funky and fun and looks adorable.  It's made by Frugi so is exceptionally good quality as well as extraordinarily ethical!

Originally £12.99 it's now £6.49!  What a bargain!  Very limited stock though so buy now - don't miss out!

Organic Cotton, Eco Friendly "Tractor" Applique (Reclaimed Material) Boy's Summer Tee on Sale

On Sale - Was £14.95, now £8.99!

This absolutely gorgeous summer tee is made from 100% pure, unbleached organic cotton. It is finished with an adorable applique tractor. The tractor is made from reclaimed vintage denim so each is slightly different, creating a stunning, unique and completely eco friendly item of boy's clothing.

What does it feel like?

The organic cotton in this lovely summer t-shirt is unbelievably soft and cosy. It's is a jersey knit, meaning that it is slightly stretchy for a really comfortable fit which will last your son all summer through. An absolute must for tractor fans!

Organic And Eco Friendly Credentials
This lovely organic cotton boy's tee is made from 100% pure organic cotton, certified organic by Ecocert. The applique tractor is made from unwanted denim garments which means that vintage clothing is re-used - better than being recycled and directly stopping waste going into landfill.

Click Here to See!